Creating a Journey (Vision) Board

I'm excited to share this experience with you. I've enjoyed making vision boards over the years to guide my journey. This board is focused on my goals for the upcoming year and acts as a moment to reflect on my growth and let go of what no longer serves me. I started using an app called PicsArt to add images and stickers that inspire me and represent my memories, desires, encouragement, resources, and validation for my next steps. This board reflects my mind, body, spirit, creativity, and community, both personally and professionally. This vision board was created for my personal use, not for sale. Each piece resonates with my heart in different ways. Many focus on balancing life and work, nurturing relationships, setting boundaries, and promoting wellness for mind and body.

During the crafting, I took the time rearranging images to find combinations that felt right, reflecting what I want to see, hear, and feel  not only for each piece individually but how they interacted as whole.. I did incorporate one photo I had taken an a piece of art that I had painted. I encourage you to Spend time collecting things that resonate with you and your goals, things that call out your attention. For instance, I choose the painted stacking stones to symbolize time, energy, dedication, and balance. One picture I found powerfully represents letting go of what you no longer need. One of the things that I am wanting to anchor to this year is shedding excess not only my environment, but also the physical excess that I carry with me every single day. Many people share this journey, especially with the new year. At one point I added a frame labeled "moon," but after adding something, it mistakenly said "moo." I decided to keep it, not to offend, but as a reminder of the judgments I’m letting go of from others. These judgments don't help my journey toward self-love and self-acceptance.

I appreciate how this method holds personal meaning for me, making it feel more private and sacred. Sometimes when I engage in the creative process of collage-making, various elements come together naturally and harmoniously. After completing my artwork, I’ll take some dedicated time to reflect on the experience and write thoughtfully about how the piece connects to my personal goals and the broader journey I am on. This reflection helps me appreciate the deeper meanings behind my work and how it relates to my path of self-discovery.

Many people who create vision boards often forget to regularly check in on their personal growth or may feel discouraged if they’re not progressing as hoped or envisioned. This lack of reflection can lead to feelings of inadequacy and frustration, making it important to acknowledge and celebrate even the smallest steps taken toward their goals. Midway through my creative process, I made the decision to switch to Canva, where I could transform my vision board into a beautifully designed journal cover. This way, I can effectively track my progress on various goals, explore any challenges that might be holding me back, and include reflective art pieces that inspire me. I’m genuinely excited to have it all compiled in a portable and easily accessible space that I can take with me wherever I go.

Sometimes we often don’t fully realize just how much time certain things will actually take, or the depths and complexities that are necessary for accomplishing our tasks. It is perfectly okay to place long-term desires on your journey board as well, because doing so allows you to see the many layers of roads that lie ahead. If you discover that your board is an abstract representation of your more long-term aspirations, I encourage you to take the time to write out the action steps for each goal. You want to start with where you are at, if you only look at the overarching goal the steps may not be manageable therefore they may become self-defeating over time.  You can jot these down either on the back of the board, in a journal, or within a planner. This way, you can also keep track of the manageable steps required for your growth, whatever that may look like or feel like to you personally (not to others, but to you).This is your unique journey through life, filled with experiences and opportunities for growth. Embrace each step along the way as you discover more about yourself and the world around you.

I placed some coins on this surface to symbolize important reminders for my financial ambitions. This serves as a visual cue to remain mindful of any excess spending habits as well as to symbolize the desires I may have to spend money in the future, particularly on enriching experiences such as traveling to new places and immersing myself in different cultures.

 Another picture I would like to share with you is located in the bottom right corner; it features the most beautiful nest I have ever found, where a lovely robin made a cozy home in a fragrant rosemary bush that I had left behind. It serves as a reminder that my nest is a cozy resting place for my own healing and growth. Some pictures serve as a  symbol of various projects that I am currently working on and developing. They capture the essence of my ideas and inspirations, providing a visual representation of my ongoing creative journey.

I added some sparkles to my artwork because I have been having so much fun engaging in carefree play as a form of release during some mixed media work, and it has been quite enjoyable. For some finishing touches, I was intentionally trying to incorporate some vibrant splatters to remind myself to fully embrace joy in the act of creating beautiful imperfections; this perspective, when adopted as a mindset, can foster a truly unique ambiance to the world that is experienced around us. This idea of finding and creating joy extends beyond just the art I’m creating; it influences my spiritual practice as well, creating a holistic approach to my creative expression.

Let’s take a little time to carefully reflect on this.

After I have finished my journey board, I plan to take some time to sit quietly and meditate with it, allowing its imagery and messages to resonate within me.

Following that reflective period, I will write down the specific action steps I intend to take and my personal reflections regarding how I feel about this entire experience. Though I had a general concept of the various things that I wanted to work on prior to starting my journey board, through the creation of this visual representation and my post-creation reflection, I have been able to make much deeper connections with my goals and how they are intricately woven into my life experience, and the life I want to experience.

I want to remind myself that I am enough, you are enough, and we  have exactly what we need within ourselves to accomplish whatever it may be that we set our minds to, no matter the challenges we face or the goals we aspire to achieve.

 Intention is power. Having an intention can shape the choices we make and the paths we take. It guides our actions, shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and interactions with others. By cultivating a clear intention, we can navigate through life's challenges with greater clarity and purpose, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling existence. Creating a vision, is to have an intention. I encourage you to adopt a mindset that this is a process that unfolds at your own pace; by doing this it will extend your vision, allowing you to fully embrace your journey as a whole.

 This board is not just a vision board it is a journey board. A vision to journey board not only encapsulates what we are actively working on but also serves as a roadmap for what lies ahead in our lives. Though this board is deeply personal to you, and you do not need anyone's acceptance or approval of your goals and desires, it can be an embracing experience to share with those you care about and who genuinely care about you what you intend to work on as you move forward into the future.

 Having an accountability partner can be incredibly helpful. If you have struggled with motivation, goal structuring and activation in the past, sharing your goals with a mental health professional who can provide, guidance, problem solving, solution assessment and encouragement may greatly assist you on your transformative journey.

Not sure where to start? Take a Deep Breath and Bring 3 things to your mind's eye that could make your daily life better.

There are many ways to make a journey board, yours will not look like mine, and does not have to be in collage format there is no right or wrong; a journey board is healthy and wholesome, not judgmental or harmful.

I hope you found some inspiration to create a visual aid for your journey. If you feel comfortable doing so, please take a moment to share something meaningful that you plan to grow towards in your own life. May the rest of your year be filled with gentleness and effectiveness in all your endeavors.