Hi! I’m Dionne Woods; an artist, coach, and founder of The Turquoise Iris Journal. One of the first steps I take with my coaching clients is to ask them for a clear picture of their goals. What are their big dreams? What do they want their life to look like in a month, a year, a decade? I’ve found that a vision board can be an amazing tool for helping my clients create a crystal-clear image of what they want, so they can dream it for themselves and share it with me. I think everyone can benefit from activities like these so here are my vision board ideas that will help every creative person plan their next big adventure!
What is a Vision Board?
I can’t be the only one who is a bit of a daydreamer from time to time! I think that daydreaming, or envisioning a dream life, is actually a really good way to spend time if we are intentional about it! Having a clear picture in our minds of the kind of future that we want for ourselves is the first step toward making that dream a reality.
Vision Board Ideas for Creatives
Vision boards are especially useful to creatives because we are far more likely to be visual people. I’ve lost count of how many artists I know were the kinds of kids to doodle in the margins of their notebooks. While some people may be able to write a goal down on a piece of paper, I need to see what it is I’m aiming for. Visualization has been used by successful people for years and it’s such an easy, intuitive activity.
The flip side of being a creative person? Sometimes we have so many ideas that it’s hard to pin them all down and really get a clear picture of what it is we want. Taking time to carefully select and edit images, text, and art for our boards allows us to hone in on the things that matter most.
Most importantly, don’t second-guess your vision.
While it’s okay to differentiate between what you do and do not want your future to look like, try to avoid editing your vision to fit reality. If your gut says that you want to host a retreat in Italy, I would hope to see some pictures of Rome on your board!
Vision Board Ideas and Examples
A vision board can be whatever you want it to be — a collage, a piece of art, or even a digital scrapbook — as long as it allows you to get into an intuitive, creative space. I’ve seen people use corkboards, create posters, and make digital wallpapers for their phones. Some folks like to make it pretty so they can hang it on their walls and see it every day while others find that just creating the board is enough to set things in motion. How you customize your board is up to you!
Tips for Creating Your Board
It’s important to set aside some time when you can really focus on creating your vision board because intention is so essential. I also suggest collecting a variety of inspiring materials to look at before you set out to create your board. It is the act of visualizing through creation that makes this such a fantastic exercise for artists! Don’t be afraid to have fun with it and really make it your own.
There’s a reason “vision” is in the name: the things you choose to include on your board should allow you to imagine what it feels like to actually be living the dream life you’re creating. What does your vision look like? What does it sound like? Where does it take place? With those questions in mind, I have some suggestions for things to include on your vision board.
Ideas For What To Include on Your Board
- Yourself. You’d be surprised how many people don’t include a picture of themselves on their boards! However, I think it’s so powerful to include your absolute favorite picture of yourself. It will help you actually connect with the way you felt in the photo, which will positively impact the way you feel about your future!
- Your Emotions. How will you feel when you achieve your goals? Make sure those words are on your board!
- Your environment. What do you want to be surrounded by as you achieve your goals? Maybe you’ll include pictures of all the plants you want to buy, or the new house you’ve been dreaming of, or a trip you’ve always wanted to take. Explore this aspect down to the tiny details, like what kind of candle you might be burning when you realize you’ve achieved your goals.
- Your community. Every person needs community in order to become their best selves. What does community look like to you? How can you represent that on your board?
- Your mindset. Think about the person you admire most in the world. What words would you use to describe them? Add those to your board as a reminder that you are capable of anything you set your mind to.
- Your mantras. When we are intentionally choosing to grow in one (or many!) areas of our life, it is possible to fall back into bad habits. Mantras are a helpful tool for keeping our mindset on track when we feel tempted to return to familiar patterns. I like to keep mantras in the present tense, like “I bravely try new things because it helps me grow.”
- Your interests. It can be easy to forget about leisure in the pursuit of our goals, but rest and joy are how we recover as creatives! Make sure to represent your interests on your vision board, whether you’ve been meaning to get back into gardening or you’d like to learn how to make pasta from scratch. Tiny curiosities are what make life magical.
- Your art. Don’t forget to include some creativity fuel on your board! What aspect of your creativity would you like to honor? What would you like to explore? What inspires you to create?
How to Create a Vision Board
There are only four steps for creating a vision board!
- Reflect. Take time to think about what matters most to you and what your goals look like.
- Collect. Find the materials you need to create your board. It’s okay if this takes some time!
- Create. If possible, set aside several hours to spend just creating your board.
- Visualize. Once the board feels complete, allow yourself to get lost in the possibilities! Whenever you feel called to, close your eyes and try to tap into the thoughts, sensations, and emotions that future-you might be experiencing!
I encourage you to be very intentional when adding things to your board. Associate the images and words with a feeling in your mind so that, when you look back, you are able to recall the significance of each and every one.
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