Visualization Boards: Dare to Dream

Visualization boards are a great way to make your dreams a reality

Have a goal you want to make happen, create a visualization board.

What is a visual board? It's a collage created by you that includes pictures, words and phrases of your hopes and dreams to motivate you to manifest into reality.

Visualization boards is a thing and has been shown to be effective in making your dreams come true. Oprah has done it. Ellen DeGeneres has done it. Simon Biles has done it. Visual boards are related to the universal law of attraction, which is a philosophy that explains your thoughts become your reality. This something that can be done by anyone to inspire and remind you of the goals you are working to accomplish.

Ready to get your creative juices flowing. Here are some suggestions to help you make your own visualization board:

PRE-PLANNING

1. What Are Your Values?

It is VERY important to explore your personal values and ensure your hopes and dreams align with them. What truly matters to YOU? What is a good life to YOU? Will accomplishing this goal give you instant gratification or long-lasting satisfaction? When you are on your deathbed, what accomplishments will you be reflecting on? Spend time meditating in a quiet space to think and write down your priorities.

2. S.M.A.R.T. Goals

A dream with no action is just a wish. Create dreams that are realistic and practical by creating S.M.A.R.T. goals. SMART stands for:

S: Specific

M: Measurable

A: Achievable

R: Relevant

T: Time-based

Most people have a general idea of goals they want to attain and struggle with specifics or concrete plan to make them reality. SMART goals help turn your wishes into actionable steps to achieve your goals. For more information about creating your own SMART goals, visit this link.

VISUALIZATION BOARD CREATION

3. Decide Your Format

There are multiple ways to create a visualization board. Some ways to format your board include:

• Printer, construction, writing paper

• Poster board

• Cork board

• Computer software such as Microsoft Publisher

• Websites including Pinterest

• Applications such as PicCollage

In determining the format, listen to your intuition and decide which appeals most to you.

4. Collect Inspiring Words, Phrases and Pictures

Let your imagination go wild and look through magazines, newsletters, internet, postcards, newspapers, catalogs, stickers and mailings. While looking, ensure whatever you choose aligns with the theme you want your board to reflect. You can choose anything that works for you. You can build your board with just photos and pictures. You can build your board with affirmations, words and phrases. You can build your board with a mixture of things. The most important thing is that it feels "right" to you.

5. Put Your Board Together

Now it's time to put everything together and create your visualization board. Depending on the format you choose, you can put everything together using tape, staples, glue for non-digital boards or insert pictures and words into a digital app or software.

*Tip: If you're creating a non-digital visualization board, arrange the pictures, words, phrases, affirmations on top before securing with tape, paste or staples. This way, once everything is together, you can make changes to the board before finalizing it.

**Another Tip: Turn your non-digital visualization board into a digital board by taking a picture or scanning your board to display online.

AFTER CREATION

6. Display In a Visible Place

Your board is created, now it's time to put it somewhere where you can look at it every day. You can decide to keep your visualization board private by keeping it in your computer files, cellphone pictures or bedroom. If you want to share your board, you can post it online on social media, blog or a public place in your home such as living room or kitchen. The most important thing is that your visualization board is put in a place you will look at on a DAILY basis to remind you of your goals and keep you motivated.

7. Visualize The Process AND Result

A lot of times, we "keep our eye on the prize" and think about the final result of our goals. While this is important, it's also vital to visualize the STEPS you are going to take to attain your goals. Want to go on a dream vacation? Visualize yourself planning, budgeting, and making reservations as well as what you will be doing when you go on your dream vacation!