Vision Board

In December/January of 2008, my boss at the time bought our staff a training on “The Secret.” The instructor gave us a whole load of what at the time I thought was bullshit about stating your intentions, putting your desires into the universe and the universe will give back. I didn’t believe it, but the workshop was required so I reluctantly created a vision board.

A vision board is typically a poster board you’ve pasted photos, words, ideas, etc. on in order to state your intentions for your vision for your future. These can be cut from magazines, printed, written on. It’s whatever you want and whatever makes you feel motivated. The idea is that stating your intentions and seeing the vision board every day will inspire you to continue on the path toward those intentions and allow the universe to give what it can.

I don’t have a photo of my first vision board – but clearly if I’m typing this, it worked. So I made a second vision board last fall. At the time, I was a little bit over my job and wanted to see what was next. So here’s what I made:

• In the bottom middle, the words “Are you on the right course?” Seeing this every day clearly made me change direction a little.
• Photos of some of my favorite leaders – people I know, people I don’t, women whose books I’ve read. This reminded me of those who had gone before me, made difficult decisions, etc.
• In the middle right, two sets of words “Every day is an opportunity” and “What are you waiting for?” This was almost a wake up call for me. I almost didn’t take my current job. I felt safe where I was, in a shell, and was afraid to venture out. But seeing those words, I did it.

So when I changed jobs, I decided it was time, again, to change my vision board. So here’s what I made the third time around:

• As you can see, it’s all about food, exercise and self-image.
• The words strong, sexy, slim, reinvent.
• I put pictures of foods I desired loving. I wished I could learn to love vegetables – and since then, I have. I love them, and can’t get enough.
• The middle piece says “fall in love with fitness” – but the truth is, from the vantage point I sit in my office, I never see the words “with fitness” – so maybe my vision board inspired me to fall in love.

The moral of this post isn’t just to show you my vision board. It’s to tell you this: sometimes the things you find most absurd and stupid, the things you absolutely don’t want to do, end up being the things that guide you and teach you the most about yourself. If I’d skipped that workshop and forgotten about the whole thing, I never would have this amazing evidence and constant reminder of where I want to be.

I think this holiday season, I’ll make a new vision board for 2010. Continuing my health, building strong relationships, and setting the course for the future. It’s time. And of course, I’ll share it with all of you.