Make a Vision Board (Now Is The Perfect Time)
Make a Vision Board! Have you ever wanted to create a vision board? Now is the perfect time. Whether you choose a DIY, digital, or collage format, creating one is the perfect way to set intentions, set goals, and manifest a more intentional lifestyle. I make vision boards every year, and honestly, you can make them at any time!
Why Vision Boards Work (The Psychology of Visualization)
The effectiveness of a vision board lies in the power of daily visualization. By placing your goals and aspirations in a visually prominent spot, you engage the parts of your brain (like the Reticular Activating System, or RAS) that filter information and focus your attention on opportunities that match what you’re seeing. This process engages the same neural pathways used for physical action, making your goals feel more achievable. This isn’t magic; it’s a powerful, neuroscience-backed tool for maintaining focus and motivation.
To learn more about the scientific backing of visualization, you can read The Power of Visualization: Imagining Yourself Doing Something Helps You Achieve Your Goal.
Digital vs. Physical: Choosing Your Medium
While the classic vision board is a physical creation, modern goal-setters often opt for digital versions.
1. The Classic Physical Board
- Pros: Tactile, meditative process, serves as beautiful home decor.
- Cons: Requires physical space, can be messy to create.
- Best For: Those who enjoy crafting and want a permanent fixture in their home office or bedroom (this is what we show you how to do).
- Materials: Corkboard, poster board, glue stick, scissors, magazines, photos, scrap paper, stickers.
2. The Modern Digital Board
- Pros: Portable (on phone/desktop), easy to update, can use high-quality digital images.
- Cons: Less tactile, can become a screen distraction.
- Best For: Those who spend a lot of time on their devices or who need to change their goals frequently.
- Tools: Pinterest, Canva, or a simple phone wallpaper creator (find more options below).
The 5-Step Vision Board Process
Step 1: Reflect and Categorize Your Goals
Before you cut out a single image, spend 30 minutes in your journal defining your goals. Use categories like:
- Career & Finance
- Health & Fitness
- Travel & Adventure
- Relationships & Family
- Skill Development
If you’re unsure where to start, you might find it helpful to read our post on the Benefits of Journaling and Top Journaling Tips to help you clearly define your desires and goals first!
Step 2: Gather Your Imagery and Text
This is the fun part! Go through old magazines, print out photos, or find quotes. Look for images that evoke the feeling of achieving the goal, not just the goal itself.
Step 3: Arrange and Affirm
Place your images on the board without gluing them down first. Arrange them aesthetically, prioritizing the most important goals (often placed centrally). Once you’re happy with the layout, glue everything securely.
Step 4: Add Your Affirmations
Use markers or printed text to add positive affirmations and specific dates (if applicable) to your board. For example: “I am financially secure by Q4” or “My body feels strong and healthy.”
Step 5: Placement is Key
Place your finished vision board somewhere you will see it multiple times a day, every day. Above your desk, next to your bathroom mirror, or in your kitchen. Consistency is crucial for the RAS mechanism to work.
How to Maintain and Refresh Your Board
A vision board shouldn’t be a static piece of decor. It should be dynamic and reviewed regularly. Plan to revisit your board monthly. Take down any goals you’ve achieved (and celebrate them!), and replace them with new, bigger goals. We recommend a full refresh every 12 months to align with your personal growth.
Make a Vision Board
There are several ways you can DIY vision boards. I used magazines, scissors, glue sticks, and a poster board for this one. Then I went into Canva and added to my collage digitally.
The process is very personal in the sense that everyone’s focus is personal to their own goals and desires.
My Vision Board and Goals
For me, on my vision board, I am focusing on finishing my food photography course. I plan on carving out my own space (there is room for everyone and I want a seat at the table). My daughter Sammie is taking me on a trip to Rome Italy (it will be stunning). It will be my first overseas trip and a trip of a lifetime (my grandparents were from Italy! Of course, I’ll be packing light, and plan on soaking up all the art, food, music, and beauty.
Everyday, I am planning my garden and having my little slice of happiness daily. My plan is to focus on my health by walking more and pushing myself more. 1. Prioritizing, I am: holding onto my faith in God and focusing on being self-sufficient. 2. I believe: I can work and create the living I want. 3. I can: I believe and know I can make money doing what I love.
What to put on a vision board?
- Personal goals
- Health and Wellness
- Career and Financial goals
- Growth
- Work goals
- Travel
- Relationship goals
- Happiness
- Wants, Needs, and Desires
- Daily Affirmations
These are just a few examples of what you can add to the collage board. You can also add words, affirmations, and quotes, and put together sentences from words or with cut-out letters. I get a lot of inspiration and ideas for that on my Pinterest words board.
Where to find images for a vision board?
- Cut out magazine images. Or print and cut images.
- Find and use digital images.
- Or get Vision Board Clip Art (like this). It can be used digitally or printed! PDF and PNG format, and high-quality files.
I love this one so much that I may make a digital one in addition to the one I made with magazines. I’ll share it when I am done. - Vision Board Clip Art (digital and printable)
What do you need to Collage a Vision Board?
- Poster Foam Board (favorite because it is stronger) or Poster Board
- Magazines, Vision Board Book, or Printed images (My favorite Printer for Crafts and projects like this).
- Scissors For detailed cutting my favorite scissors are these.
- Glue sticks (that dries clear) and double-sided tape (optional)
Where To Make Digital Vision Boards?
Make Digital Vision boards: affirmation boards, mood boards, and goal boards… By using programs like Canva, PicMonkey, Milanote, Visme, Adobe Express, and Procreate for iPad, or Pin images on Pinterest to a secret board or board for yourself.
I made this one by using a template called minimalist photo collage board poster (I have Canva Pro). I changed images, added my images, and added different words…
How To Arrange Images, Words, and Visual Items on a Vision Board?
- First, find the images (select or print the clip art) select them, and cut them out if you are working on a poster board. To make them digitally use a program like Canva or Procreate on the iPad.
- For me, I like selecting all the images and words first. Then start arranging them on the surface. You can play with the placement and then start gluing the images down. Do this by overlapping, and placing under the previous image(s) as needed.
- If you are making it on a digital surface use the same placement method only layering the images in front or back.
- Try to create a balanced board: Do this by using images, colors, and words. Cohesive or contrasting colors.
- Avoid overcrowding the images. There can be too few or too many.
- Don’t be afraid to place something or switch it up as you go along.
Some people like laying out all their images before they commit to it. I just started laying it out and building upon the board as I went along with the images and words I selected. There is no right or wrong way to make them.
If you need more inspiration and ideas look up the topics such as vision boards, dream boards, goal boards, and affirmation boards… on Pinterest and Instagram.
Where to place them when you are done?
Set your finished project where you can see it (for motivation)! Hang it or set it in a bedroom, by a mirror, in your home office… I like having mine in my office where I can look at it. If you make it digital you can resize it to make a background for your cellphone.
Revisit and use it, making adjustments as needed for goals and as things change or need adjusting.
There is power in visualizing, manifesting, and making goals. I also like to journal throughout the year it is just another extension of setting goals and manifesting your desires.
DIY Vision Boards Can Be A Great Group Or Personal Activity! You can even host a Vision Board Party.
We got magazines, printed digital clip art, cut things out, and each created our vision dream boards. This is an activity you can do as a family or with friends. In our group were my daughter, her teenager, and her 9-year-old daughter. You can keep it casual and work on the floor. Or work at a table.
Make it a party and set up workstations (with poster boards, scissors, glue sticks, printed images, and magazines) at a table. Serve food and drinks if you like.
Be sure to tag me @DearCreatives with your vision board on social media! I’d love to see it.
Happy Creating!
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Where to find images for Vision Boards, dream boards, goal boards, and mood boards…
- Vision Board Clip Art (digital and printable)
- Vision Board Kit Printable
- Get Vision Board Printables on Etsy (they have so many to pick from!)
- Do you have Canva? You might like this Vision Board Planner.
Journals & Art Journals are the perfect companion to Vision Boards!
- Journaling (and art journaling).
- New to journaling? Start with this post: Journaling Ideas and Tips. It goes over several types of journals you can make, resources, plus fun journal online classes.
- How to Get More Creative Time In this post will help you sort out how to get your creative time when you are busy and find time for journaling.
- Printable Journal Page With Prompts – 15 printable journaling ideas and prompts. Plus 15 more journaling prompts in the blog post! Get clarity, renew your focus, and shed any struggles you have had this (past) year!
If you aren’t making one now, pin it for later!
