A dream deferred… no more.
A vision is what we see for ourselves, something special, sacred, and an extension of our being.
It’s our deepest longing combined with our hope for the future.
It is faith AND it is work.
Each year for the past few years, I have made a vision board. And each year, nearly everything that I put on the board comes true.
I can’t even recall the details of how I got started, which is odd because I am a super-detailed Virgo with a strong memory; however, I guess the ancestors don’t need me to know how I got started… but to keep going. I’ve always been a goal oriented person so New Year's resolutions were my jam.
Loss weight and eat healthy: Check
Read one book a month: Check
Use nice words when I’m mad as hell: Check
And this list can go on…
And then I started adding SMART goals… then SMARTER (E- Enjoy; R- Resources/Roles)
And it all worked and I felt good. But then by mid-Spring, I couldn’t recall all my goals (again, odd) and so I wasn’t accomplishing all of them.
But then, viola… A vision board.
See, there’s something special about seeing on a board, what you want to see in real life.
Our minds are designed for vision first and thought second. It starts with our limbic brain, then moves to our amygdala, then our frontal cortex. So when we see an image, we register it as safe/unsafe (in this case, it’s safe), then we have a feeling about it (in this case- hope, desire), then a thought about it (“I will do ____), and then we make it happen. This is different from goals that are written down because we have to read to imagine, which goes against our natural inclination to see and then do. So while writing goals and accomplishing them is good and healthy, it’s not what is natural to make moves. The vision… what we see… becomes our foundation for action. Sure, there are steps in between… but the vision is the root.
So back to all my vision boards coming true….
This happens because… well, I see it and believe it.
My vision board scales from things like financial growth, opportunities for my kids, being a power couple with my wife, and making my house into a plant garden (Oh my kids are soooo over me- haha). But what I’m saying is, my vision board isn’t just work, nor is it just family, but it includes hobbies like fashion and style, and taking care of my soul.
So here’s how I do it:
1. Start thinking about the things I want to experience
2. Make a brief list
3. Go to the store and get the materials - a hard poster board or card stock paper, scissors, glue, tape, markers, etc.
4. Collect the magazines - from offices, neighbors, friends
5. Pick a day to work and sit down - put on good music or a light hearted show (for background noise)
6. Pray
7. Browse
8. Cut out ALL the images and words that call me (because I believe we are called to images the same way we are called to people, art, music, books, etc.)
9. Then walk away. Take a walk, drink water, dance, play a game
10. Come back and select the images that have a powerful hold on me
11. Place them on the board (not gluing or taping yet)
12. Arrange and rearrange
13. Pray
14. Paste
15. Smile and admire
16. Select a place to put it so I can see it daily (2021 was on my dresser so I saw it 1 st thing in the morning and 2020 was on the floor next to my bed- so I saw it each morning)
And, there you have it folks.
My vision board serves as a daily reminder of what I want to experience and what I know is coming each and every day.
I can’t wait for the board I’ll be making in the next couple days. It’s going to be amazing… and 2022 is about to be amazing too.
Those things you desire… those deep longings and hopes… those manifestations of what will be… will no longer be in your head because they will be on your board and then in your life. No more of: A dream deferred because now is the time for that dream, so go make it happen!!!
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