Showing posts with label vision board. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vision board. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

3 Key Elements of Vision Boards

Vision boards are a collection of images or words glued to a poster board that displays where a person wants to go, goals that they wish to achieve or material items that they’re striving to acquire. However, when created and used properly, vision boards can really change one’s life.

In addition to the general images and words, there are three key elements that should be included in a vision board project. These are:


  • A picture of you;
  • A power word or two; and
  • Images that convey emotion




Be the centerpiece of your vision board

The first element — a photo of the vision board’s creator — is critical. Vision boards created by an individual should have a positive image of the creator as the centerpiece of the vision board.

If the vision board is created by a couple, a family or a group, an image of the group should be the center focal point. It is important to have this image as it gives “ownership” to the creator. For individuals, it is important to be reminded, it is your vision and you must be a part of it.

Include a power word

The second key element is the “power word.” This concept is new to many vision board users. The power word can be a term that’s used to describe the theme of the board or it can be a phrase, motto or mantra. It must be positive and the term or word must be in the future or present tense. A couple examples are “Happiness Abounds” and “I enjoy being my ideal weight of 150 pounds.”

Choose images that reflect emotion

The third and final element of the vision board that is key: images that reflect emotion. The images need to show happiness, satisfaction, accomplishment, etc. As humans, we often “mirror” the attitude and energy of those around us. This is true of images as well. If we are surrounded by the “negative,” one’s attitude will become negative. If an individual focuses on the positive, he or she will have a positive attitude.

When creating a vision board, it is important to take a few moments to examine your feelings. How will you feel when you have lost weight, bought that new car or secured a new job? These emotions should be depicted on the vision board.

These three key elements –- you, power words and emotions — will add power and success to your vision board.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Vision Boards: YOU are the Centerpiece

When setting a formal table, there is often a grand and elaborate centerpiece. When creating a vision board, there should also be a grand centerpiece. That centerpiece should be YOU!

Yes, it is recommended by many, including Joyce Schwarz best-selling author of The Vision Board to include a picture of yourself in the center of your vision board.

You should include the picture of yourself on your board to be a reminder that you are the co-creator of your life. YOU are center to the vision of your life. You are the “star” of the movie and the one who must take action in your life.

Yes, some would say that the Universe will manifest your vision board. However, if the Universe opens the door for your vision, you must be the one to walk through the open door.

When choosing the picture of yourself, make it a positive one. Choose a picture that you like and that reflects a happy time in your life.

For example, it can be a childhood image laughing and playing at the park or a birthday party surrounded by friends and family. These would be especially appropriate if they reflected items you were visioning for now — peace, playfulness, freedom, family, love, etc.

Another approach that is very common is to take a new picture — one that reflects what you want in the future. It is a common story of people who go to a car dealership and have a picture taken in their “dream car.”

With technology, you can also “photo shop” a picture of yourself standing in front of your dream home or on your dream vacation.

However you choose, it is important to picture yourself in your vision. Without you….it is not your vision.


Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Finding Purpose and Direction with One Word

“Hey mom, in three years you’ll be fifty.”

This simple statement, made by my son, still rings in my ears  years later. Having been self-employed for over 15 years at the time and working with my main client for over 10 years this brought up a harsh reality.

I looked at the stack of papers on my desk and asked myself “Is this what you want to be doing in three years?”

After some deep soul-searching, I came to the difficult decision to make some major career changes in my life. I had worked from a home office, had virtual co-workers and even virtual friends. I wanted to grow as a person and “expand my horizons” as the saying goes. I wanted to practice what I taught and coached about. I wanted to live my vision and reach for the stars!

I took a leap of faith and left that client. I become a direct seller for a new company. All was great and I became a leader in just 45 days. Having worked from home and with now grown children, I lacked the warm fuzzy market of local friends and family. I knew I need to change that for my business growth, for personal support and friendship.

I had been using and teaching vision boards and goal setting for several years and this seemed the natural first step to making my life changes. As I gathered images, almost randomly using my right-brain, I was attracted to the image of the word CONNECT.

As I reflect back on this now, I see that this was my “One Word” focus. The start of something powerful that I didn’t even know existed!

I didn’t know what “connect” would look like or what the final result would be so I trusted in the image and knew it would guide me where I needed to be. This became my guiding image.

The guiding image to me is a representation of a heart’s desire. It is not a material item or place. It is more a feeling or sense of being. Very often, I think, we know something needs to change. We know there is an opportunity out there, we just can’t yet define it or picture it in our mind. We truly feel it within our hearts. This is what CONNECT was to me. It was my heart’s desire to be part of something outside of myself.

Shortly after creating this board, a gal friended me on Facebook. She was interested in starting a women’s networking group in our area – a rural farming community nestled in the foothills of Mt. Rainier. We did have lots of networking choices if we drove 45 to 60 minutes toward Seattle or Tacoma, but no strong local groups. We met at Starbucks that week to set the plan in motion.

Hannah, my daughter Emily, and I met. We had great ideas and a grand vision. We did wonder if anyone would attend our meetings. My daughter promptly committed to not attending! However, undaunted, Hannah and I moved forward.

Flash Forward seven months….Our networking meetings boasted consistent attendance of over 15 women. We enjoyed new members every meeting. We made strong friendships that transcended the networking group. We socialize together and support each other. We are connected.

Looking back to pasting that image on my board, I never “visioned” co-founding a successful networking group, developing close friendships so quickly, or redeveloping the connection to my community. The abstract image CONNECT was my guiding image – guiding me to connect, take chances and reach for the stars!

Friday, January 29, 2016

Vision Boards In the News

This week has already been a great week for positive online coverage of vision boards and their importance in goal setting and planning your future.  To make this coverage even better was the mention of The Vision Board book in one post and the second post being in Huffington Post, a mainstream online source.

Associate Editor Margarita Tartakovsky, Psychcentral.com, covered the aspect of visioning which many articles about vision boards neglect.  She also outlined the 5-Step formula author Joyce Schwarz presents in The Vision Board book.

For those who have attended my workshops or trainings, you may recognize the “mini board” exercise.  Visioning — getting in touch with your inner feeling or “heart’s desire” — is an important step in creating a successful vision board.  Paging through magazines quickly and pulling out the pages of images or headlines is a great way to get in touch with your deeper motivations in life.

Katy Hanley, Huffington Post
The second mention this week was by Kate Hanley, on the Huffington Post.  It was an excellent overview of why vision boards are important in seeing life goals versus just listing them with paper and pen.  I especially loved how she included having the physical presence of the board was important — don’t keep it online!

Hanley states “Putting together a vision board can crystallize the goals you’re already aware of and tease out the ones that are still in a formative state.”  I think she has summed up the visioning process of vision board making!

As a Certified Vision Board Coach, I am encouraged by the positive press and media coverage has been receiving over the past few years. Vision boards can be an important tool in achieving success in both life and business.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Ready...Set...Focus - One Word for the year!

Are you ready for 2016? Like Santa are you making a list – a checking it twice? Is your list a list of resolutions?  Several years ago, I was introduced to the “One Word” concept. This has changed by thinking and my life over the past years.

The idea is developed in the book  One Word That Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton and Jimmy Page. The premise is to find one word to apply to the six core areas of your life.

These areas are:

  • Mental
  • Physical
  • Emotional
  • Relational
  • Spiritual
  • Financial
The idea is that it is much easier to focus on one word versus a list of random resolutions for the areas.

In 2015, my word was “accountability.”  I think of myself as a responsible person but “accountability” kicked it up a notch! Applying the thought of “accountability” to all areas did keep my focus and also provided for continuity in moving forward – setting goals and so on.

Choosing your word may or may not be easy.  Your word may also choose you! Last year was challenging but this year my work came quickly after listening to the audible version of the book.  It takes about an hour to listen to the complete book!

Along with working on written statements for each area and my word, I also created a quick vision board reflecting my 2016 word — COURAGE.


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