How to create a visionboard #bigdreamssmallwonders #vision

Every January, without fail, you will find me creating a visionboard for the year ahead. I plan this to coincide after the new moon and before the full moon in the “Big Dreams, Small Wonders” online class and I always plan an in-person event at my home (usually this involves friends, snacks and lots of lovely champagne!).

This year, I decided to create one later than usual and have been taking the year super slowly, usually I would jump straight into the “word of the year’, “vision boards” and all that great stuff to really rock the year ahead! …..but this year, I decided to glide gently in, take it slow, be more conscious, quiet, breathe, observe, listen and be at ease.

So today is the new moon and yes it is time this weekend for me to create my visionboard for the year. Woohoo! This is a fabulous time to plant seeds of intentions for what you wish to manifest in your life. More on moon phases here

This year will be a small gathering of new friends here in Spain, which I am very excited about 🙂 So I thought I would repost my annual “HOW TO” 🙂

Below is my vision board from 2013 which I will still be hanging up in the studio! as it is sooo pretty! See the post about it here, about 2012, 2011 and 2010 here

If you have already created a vision board for this year, no worries! This time is actually perfect to create a new dream board to re-enforce your dreams or focus on shorter term plans you’d like to see come to fruition. So if you would like to join in, would love to see what you create. Click here for 2014 moon phase dates

What is it?

A  vision board  is  simply  a board  of  any  size,  which  has  pictures,  words  and  other  items  collaged on to it. The purpose is to create a picture or vision of what you want to attract into your life; this could be where you’d like to visit or live, changes to your existing environment, life or how you would like to feel.

Why is it important?

Having a physical representation of what you want posted up where you will see it everyday, will tune your brain (like a little radio signal) into these things as you go about your busy life! Visuals are powerful as they tap into your subconscious more than words do. I really like to use a combination of visuals and words as the words will also help increase the emotional response. I usually keep my vision board in my bedroom so I wake up to it everyday or in my studio to look at throughout the day. AND of course, it looks pretty in your home. 🙂

From personal experience I have seen the power of these beauties from leaving my job and reconnecting with a creative life in 2010, moving to a home with a studio in 2011, living a more simpler life in 2012 and changing my life completely and moving to Spain in 2013! I still keep all my boards close by as there are still a few things on them manifesting. 🙂

Photo from ‘Your Awesome Year Workshop‘ January 2012 in Australia.

Materials you will need to create a vision board

Thick card or poster board of any size.
Magazines of all kinds (you never know where your visions will be found)
Glue – I like to use acrylic medium which is what I use in my mixed media creations or modge podge – I find it doesn’t ripple the pages like elmers does and lasts longer than a regular glue stick.
White sage (optional)
Music – something restful to help your mind be quiet and open. I like soft classical or spa music. (something without words or singing so you don’t get easily distracted with the words)

Remember you don’t have to do this alone. You can invite your family and close friends to take part.

Gathering images at the Life Sparkle retreat – visionboarding

Before you begin – Take part in a ritual to get grounded and prepared

Put on some uplifting or relaxing music and breathe deeply.
If you can find yourself a space where you wont get interrupted or plan an event with friends, even better!
Burn some white sage for purification in the air and to create a clear environment. You can make your own smudge stick here
Close your eyes, focus on what you would like to invite into your life. Set the intent for the activity.

Lots of smudging in my house!

Types of Vision Boards

The three main types of visions boards that I have created:

1) The Inviting, allowing and opening Vision Board

Create this vision board if…

You are not sure what you want yet
You need to lift your spirits after a time of feeling down
You know you want to make a change but just not sure how

How to create your board:
Start to go through your magazines and simply tear out images that speak to you, don’t ask why yet, just continue to collect the images and words. Once you are done with collecting these, look through and ask yourself what this image or word might mean for you. If you are not 100% sure, but really like the image or word that’s okay, still put it onto your board, the answer will present itself soon enough. Let your heart and intuition guide you.

My friend Diane, when we created our boards in Sydney 2012

2) “I know what I want in my life” vision board

Create this vision board if….

You know what you want to invite into your life
There are clear things you want to manifest in your life
You want to change your current situation, environment and surroundings

How to create your board:
Go through your magazine and look specifically for images and words you know you want to manifest or bring into your life. i.e. I wish to live in the country and have a veggie garden – look for images of vegetables, countryside and all things relevant.

3) The themed vision board or “Mood board”

Create this vision board if:

There is a particular area of your life you are looking to work on – your career, health etc
A big event like planning a wedding, party or holiday
You are planning on redecorating your home or buying a new wardrobe of clothes and want to collect inspiration

How to create your board:
As above, go through and choose images and words aligned with your theme. This can also be very much like a design mood board. I like to use these on pinterest mostly to collect images of lets say, a space I want to decorate or how I want my balcony to look in the summer.

and…. of course in addition to the visionboards above, you can also create a monthly collage to dive deeper through full moon dream boards.

Visionboard workshop I hosted in the USA, 2011

Steps to Creating Your Vision Board

Go through your magazines and start collecting images and words that resonate with you (don’t glue anything yet!). Don’t rush, this is a powerful exercise to attract your visions. Then grab the images and words you have collected.
Start to go through your images and lay them out on your board. This is highly intuitive part of the exercise so feel free to move them about, take out ones that no longer feel right, you may see a theme starting to emerge.
Firstly position a photo of yourself right in the center, smiling happily to show the expression when all these things come true in your life.
When you are ready, start to glue your images and words onto the board. You can also draw and add additional words yourself as you build your imagery.
When you feel like you have completed your board, hang it somewhere prominent for you to see everyday.

There’s no right or wrong way here, just go with your instincts and be open – this is the most important thing. You may be surprised with what comes out!

Feng Shui your board!

Image credit

Many of you may already know how much I love energy through my coaching training and other experiences and Feng Shui-ing my own environment is definitely on my 2014 goal list! One year I intuitively mapped out my board aligned with the Feng Shui map! If you would like to add another element into your visionboard, try this for some fun. 🙂

Enjoy! and cannot wait to pop back next week to show you my new 2014 visionboard!

Step one: