I wanted to share with you an oldie but a goodie I use to get my creative ju-ju flowing that also incorporates mapping out desires: a vision board. I’ve created them periodically throughout my life–in times of despair when I wanted to drum up a much needed change, and also in times of happiness when I wanted to multiply flow that was already running through everything.
It looks like a poster board of pictures (it is) but it’s also a board where you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do or have in your life. A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on your life goals or dreams.
Vision Boarding is like incorporating a little hocus pocus with art, topped off with a dose of letting go. Sound a little interesting?
It’s also about focusing on how you want to feel while achieving your deep desires. I think that’s the really important part because without being clear about the feeling, you won’t be able to create what you really want.
Everything you possess of skill, and wealth, and handicraft, wasn’t it first merely a thought and a quest? –Rumi
I was recently looking at at my own vision board that was a couple of years old. I was fascinated that so many things had come true. It was like magic because I didn’t even remember everything that I put on there! It wasn’t totally spot on, but for the most part I was pretty impressed with the outcome. That’s when I knew it was time to do another one.
Here are 3 tips to get you started on your own vision board process:
1) It’s important to really dig in when you start creating a vision board. Anyone can slap a picture up of a gorgeous house, an Adonis of a husband, perfect looking babies and a check for a million dollars. But that’s not using your unique desires and imagination. Tap into what YOU really want, not what you think you SHOULD want.
Don’t cheat yourself by falling into the cookie cutter trap.
You have to dig in deeper and closer to the source of why you want those things.
2.) Pay attention to the really deep part of your longing that emerges at very inopportune moments. Like when you’re relaxed and you have that split second of yearning for something. That’s the subconscious speaking to you and most of the time it doesn’t come in words.
Those split second desires can often come in the form of pictures, feelings, sounds and even textures. When it happens, notice the things that give you that visceral reaction–a heart thump, a caught breath, a sudden burst of feeling. THAT’s the reaction you want about items you slap on your board.
Those feelings will help you attract what you’re really seeking.
3) Once you create the board, put it in a place where you’ll see it just once in a while. If you put it in the obvious in-your-face-everyday spot, you’ll begin to feel like you’re pushing things to happen (or failing at making them happen at all) and that’s counter-productive.
Set things into action with the creation of your board and then let it go.
Part of doing the vision board is having faith. It’s about feeling something, creating a physical representation of it and then letting it go. The faith part is knowing that the seed was planted in you so that it would, at some point, grow.
It’s time to create your very own vision board of happiness.
P.S. That picture above is the beginning of my new board. I would love to see yours! Tag me #stephaniemartel on social media to show me!
