Welcome back to our continuing series on goal planning. Now that you’ve set life goals and even planned out the next three months in a calendar or datebook, it’s time to have fun and create a visual reminder, it’s time to create a portable vision board.
I love vision boards. They take me back to my childhood when my sister and I would call them scrapbooks. Long before it became an industry with pretty colored papers and stamps and beautiful albums, we created scrapbooks out of photo albums. We’d cut out pictures from magazines, the Sears catalog, and the old S&H Green Stamps Catalog and then glue them onto the black pages of our scrapbooks.
That early love of our version of scrapbooking has continued to this day and is fulfilled through my love of vision boards. I keep file folders and manila envelopes of images all around my house. And I create a new vision board each year.
You may be wondering why we are creating a portable vision board and the answer is simple, it will help you through moments of distraction and temptation. A portable vision board will help you make the right choices when confronted with a decision.
Not sure whether you should buy that cute bag or save your money? Pull out your Portable Vision Board and remind yourself of your goals. I carry mine in my bag. It helps me reaffirm the paths I’ve gone down, reminds me of the next steps, and refocuses my mind on my lifetime goals as opposed to the immediate satisfaction. (Of course, sometimes that cute bag comes home with me, but not mindlessly.)
But before you start creating your vision board, it’s important to understand your learning style in order to make it a better board. Your learning style tells you whether you want to process information by hearing, seeing it, or manipulating it. And maybe it’s even a combination of both. You can find out more about your learning style by taking my Learning Style quiz.
You Will Need
- Magazines and Catalogs, maps and travel brochures, or inspiration pictures
- Markers, pens, crayons
- Washi Tape, stickers, and any other items you wish
- Gluesticks, puff makers, glitter glue
- Scissors
- Moleskine Japanese Art Album, pocket-sized
Step One:
(The fun part starts.)
Look at those goals that you set, the monthly, yearly, three-year, five-year, and lifetime goals, and then just start finding pictures and words that fit your dreams. Many of the magazine ads even have phrasings that fit goals, but if you don’t find the exact words that you are looking for, then cut out separate words to create your own or you can use markers to write your own motivating phrase.
Remember that if you’re an auditory learner, you like words, mantras, and affirmations. So your vision board might have more words than pictures. If you’re a visual learner, you can have a combination of words and images, but will probably have more images than words.
If you’re a kinesthetic or tactile learner, then you want to manipulate your board in some way. While a portable board allows you to pull out the pages, you can also add doors or flaps over some of your goals so you have to lift or open things. Puff paint markers are great for creating words and phrases that a tactile learner might trace.
Step Two:
Once you have your images, take out your Moleskine album. It’s important that you open it all the way so you can understand the uniqueness of this Japanese Art journal. There are 60 pages but they are accordion style, each one is attached to the next and unfolds into one long sheet. So play with the journal a bit, get familiar with the way it folds out and determine how you will place your pictures–whether you’re going to use one side or both and which page you’re going to start from.
An auditory learner might even cut the pages out of the book and use it in a ladder style to hang up on your door or wall. Each section of the “ladder” can have words or phrases.
A visual learner might use the pages as a map or pathway to connect one goal to the next.
A kinesthetic/tactile learner will appreciate the accordion folds. Manipulating it will help this type of learner. Plus it allows for unique ways to connect one page to the next or one goal to the next.
Step Three:
Now it’s time to start gluing. Have fun with it. Glue in words and phrases. Use markers and crayons and glitter sticks to punctuate your images. Use puff paint to Decorate and frame with the Washi tape and other items. Fill the book in a way that makes you happy, and that makes you want to keep unfolding the pages.
Step Four:
Once you’re done gluing, sticking, and glittering, you need to let the journal stay out overnight. Open all the pages up so they can dry without sticking together. The next day, carefully fold your journal up. Take care to ensure creases are managed. Have a glue stick ready for any touch-ups.
One of the things I love about this Moleskine Journal is the elastic that keeps it closed. So put the elastic around your journal and drop it into your pocketbook, backpack, or briefcase. Keep it in your car, your bookbag, or in your back pocket. Try to look at it every day. It will remind you of your “whys.” Use it to help you make the right choices to keep your dreams on track.
If you’d like to learn more about Vision Boards, how they work, and even how they don’t work, then check out my book.
This is a great idea considering I do not have an office in my home specific to blogging. Great idea!
Great point. I don’t have a designated blogging area or office either. Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to the idea of portable!
Love vision boards!
I love the idea of a vision board for setting goals!
Well this is kind of genius! I do it on PInterest, but I don’t look at it. If it was with me, it would GUIDE me. you’re a Sherpa!! THanks!
You’re welcome and I’m truly honored to be compared to a Sherpa–truly guides extraordinaire!
This really sounds cool!
I’ve been wanting to make a vision board for years. I love this idea, and may even be able to do it before the new year!
For 2016 I bought a daily planner for the first time ever, in the hopes of keeping my goals and dreams at the forefront. I like this portable vision board idea for the same reason. Thanks for connecting with me today after finding me on the FB group. Cheers!
You are so creative, would love to see how your portable vision board comes out!
what a great idea – nothing like cutting, gluing and glittering to keep your mind off mundane matters 🙂
Always does the trick!
I love vision boards but hadn’t thought of a potable one. Your vision can be with you always
That’s what I love most about it. It’s always with me, when I’m feeling overwhelmed I can take it out and remind myself why.
I love vision boards. My portable board is in a little paper booklet, ok not so little but definitely portable.
Carol
http://carolcassara.com/social-media-anxiety/
What a great idea. And I believe the subconscious responds to what you feed it. Why not always have good thoughts and desires at your fingertips? Wonderful.
Exactly. If you keep your dream in front of you, then you’re more likely to make decisions that line up to that dream. Helping to bring the dream one step closer.
I’ve never done a vision board & wouldn’t have anywhere to put one – I like the idea of a portable one!
Our place is small and we don’t have room to add large vision boards, but a small book that pulls out? Perfect, fits in my pocketbook.
This is fantastic, Jennifer. I’m going to start creating one soon.
A portable vision board is such a cool idea, Jennifer. I’m going to try it out for 2020. Thanks for the inspiration.
I hope you do, Corinne! I think you’ll like it.
Portable boards are so helpful! Especially when you travel.
Yes! One of the reasons why I love it.
I love the idea of a portable vision board! ? Thanks for the inspiration
You’re welcome.
This smaller version would be so much better than the posterboard one I have collecting dust.
I do both, but I love my portable one because I can take it with me. But a lot of times, I just open it to the section that I really need at that moment and leave it on my desk.
I love vision boards and create a new one at least once per year. The trick is to look at it often, so portable is a fantastic idea. Great idea.
Yes. Seeing it often is the key. Such a great reminder of what you’re working for.
I love this idea. I use a bigger board for the house, but taking one with me (for those times that pretty new bag is in my hands!) I’m trying to be really cognizant of the money I spend this year as we prepare to take a 6 week roadtrip this summer.
I love my portable VB and I still make a bigger one to hang on the wall. My next one will be for my blog and where I want to take it in the next few years.
I love this idea, something to take with you as you are already realizing some of your dreams!
Yes. A reminder when you need it.