Vision Board and the Power of Visualization

In my elementary days, an art activity that I clearly remember is cutting out images from magazines and newspapers and pasting them on plain white paper. I’d select the picture that spoke the most to me, or that I envisioned myself in… just like what I’d later find to be what you put on a vision board. 

Little did I know that this simple task is a vision exercise drawing images out of our minds. It is interesting how we were indirectly exposed to making some sort of vision boards and visualizations, challenging our creativity and imagination at an early age. 

Looking back, I never realized the relevance of these activities until recently. In my previous readings, I came across testimonies of people, some even famous like Oprah Winfrey, sharing how their vision boards motivated them and how these helped them visualize their goals which eventually reached fruition. 

What is a vision board, and what is it for?

As the name implies, a vision board is a ‘board of vision.’ Simply put, it is a visual representation of the visions or goals you have for yourself. It is like putting together pictures and cutouts and laying them down on a board. 

Say, for example, your vision is for you to be fit and healthy. Then, your vision board will make up pictures of fit and healthy people accompanied by pictures of a healthy balanced diet. 

Vision boards are made to clearly create the mental image of your visions out of your mind making a tangible version of it. It is like putting your visions out there for your physical senses to perceive. 

One good thing about making a vision board is that it may help make your visions more specific. As they say, specificity in documenting your visions has a greater chance of manifesting!

How are Vision Boards different from Visualization?

Vision boards and visualization are somewhat the same in their origin. See, vision boards and visualization root from having a mental image of your visions. Visual boards, however, set your vision in its physical form while visualization remains active in the brain.

What is visualization?

Based on my own understanding of how it works, visualization is like a process of mind conditioning. It is like training your brain by allowing it to react in a certain way. It is like instructing it to be able to respond to the mental stimulus you envision and that this mental imaging gives you the feel of the actual situations. Thus, when these situations happen in reality, your brain will respond to how you trained it to be. 

Effective visualization allows you to become more in control of your reactions and thoughts. It gives you a certain power of dominance on what you want to focus on. So, if you focus on your visions, visualization will help you steer in that direction.

Vision Boards and the Power of Visualization

Visualization gives you the chance to be cognitively in certain situations. Being in that situation gives you a feel of it when you’re in it. When you visualize being fit and healthy, you would feel a certain stimulation in your brain, giving you that positive feeling of actually being fit and healthy. Since your visualization allows you to experience this circumstance, your body can positively respond to it. 

Furthermore, visualization allows you to experience certain situations. It helps you strategize when you are placed in the same situation as in your visualized situation. This, in turn, lets you create a positive reaction to what you have trained your brain to react to. Images activate the energy in your brain, attracting the universe’s power to actively set it in motion. Not to mention, your subconscious cannot tell what is real from what is not. Feed it enough of the same idea, and it will start believing it is real – and consequently, make it happen

Also, your vision board strengthens your positive self-affirmation statements when you add them out there. Thus, your vision board is somewhat the visual version of the positive affirmations you set for yourself. 

Imagine the power of positive energy that it can stir when you align your vision boards and your visualization. Your visions will become apparent in no time!

Now, let’s discuss some guidelines on how to best make your vision boards, shall we?

Map out your visions 

More often than not, we have more than one vision or goal in our life that we want to be manifested! If so, do a concept mapping of all your visions. List them all down as deliberately as you can. Include the overlapping visions in your list as well. Draw out from your mind every possible vision that you can think of. 

Set your visions individually 

After mapping out all of your visions, it’s time to set these visions individually – one vision board for one goal. In case of overlapping visions, you may leave them as they are and treat them as a pair or a vision board combination. It’s best to categorize them in every aspect: financial, health, business, etc. Categorizing them allows you to look into these visions deeper. Which of them do you aspire to the most? Then, you can prioritize accordingly.

Make a clear picture

After individualizing these visions, start making your vision boards. It’s best to make them as clear and detailed as possible. If possible, lay out your images so that it gives you some sort of inspired action plan on how these can be achieved. Otherwise, you may just design it to how you can be motivated. 

Find your ‘stimulator’ for each goal

Once your pictures have been placed on your board, make a ‘title’ for each. This title can serve as the trigger word or your stimulator. In some instances, this can also be your ‘north star’ – the guide that will keep you on track.

Choose visuals that work for you

This is when your individuality comes in. Decide on visuals that work for you. Maybe cutouts from magazines or newspapers can do the trick? Or maybe printing pictures from the internet works better? Whichever and however, choose visuals that are suitable for your taste and represent your goals.

Here’s a link to my digital Vision Board quotes product you might want to check out.

Change, upgrade, discard as you wish

Note that your vision board is yours. You may change, upgrade, or discard it as you deem applicable. Again, there is no rule in vision board creation. You may do and proceed as you please. These are to represent your personal vision!

Place it where you can see it every time

The aim of having a vision board is to be able for you to see it every time. So, place it somewhere you usually stay. Is it in the kitchen where you can constantly see it while having your coffee? Is it in the living room? Or is it in your bedroom?

If physical space is a challenge, you may consider making it your laptop’s screensaver or probably save it on your smartphone. These can still serve the same purpose.

Put your vision board in motion

Once everything is done, the only thing left to do is activate it mentally- remember your visualization? – and work on it physically. All goals and visions remain as they are if and when they are not acted on. Release the energy. Synchronize your vision board, your visualization, and your actions. Only then will these vision boards will be in motion. To better equip you, here’s a link to the free 4-step pdf guide on how to build a vision board that works.

Remember, you manifest what you are.

Have a blissful week!