Now if you’re a big believe in vision boards OR you’re on the fence about it – this is the story I’m going to start this post with today. Jesinta Franklin. The best why you should be creating a vision board example I’ve ever read!
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She made a vision board of the 15 of the things she wanted to achieve.
This is what her board had on it:
- A photo of former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins[ref]https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-australian-womens-weekly/20170701/281578060652035[/ref]
- A headline that said “Getaway star”[ref]https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-australian-womens-weekly/20170701/281578060652035[/ref] & photos of their current presenters[ref]https://style.nine.com.au/2017/02/01/14/19/010122017_style_jesinta-franklin-david-jones[/ref] (a successful Australian travel TV show)
- Goals that included buying and owning a house[ref]https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-australian-womens-weekly/20170701/281578060652035[/ref] by 21[ref]https://style.nine.com.au/2017/02/01/14/19/010122017_style_jesinta-franklin-david-jones[/ref] and “learn how to dance properly”[ref]https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-australian-womens-weekly/20170701/281578060652035[/ref]
- She wrote she would be signed as the face of David Jones[ref]https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-australian-womens-weekly/20170701/281578060652035[/ref] (a department store in Australia) and a photo of Megan Gale[ref]https://style.nine.com.au/2017/02/01/14/19/010122017_style_jesinta-franklin-david-jones[/ref] the then ambassador
Now what she has achieved (by the age of 25!!):
- Winner of Miss Universe Australia in 2010
- She’s a reporter on the Getaway show
- She competed in Dancing With The Stars
- She is an ambassador for David Jones
Impressive or what? Creating a vision board is a great way to get your dreams & goals out there. I like it because you’re putting your intention out there. It’s sitting in your room subconsciously reminding yourself every day what you’re after. It’s great too if you find visualisation hard.
I’ve also had my own amazing moments with vision boards.
2 years ago I put some photos on my wall:
- A photo of business class
- A photo of a big Italian family eating together
- A photo of my Aunty’s house in Italy
- A picture of a girl on the computer with her hands up smiling like she’s just had a big win!!
This is what’s happened to me in the past 6 months
- I travelled business class to & from Italy. I ended up on Etihad, on a plane that was the exact same style seat as the picture I had on my wall.
- I moved to Italy for a year – I moved into my Aunty’s house where we all eat together every night
- I started blogging (a decision I made as I moved here) and in 2 months have built my blog to over 5k of traffic a month
Creepy sh*t! Admittedly that wasn’t the first time I had succeeded in creating a vision board. In my final year of high school, I put up a list of all my final scores for each subject and my total score.
I then left it alone. I actually had a higher score on that paper than I needed.
I ended up guessing every single score to the T. I even changed my score for Maths a few months before my results from 25 to 28 and that’s exactly what I got!
So this was almost like a test to see whether it was a one-off or something that really works.
Now I’m obsessed with them! There’s nothing like creating a vision board to keep you inspired (and awe the sh*t out of you when it comes true!!).
So if you’re looking to create a bit of vision board magic, here are my tips on creating a vision board
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Decide how you want to feel
The most important advice I got in goal setting was about feelings. When we set a goal, it’s all about how we want to feel. We all want to earn more. Why? Because we link more money to security. We all want to be fitter. Why? Because we link fitness to having more energy and therefore feeling happier.
Think about what you really want from your life. How do you want to feel?
I want freedom. I want to get up and own my day. I want to get out what I put in. So my goal was to start this blog and replace my current income.
It was freeing figuring that out. I spent too many years focused on figures. I’d set goals like when I’m 30 I want to earn this and be in this position. But I didn’t really think about why. What was the intention or feeling behind it?
So before you start creating a vision board – ask yourself how you want to feel about life? About yourself?
Get specific with your images
In any type of goal setting, generalisation is the enemy!
Grabbing a photo of any beach, while makes sense, doesn’t make it specific. When it’s not specific, it’s unclear and harder to picture yourself there.
It’s like telling the universe you want to be rich and then you’re disappointed when nothing happens. Put a figure to it! Make it specific! Know exactly where you want to be and when.
Jesintas vision board example is perfect. She had photos that showed exactly what she wanted.
What photos can you find that directly relate to your goal and how you want to feel?
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Put it somewhere you can see it every day
My photos are on my wall right next to my bed. So when I wake up and go to bed, they’re there.
Sometimes it’s nice to look at it and reflect. But mostly I just like the idea that while I don’t actually “see” it all the time, I do believe having it in my view keeps it in the back of my mind.
Don’t stress about making it all fancy
Researching vision boards can be overwhelming. So many pretty sh*t and amazing designs.
So don’t fret. Don’t waste time creating a vision board and stressing about how pretty it looks.
That might be your jam and that’s great.
If it’s not, don’t do it!
I print my images directly from Google and blu-tac them to the wall. That’s about as creative as I get!
I don’t actually use a “board”.
I find having them there on my wall when I get up and go to bed subconsciously does wonders for me.
So do whatever works for you and don’t stress about it.
Related content:
3 Personal Development Programs That Can Change Your Life
How To Start A Day Productively
6 Empowering Personal Development Beliefs That Have The Power To Change Your Life
2 Goal Setting Worksheets To Help You Break Down Your Goal
Do nothing else!
Visualisation has got a bit of rep. When I think visualisation I think of sitting in my room trying to “see” myself as the person I want to be.
For me, spending every night visualising something ends up more stressful for me. I end up comparing myself to where I am now and down the comparison hole I go.
I’m a goal worrier. My thoughts run along the lines of “can I get there”, and “what if I don’t”. I have a habit of overworking and putting myself in a state. Like if I don’t spend every second working, then I’m not going to get there.
If you have the same worries, a great book is Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender
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It talks about what blocks us – feelings, emotions, beliefs – and how to let them go.
Another block that may occur is the fear that if we let go of a desire for something, we won’t get it
[ref]Hawkins, D. R. (2014). Letting go: the pathway of surrender. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc.
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I read this and it was a light bulb moment.
We focus so much on successful habits – must visualise, meditate, pray, do mantras, yell out affirmations. We spend more time worrying about what will happen if we don’t do these things.
The best thing I ever did was stick those photos on the wall and walk away.
I’d looked at them from time to time. But as far as focusing on them all the time, I didn’t.
I just put them there, let them go and worked on making the best decisions I could daily.
So when you’re creating a vision board – put it somewhere you can see it. But don’t fear NOT focusing on it.
Sometimes that’s just what you need.
