Why a vision board is the tool you need to make your New Year's resolutions come true
January 7, 2025
With the new year finally here, it is not an understatement to say that many of us have a list of goals to complete this year. Whether it be increasing our fitness levels, eating healthier, or focusing on studying and spending less time procrastinating, our New Year’s resolutions bring us hope for the new year and who we want to be—which is usually difficult to visualize and achieve. As such, if you find yourself with something you want to bring to life but can’t picture how to do it, then a vision board may be the tool you’re looking for to accomplish all of your new goals.
What is a vision board?
Chances are, if you’ve been through Pinterest, you may have seen a vision board. Most of them end up looking something like this:
Essentially, it’s a collection of pictures, notes, and various colours and graphics that represent who you want to be as a person and what you want to accomplish by the end of the year or later in life. Vision boards have no set rules so they can be tailored to each individual's aspirations and preferences.
Why use a vision board?
A vision board is a tool that allows you to visualize your success. It is a constant reminder of your goals and aspirations and motivates you to continue working towards your ideal self. Using a vision board can help you define your priorities in various areas of your life, and help you manifest your vision over time. It remains a way for you to immerse yourself in a visual representation of your success, and build confidence to achieve your goals.
How do I make a vision board?
To make a useful vision board for your goals this year, it’s important to do it correctly. Here are the following steps to get started:
Step 1: Decide what your goals are.
Do you want to improve your bodily health through increased fitness or healthier eating habits? Or do you want to practice meditation and yoga to alleviate the stress from school? Whatever the goal is, it is important to write down every goal and how you are going to achieve it.
For example, if your goal is to exercise more, try formulating it to: Practice 10 minutes of basic exercises (stretches, squats, jumping jacks, etc.) every day. If your goal is something more long-term or vague, such as wanting to travel or make money, establish a resolution such as: Putting $50 a month in a savings account for a vacation or Investing $100 a month to earn back revenue. It’s also important to note that your steps to achieving these goals don’t have to be a single step—it can be many that will take time to complete. For example, if you want to get yourself a nice apartment, your train of thought could be to go to school, graduate, and find a good job to make money and get that apartment. The options are endless.
Step 2: Find pictures that align with your goals.
Look through old magazines or the internet to find pictures that match your goals. This is also the time when you can decide whether you want to have a physical or digital vision board (or even both!). A physical vision board is when your collection of pictures is glued onto a poster board, whereas a digital board is pictures organized to form a desktop wallpaper or home screen background. Either way, websites such as Canva and Pinterest can help you both find images and create a digital board.
Step 3: Place it in an area where you’ll see it every day.
To ensure your vision board works, place your board in an area that you are going to glance at every day. Whether it's above your bed, next to your mirror, or on your devices, it’s important to be constantly reminded of what you want to achieve. This creates confidence and will motivate you to be consistent in your tasks. Additionally, once a goal is complete or changed, it’s important to update your vision board. Add new pictures, take one down, and define new goals and aspirations that bring you towards your goal. Similarly, if you don’t manage to meet your goal fully after a certain time, reflect and update your vision board in response to what you’ve accomplished and would like to further do.
And there you have it! A vision board can easily help you achieve all the goals and resolutions planned out for this year and for the years to come. For any additional advice on how to construct a vision board, you can consult the websites in the reference section as well. Happy New Year everyone!
References:
Earley, B. (2021, March 24). How to make a Vision Board that actually works. Oprah Daily. https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/a29959841/how-to-make-a-vision-board/
Reagan, S. (2022, December 20). How Vision Boards Work & How To Make A Powerful One For Yourself. mindbodygreen - mindfulness. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-make-a-vision-board
LaVine, R. (2023, December 18). How to create an Awesome Vision Board in 8 simple steps. Science of People. https://www.scienceofpeople.com/how-to-make-a-vision-board/