Calling all dreamers, all procrastinators, all people who’ve aged out of wunderkind status (happy 27th birthday, by the way): Stop doing nothing to make your hopes come true and start a vision board! A vision board is a collection of inspiring images, quotes and objects that turns your most important goals into accomplishments. Sound too good to be true? Before I made a vision board, I was like you — skeptical, sad and wearing jeans that didn’t work for my body type. But, now here I am, giving advice on how to be happy!
Imagine your brightest future. No matter what you have to do to get there — lose weight, start a podcast, volunteer once — a vision board can help, as long as you make one that works. A vision board that doesn’t work is just a collage. (Saying that with the deepest respect for the collage community.)
To create a functional vision board, follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Set Your Intention
How do you want to feel once this vision board takes effect? Use simple phrases that describe your post-vision board self. To inspire you, I’ll share intentions from my previous vision boards: “Happy.” “Successful at literally anything.” “Skinnier than my sister.” (Pro tip: If you don’t have a sister, pick anyone whose genetics you find flagrantly unfair.)
Step 2: Gather Your Supplies
You’ll need a corkboard, scissors, magazines with pictures so airbrushed that you feel kind of sad about your face, pushpins and/or tape.
Step 3: Find Your Creative Space
Consecrate a private area as your vision board creation zone by lighting candles, burning incense and hanging tapestries. If no private space is available because, despite your age, you live with roommates, you can put those kids you babysit for to bed a few hours early and use their playroom.
Step 4: Source Your Images
Now it’s time to search for pictures. Be sure to use only those that make you feel like you can accomplish your goals. Don’t waste your vision board’s time by pinning up a KonMari organized closet. What about a bathroom that’s not always out of hand soap? And you can throw away that picture of a businesswoman with no unread emails in her inbox. Instead, look for a lady who actually hems her work pants and doesn’t just commit to walking on her tip toes.
Step 5: Place Your Vision Board
It’s not called a vision board because it’s invisible. Put your board someplace you can see it every day, which means other people will see it, too. This is where the motivation magic happens! Your friends, family and third dates can hold you accountable. When they ask things like, “Is that a ransom note from a cartoon villain?” and “You know Barack Obama can’t be president again, right?” let your community’s energy propel you to make your dreams come true.
Step 6: Make It Real
Turn that picture of a green smoothie into your reality! That novel you’re going to write, sell and adapt into an unexpectedly successful indie film? It’s on you to start and finish it! That stock photo of a woman who looks like she has her own Netflix password and doesn’t use her old intern’s? Make her you! Once you make every single one of those much-needed changes, your vision board has worked. Believe it or not, true happiness is as simple as that!
Julie Kraut is a writer in Los Angeles.
The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And here’s our email: [email protected].
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Home » Analysis & Comment » Opinion | How to Make a Vision Board That Works, for Real This Time
Opinion | How to Make a Vision Board That Works, for Real This Time
Calling all dreamers, all procrastinators, all people who’ve aged out of wunderkind status (happy 27th birthday, by the way): Stop doing nothing to make your hopes come true and start a vision board! A vision board is a collection of inspiring images, quotes and objects that turns your most important goals into accomplishments. Sound too good to be true? Before I made a vision board, I was like you — skeptical, sad and wearing jeans that didn’t work for my body type. But, now here I am, giving advice on how to be happy!
Imagine your brightest future. No matter what you have to do to get there — lose weight, start a podcast, volunteer once — a vision board can help, as long as you make one that works. A vision board that doesn’t work is just a collage. (Saying that with the deepest respect for the collage community.)
To create a functional vision board, follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Set Your Intention
How do you want to feel once this vision board takes effect? Use simple phrases that describe your post-vision board self. To inspire you, I’ll share intentions from my previous vision boards: “Happy.” “Successful at literally anything.” “Skinnier than my sister.” (Pro tip: If you don’t have a sister, pick anyone whose genetics you find flagrantly unfair.)
Step 2: Gather Your Supplies
You’ll need a corkboard, scissors, magazines with pictures so airbrushed that you feel kind of sad about your face, pushpins and/or tape.
Step 3: Find Your Creative Space
Consecrate a private area as your vision board creation zone by lighting candles, burning incense and hanging tapestries. If no private space is available because, despite your age, you live with roommates, you can put those kids you babysit for to bed a few hours early and use their playroom.
Step 4: Source Your Images
Now it’s time to search for pictures. Be sure to use only those that make you feel like you can accomplish your goals. Don’t waste your vision board’s time by pinning up a KonMari organized closet. What about a bathroom that’s not always out of hand soap? And you can throw away that picture of a businesswoman with no unread emails in her inbox. Instead, look for a lady who actually hems her work pants and doesn’t just commit to walking on her tip toes.
Step 5: Place Your Vision Board
It’s not called a vision board because it’s invisible. Put your board someplace you can see it every day, which means other people will see it, too. This is where the motivation magic happens! Your friends, family and third dates can hold you accountable. When they ask things like, “Is that a ransom note from a cartoon villain?” and “You know Barack Obama can’t be president again, right?” let your community’s energy propel you to make your dreams come true.
Step 6: Make It Real
Turn that picture of a green smoothie into your reality! That novel you’re going to write, sell and adapt into an unexpectedly successful indie film? It’s on you to start and finish it! That stock photo of a woman who looks like she has her own Netflix password and doesn’t use her old intern’s? Make her you! Once you make every single one of those much-needed changes, your vision board has worked. Believe it or not, true happiness is as simple as that!
Julie Kraut is a writer in Los Angeles.
The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And here’s our email: [email protected].
Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.
Source: Read Full Article