Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that it prohibited you from taking action?

I struggled to stay motivated this week. My mood was melancholy, and I had a hard time feeling worthy of my ideal future. Too many days of this, and one can easily lose sight of their desired future.

To help combat this self-sabotage, I proactively created a vision board, a collage of images that represent the things I want out of life, specifically my anticipated career. I dug out some old magazines and started snipping away, pulling out images and phrases that struck me. I laid them out, narrowing them down to the selections that represented the dreams I most want to materialize in my life. 

Creating a vision board allowed me to refocus on my goals, priorities and virtues. I have established well-developed, concrete goals, but on occasion, my confidence in my success wavers. The image I created helped me to visualize those goals and bolster my self-esteem. The visual representation that was produced guided me towards a more positive outlook.

This experience of creating a vision board energized me. It redirected my attention and focus and alleviated emotional stress, allowing me to fully concentrate on my goals and behaviors. I am fully believing that I will achieve and attain each vision.

A vision board taps into imagination and creative, nonlinear thinking, and may free you to include subconscious wishes, dreams or aspirations. Further, imagery has the power to create a physiological change and provides motivation for new behaviors.

By working with collage, you can produce representational imagery without the need for drawing skills. Art therapists, Gioia Chilton and Victoria Scotti write, “Transforming bits and pieces into new forms can be freeing, allowing new ideas to be discovered.”

You can see your goals come to pass, too, provided you establish a realistic plan to achieve them. Creating a vision board is a valid tool only when it is backed by actions that move you toward your goals. You have to be willing to do the hard work. Looking at your vision board daily and focusing on the words and images will unconsciously help you to make choices throughout the day that are consistent with those you have identified.

Art & Wellness Challenge

Create your own vision board to identify, define and clarify what you really want in your life. Quiet your mind and ask yourself what it is you want in certain areas of your life, e.g. relationships, health, spirituality, education, career, etc.

Tear out images and text from magazines that bring you delight. Place them in a meaningful arrangement on a poster board or bulletin board, eliminating images if necessary. Glue everything onto the board with rubber cement, a glue stick, or a similar paste. (Liquid glue will wrinkle your materials.) Embellish your board with paint and markers if you want.

Hang your vision board in a prominent location where you will see it often; keep it visible. Most importantly, visualize the action steps that are required to reach your goal(s). Create small attainable goals related to those images. Make choices throughout the day that are consistent with your identified goals.

If you wish, share a photo of your vision board via email at chris@chrissingleheart.com or via message on Facebook at facebook.com/chrissingleheart. What does your board teach you about yourself and your passion? Who do you want to help? I shall respect and hold confidential your communication with me, and will reply.

The Fine Print

Participation in this and any Art and Wellness Challenge is on a voluntary basis and at your own risk.