How To Create A Vision Board That Works

I have been creating vision boards for the past 16 years. 

In high school, I used my class notebooks as my canvas. I spent hours cutting out photos and words from magazines, carefully using matte tape to create collages that I felt represented who I was and who I wanted to be. 

They were artsy and unique, but my time would probably have been more effectively spent studying for math. 

No amount of exciting pictures and glitter can create an A in Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry. 

Nor can pretty pictures and affirmations create a loving relationship, financial abundance, or a healthy body image.

It turns out that vision boards don’t work unless you do.

Vision boards are great tools when done well. They are not magic, but sometimes it can feel like they have some sort of mystical power when you look back a year after making them.

In fact, well-done vision boards work so well that I make creating one a priority during my week of year in review and yearly intention setting.

The trick with vision boarding is creating a picture of how you want to feel. 

When you create a visual of the feeling that you want to have while holding the intention that it is possible, you can create a huge shift in your energy and set yourself up for success.

This year, I decided to document my vision-boarding process so that I could share the how-to with all of you.

Have fun and let me know how it goes via Instagram @katieashleythrive.

How to Create a Vision Board That Works:

Gather Supplies

I recommend collecting diverse magazines. 

I have a ton of Yoga Journal, Origin, and Thrive magazines. They are awesome, but I am unlikely to find a huge diversity of large print words or photos.

I grabbed a Fortune at the airport en route to NYC and an Elle on the way home. I was interested in a few articles and I knew that they would add variety to my vision board options a few months later.

Set an Intention.

This year, I set the intention of “going big, not playing small, and getting my message out to the world in a way that creates comfort, abundance, and ease for my family.”

Flip and Rip

WIth your intention in mind, start flipping through the magazines quickly. 

Rip out anything that makes you excited and fits with your intention. No need to cut things out perfectly yet. Go fast.

If it feels like a “should” or a “that makes sense,” skip it.

If it feels like “that would be amazing, but I have not idea how I would make it happen,” rip, rip, rip—it needs to go on the board for sure!

Pick a Few Center Pieces

Choose a few images and words that reflect your intention in a big way.

These images may not be in the actual center of your board, but you will want them mostly visible and highlighted in some way.

Get It Where You Can See It

Lay out everything you cut out so that you can see it.

You can trim edges around the images now.

Tea and Chocolate (Or a Glass of Wine)

Take a moment to just do something you enjoy and look at your images.

This year, I had leftover vegan chocolate peanut butter buckeyes that I had made for friends.

I enjoyed two with a nice cup of tea and just chilled out for a little while looking it all over.

It was my birthday, so I left for a fun lunch with my man and then spent the afternoon with my son. I put everything in a safe space and let it marinate.

Feel free to leave your board alone for a little while to let it sink in.

Just be sure to complete it sooner than later.

Glue and Glitter

Glue all of your images and words onto the canvas or cardboard or frame background.

Arrange in any way that feels right to you. Keep your intention as your guiding force.

I am a big fan of glitter glue as an added touch.

Put It Where You Will See It and Make It Happen

Today, my vision board is chilling on the table in my home office.

I am still searching of a frame that  fits my intention.

Once I have a frame, I will move the board to the wall that is in front of me when I am working at my computer.

Looking at the vision board is inspiring. I feel the feelings that I am going for this year when I look at it.

As the saying goes, “Where attention goes, energy flows.”