First week of the new year has passed and some of us are seeing a couple of things: The resolution is going well or it is on their way out of the window. Many people say they don’t do new year’s resolutions for a variety of reasons. Either they think that they will shoot too high and set themselves up for failure or maybe they say they are happy with their life and don’t have anything they “need” to change. The logic behind a new year’s resolution is that we all have a dream or two or three and we use the new year to embark on some sort of journey to achieve a goal or change an aspect of their lifestyle they find themselves dissatisfied with. Every new beginning presents an opportunity to change ourselves in a positive way. New beginnings are great but how do we start it? We start with a vision, and a vision needs a place to take form, a vision board. A few years ago, a website called Pinterest found popularity among social media users because it was able to provide users with a productive way to share their creative interests, ideas and dreams of all kinds, using pictures, memes and positive affirmations. Essentially, Pinterest has provided a medium to share interests with others through a series of “pins”, or virtual cork-boards.
Pinterest and other sites like it have given new year’s resolutions a whole new way of making it fun and achievable whether it is getting into better shape, quitting a bad habit, eating healthier or getting over anxieties of any sort. It holds true that sharing your goals and dreams with others can make them more attainable because now other people know about what you want to accomplish and in theory, provide us with support, motivation, and accountability. Whether you choose one specific resolution or change in lifestyle or have many goals you want to obtain in the upcoming year, deciding to embark on a journey is the first step in achieving the end goal. The next step is a plan of action. Just stating to yourself that you will quit smoking is one thing, but making a plan of how to do so and telling people about it is a whole other step. Once you share your goal and how you plan on achieving it, the process has begun and it is up to you to complete your resolution.
Vision boards provides a more flexible time scale than just saying “by February first I will achieve a new me!”. They are also a fun way to put your goals in perspective (especially if you have many resolutions!) Print out some pictures that provide you with motivation! For instance, if your dream is to travel to Brazil by December, print out a picture of a Brazilian landmark you know you want to see in person up close, as well as a picture of a plane representing travel and a piggy bank to remind you to save save save! These pictures will keep this goal at the forefront of your mind and may even compel you to download that “Learn Portuguese quick” app you’ve been telling yourself you’d get on your phone since 2010. Place your vision board somewhere you will see it as a reminder and motivation on a regular basis (i.e: for eating healthy put it by your fridge, for exercising put it on a key chain to remind you to hit the gym before heading home for the night, for quitting smoking, put it wherever you used to put your pack of cigarettes (there is also health apps to show you how many more days you add to the life of your heart and lungs each day you don’t smoke!)
As you create the vision board what you want your 2017 to look like, it is also helpful to form a framework of how you can achieve that vision. If you do not know where to begin or how to create the outline, allow me to direct you to this video that will help you figure out how you can envision your year. Created by a career coach, this video gives you the visual trick you need to form the basic outline you need to create
Adding this artistic process to the first few days of your new year will allow you to harness your drive and motivation to complete the project, or resolution of your choice. Creating a vision board is like creating a visual representation of who you want to be in the future. We all have some aspect of ourselves worth improving on at the least, and a vision board can provide a clear reminder of how bad you want this for your life. Change is hard and goals can be hard to stick with if you easily fall back into the same routine you had before. If you really want to change something this year, set aside the time to create a visual representation of you aspirations and you will find yourself subconsciously making time to achieve these goals. Keep your resolutions attainable and still representative of who you are, a work in progress. If you have a vision, you have a vision board. If you have a vision board, you can achieve anything you set your mind to!