A new year calls us to assess what is going well in
our lives and what might need to be revised or changed. This emphasis on
reassessing provides an opportunity to reexamine our goals and the dreams we
have for our futures. If you have created a vision board to help you achieve
your goals, now is the time to take a look at it.
What successes did you have? Did you get that book
deal? Make plans for a writing retreat? Become more organized? Take a course? Clean
the basement? Earn more money?
What goals still remain? What new goals do you have? These can be part of a new vision board for this year. Details for making a vision board and the philosophy behind them can be found in this blog’s archives in the article Nothing Happens Lest First You Dream: Vision Boards posted in March of 2022. Here are the highlights about making vision boards.
First, set a timer for 10-15 minutes. In this time, list all of the goals you wish to achieve in the coming year. Include all areas of your life – not just writing.
Next, read through you goals. Analyze them
and think about how you might categorize them. Categories might be things like
Long Term Goals, Short Term Goals, Financial Goals, Self- Care Goals, or
Writing Goals. Then, set a timer for 20 minutes and categorize the goals.
Decide what it is that you most want to achieve.
Now comes the fun part of actually
creating your new vision board. Create a collage of pictures, text, artifacts,
stickers, and drawings. Examples of vision boards are available on Pinterest
and Etsy if you need some guidance. On-line templates are available for those
who wish to complete a vision board digitally.
Decide on a key word to guide you through
the coming year. Examples are focus, bravery, dedication, success. Choose a
word that is important to you and make sure to include it prominently on your
vision board.
Place your completed vision board in an area where you
will see it every day. Some folks put them on their phones or laptops or in
their journals.
As the year rolls on, look at your vision board often. By viewing these goals frequently, your subconscious mind will work on them. Believe that you can achieve your goals and be willing to put in the necessary effort, so that at this year’s end, you will be able to look at your vision board and marvel at what you have achieved!
Good luck with all of your endeavors!
