If I were to tell you that I was going to give you a memorization test which required you to recall over 2500 pieces of information, with an accuracy rate of over 85%, how would you react? What if capturing this information and imprinting it onto your brain meant opening the pathway to the joyful, fulfilling life that you were intended to live? Do you think you could do it? Do you think it would be worth it? If you hesitated answering those last two questions, I have some good news. It doesn’t involve stacks of books, lectures or flash cards. Ever heard the phrase, ” I learned everything I needed to know in kindagarten.” Yep, this curriculm involves, going out to recess, colors, paints, art supplies, bulletin boards and picture books.
What I am talking about is creating a vision for your joyful life in the form of a vision board. The first time I heard about vision boards, I was watching The Oprah Winfrey Show. It was January 2007 and the show was about the book, The Secret. That one hour show set me down a path of discovery. It exposed me to different ideas and tools from which I could reference along my own personal journey. I didn’t actually use the suggested method of a vision board until one year later. Here is that vision board which was created at 3 am, being plagued with good form of insomnia.
From OC to NYC
What is a vision board? To me a vision board is a mini version of what James Cameron did when her created Avatar. Do you really think James Cameron took what was in his head and voila, instant magic? Of course not. He took what was in his head and made it visual. First words, sketches, adding color and form. Building and building upon each visual creation until the master piece was unveiled. The most cool thing is that his “vision board” has and will continue to feed the ”vision boards” of others. What is a vision board? It is a visual canvas displaying your hopes, dreams, feelings, goals, aspirations and intuition. It is a vehicle, from which to share yourself with the world.
Why make a vision board? It’s the difference between flashing the written script of Avatar on the big screen and the actual visual masterpiece. In 1970, Scientific American magazine published the results of an experiment. Ralph Haber presented 2560 photographic images to subjects. Each image was shown for 10 seconds each, over the course of several days. To test the recall accuracy of these images the subjects were presented two similar images at a time, one from the previous showing and one not. The subjects had a 85% – 95% accurate recognition of previously shown images. Why make a vision board? You can not create what you can not see. When you see it you can feel it. When you feel it you can hear it. When you hear it you can smell it. And maybe most importantly, when you can see, feel, hear and smell it, you can share it with others.
When should you start making a vision board? Immediately after reading this post.
How do I make a vision board? Ok, remember I said something about kindergarten earlier. Well, let’s ask a kindergarten teacher, “How do you teach 5 year olds how to learn?” If my memory serves me correctly I would guess that playing, plays a huge part in learning. We’ll start with with word play. What does happiness look like to you? Start with the word happiness in the middle of a poster board. Draw a circle around it and 10 rays of light out from it. Write 10 words you associate with happiness. Now go on a scavenger hunt for all the colors and images that belong to your happiness. Cover your happiness words with your happiness images.
My vision board sprung from an intense surge of ideas at 3 am in the morning. I awoke, grabbed every magazine in the house and pulled out any image that resonated with ideas in my head. I then added other images from my computer and arranged them on a foam core poster board. I had a chance to share the story of my vision board in New York City recently.
Gathering images can be a gradual process. For example, you can collect images along your journey each day and place them on a designated bulletin board. Sometimes you’re not sure of your vision and you just need to learn what you connect with. It may simply be a color or a style. Wake up each day being open to what resonates with you. It will open you up to yourself and what the world has to offer you. How do you make a vision board? Go back to kindergarten. Be open to playing, coloring, and discovering. Get out the poster board or bulletin board. Glue it. Color it. Glitter it.
Where should I put my vision board? Anywhere that you will see it often. Bathroom mirror. Above your bed. In your car. In your handbag. My friend Terry has her’s folded into a book, so it is portable. My Traveling Sanctuary handbag is a vision board of sorts.
Are there any rules to vision boards? Not really, but I do have some suggestions.
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Less words and more images
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Do not limit yourself to a poster board or bulletin board. Search out your choice blank canvas.
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Share your vision board
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Ask others about their vision
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Do not make it a detailed step by step map to a given destination (that comes later)
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Evolve and add to your vision board
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Do not set a time limit for manifesting your vision
A vision board is more visual scavenger hunt than map. You are the vehicle destine to travel a winding road, discovering the images that will lead you along the next curve. Burn those images into your mind. Share those images with other travelers along the way.
Here’s today’s call to action. Google vision board images to get your juices flowing. You just never know where it will lead you.
