A New Way to Vision 2021

If you’re like me and want to start 2021 off right, here’s one of my favorite tools for launching the year with intention, guidance and inquiry - vision boards.

But this year I have a twist-

I created a new thing- a Soul Vision Board!!!!!

Did you download the free vision board pdf? If not, you can right here. Or watch this quick video of me explaining a vision board on TV a few years ago!

Making vision boards is one of my family’s New Year’s Eve traditions. The fireplace is roaring, the Christmas lights (and music) are blasting, and I’m typically on the rug, ripping, cutting and gluing, making a giant mess!

Normally I’m extremely intentional about this project.

I think about the different areas of my life and how/what I want to experience in each. I’ll have imagery for my spiritual development – maybe a picture of a book, goddess or teacher. I’ll have a picture of a place I want to visit (typically someplace where I can ski), for years I had African animals – elephants, giraffes… I’ll find images of things I’d like to accomplish – pictures of jewelry, words that are inspiring…

But something happened last year that made me alter how I make my vision board. I learned a new collage technique from a friend. It’s called SoulCollage®.

SoulCollage® is an intuitive, contemplative way to collage using only imagery (no words). With their technique, you make a set of cards and then read them- eliciting meaning from the images you’ve assembled.

So I decided to adopt this idea, of allowing the journey to take me, rather than control it (by looking for very specific images and words).

Instead, I chose pictures that caught my eye. I didn’t worry about finding the “right” word or picture but relaxed into the process, trusting that the ones I found were the right ones.

Here’s the important thing- I didn’t entirely do the SoulCollage® technique. I simply tweaked how I used to do vision boards.

Here’s My Board for 2021!

Before I began, I took a moment to think about the year ahead and then I added this new dimension making it more emotive, metaphoric, allowing it to arise from the unconscious, rather than being so concrete.

I did add words that appealed to me, and do have a little corner of the board that depicts things I still really want (like a ski trip.)

Once you’ve assembled all the imagery and words together, step back and really take a look at the whole board.

What is it telling you about how you want to live your year?

Perhaps what you’ll hear isn’t so much about what you will accomplish, instead it’ll be more about how you will experience your everyday life.

How does that sound?

I’m excited to see how this new technique influences 2021.

From all of my years of doing vision boards, I know they work.

At the end of each calendar year, I look back on the photos and words I put together the previous January and can see all the things that came to pass.

So be intentional, and allow your soul to sing to you about what it wants for you this year.

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photo by Gerd Altmann

Time to Manifest! Make A 2015 Vision Board

For the past several years, our family has had a New Year’s tradition. We decided to make our own because -here's my confession- I always hated New Year’s Eve. From the time I was a teenager, my sister and I would look at each other mystified. All everyone seemed to do was get drunk and then watch a stupid ball drop. What was the big deal?

So a few years ago, we modified our evening to make it work for us. As a family, we enjoy a celebratory meal, something special, because it is a holiday after all. We even have a bottle of champagne or Prosecco along with sparkling apple cider, (known in our house as kids champagne.) After our leisurely meal, we all gather in the living room and get to work making… vision boards.

What is a Vision Board?

It is a pictorial representation of your year, what you would like to manifest or be inspired by in the upcoming year.

We buy poster board, and canvas panels, glue, sparkly markers, have lots of magazines and scissors and start cutting out images, words, and phrases that speak to each of us.

Often before I start, I spend some time making a list of goals and intentions I’d like to manifest for my year. I think about every aspect of my life from my career, to my health, finances, family, spirituality and, importantly, fun!

Then I tease out each idea. For example, if I want to be more successful in my career, I try to specify what that means. I qualify it by stating a certain amount of money or a specific number of transactions, appointments, sales or closings.

With these clear ideas in mind, I get to work digging for words, and pictures that will best remind and inspire me. Maybe for my above goal, I’ll put the phrase “cash in the bank” as a reminder or find a photo of someone shaking another person’s hand to represent a sale. Perhaps I really want to see humpback whales this year on vacation, so I’ll look for a picture of them to add to my board.

Other than that, the look, design and outcome are all up to you and your creativity!

It’s an opportunity to both have fun with your family and work toward manifesting your dreams in 2015.

If you’re in Vero Beach, join us on Saturday, January 3rd as we’ll be making vision boards together! Click here for more information. Otherwise, here’s what you’ll need:

Supplies for Vision Boards:

•  Poster Board or Canvas Panels (These are canvas-coated cardboard and can be found at Michael’s)

• Rubber Cement – This is the best glue even though it’s smelly, because it dries flat

• Magazines -  A wide variety is best

• Photographs – Take some time before New Year’s Eve to print any photos you’ll want to add

• Scissors – One for each person is ideal

• Anything Else Fun – Markers, stickers, glitter, ribbon, stencil lettering, craft paper...

This is a great activity with people of all ages. Kids especially enjoy it and are incredibly creative.

When you’re done, post your boards below so I can see them!

Happy 2015!

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What do YOU want in your New Year?

Hello everyone! Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Are you ready? Okay, okay, so I don't mean party plans, champagne purchases and designated drivers. I mean, are you ready to start your year with clarity, with purpose and with intention?

This is the perfect time of year to release that which you no longer want and get clarity about what you want to attract (all that we desire). Want to know how? Let's start with letting go...

This is my board from 2013

There are lots of ways to do this. If you like fires, have a roaring bond fire. Write down anything you're ready to let go of or release and then one by one throw those words or phrases into the fire! If you can't go to the beach, don't have a fireplace or suitable backyard, try a barbecue or a burning bowl! You can even do it with firecrackers by thinking about what is leaving you as you light it and then watch it blow up in front of your eyes!

Now how about attracting the good stuff. I really love vision boards. A few years ago we started doing this as an annual tradition with our children. Last January, my 19 year-old took hers back to college with her while mine sits on my desk at work. A vision board can be anything that inspires you- words, pictures, objects. People go about them in different ways. Some like to start with a list of goals for the new year- "what I see for myself." Others are more organic and surf the internet, browse magazines or newspapers for words and images that appeal.

Last year I learned about a similar concept to the vision board from Robert Holden. It's a compass to orient you. In a workshop I attended, he handed out these paper compasses. So last year, that was the theme I used, placing joy at the center of the compass, reminding me of where I always want to be. Then I oriented mine so spirit was in the north, fun and grounding in the south, family and emotional needs in the west and intellectual pursuits in the east. This year, I think I might allow it to be more flowing but I will start with making a list of goals for myself because even though I want my board to be more free-flowing, I will choose precise and specific objectives for myself this year just as I do every year. 

Actually, if this is something you already do, a great way to check in is to review the list from last year and see all that has been accomplished, all that has manifested in 2013. Celebrate and honor it! That list can often help dictate 2014 too because sometimes goals continue or deepen. 

Having a vision board enhances that goal/objecive list, provides visual imagery to it and is a constant reminder, when you see it, of what you want. When we decide how we want our lives to be, the universe helps make it happen. It's so much better than letting life happen to us and way more fun not to mention satisfying. An expression I heard Marci Shimoff say that I just love is that we have to set our intentions - that's our goals, our objectives, then we put our attention to these things by making a vision board and by writing them down and seeing them often and finally we breathe in and allow for no tension- letting the universe (or God) support us in manifesting our dreams.

So, what are you waiting for? 2014 is just about here, are you?