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Life

How to Make a Vision Board and Use it To Reach Your Goals

Are you looking for ways to increase your motivation and productivity? Do you struggle with goal setting and goal achievement?

There is a simple tool you can use to help you build the life you want.

A Vision Board.

Now before you roll your eyes and call BS, know that visualization techniques (including the use of a vision board) have been well studied and proven to increase performance and success. (If you feel like nerding out, just check out this study, this one and this one.)

What is a Vision Board?

A vision board is a visualization tool that can help manifest your dreams into reality.

Essentially, you find images or phrases that represent your ideal life. These images and phrases can represent everything from your smallest goals to your biggest and boldest dreams.

All these images and words/phrases are put into one place, either on a paper or cork board or in electronic file. Your vision board will include images and words that make you motivated and excite you to reach your goals.

You can have a vision board for your life as a whole or just one area of your life.

For example, you could have a vision board for your health and fitness goals. Or it could be a complete life vision board that includes images of your dream house, dream job, or a feeling you want in your life.

The basic premise is that when you see the pictures on the vision board they elicit a certain (positive) feeling. And when you are tuned into that feeling or the achievement of that goal, you are more likely to draw more of that feeling into your life and move towards the goal.

The Power of A Vision Board

Visualization is a well studied and well founded technique that has helped many successful people reach their fullest potential. In addition to being used by celebrities and CEO’s, this technique is often used with high performing athletes to help with performance anxiety.

But how does simply imagining something make it happen?

Studies show the brain cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality.

In a visualization, you draw your focus towards those goals and dreams you want more of in your life, thus creating new neural pathways in your brain. The more you practice visualization, the stronger these pathways become and you begin to form new habits or see the world differently.

Have you read The Secret? This idea is central to the law of attraction. The law of attraction is based on the premise that wherever your thoughts lie that’s what you attract into your life.

A vision board is a tool to help with visualization. Using the visual cues in a vision board in conjunction with your thoughts helps to strengthen those neural pathways and aid in your success.

If you are interested in reading up on visualization and visualization techniques, here a few books to help you get started!

Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life

The Creative Visualization Workbook: Second Edition (Gawain, Shakti)

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind: Unlock the Secrets Within

How to Create a Vision Board

The great thing about a vision board is you don’t need much to get started! Use these simple steps to help you create a vision board that will allow you to strengthen your visualizations and achieve more.

Decide What Goals You Want Represented On Your Vision Board

Will this vision board be for one specific goal? Or will it be for your overall life?

Try to make a list of ten things, either feelings or goals, that you would like on the vision board. I recommend using the 5 minute rule and jotting down everything you can think of in 5 minutes. Don’t over think this list!

The goal here is to put down what you really and truly want, no matter how big and scary it is. Don’t worry about how you are going to achieve these goals. You are not trying to come up with a plan right now. All you want to do is be clear in what you want to achieve.

Decide Your Medium

Will this be a digital file? Or something physical? How big do you want the vision board to be? Will it be on paper or on some kind of board (like a cork board or poster board)?

I like to use Google slides. I find digital images and copy them into the file. I can play with fonts and layouts really easily and I can update it as necessary.

I also like to use Google slides because I have a digital copy and a physical copy. I have the digital copy as the background on my computer and a copy I printed out hanging in my closet.

Find Pictures and Phrases

Find pictures that represent the things you want in your life. Be thoughtful in the pictures you choose.

Because a lot of the visualization and the law of attraction is based on provoking the subconscious mind, you want to make sure the pictures fully represent what you want.

Also, be sure NOT to include pictures that show what you don’t want.

For example, if you want to eat healthier your vision board may include pictures of healthy meals. What you do not want to include on your vision board are pictures of unhealthy foods with a big X.

Why? Because by having pictures of unhealthy food you are focusing your attention on the unhealthy foods which will attract more unhealthy foods. Instead, if you have pictures of the foods you want to eat more of (fruits and vegetables etc) you will attract more of that into your life.

You can do a simple image search in Google to look for images for your vision board. I like to use these sites to find beautiful free pictures online:

https://unsplash.com

https://pexels.com

https://pixabay.com

You can also pick up a few magazines and cut out pictures from those magazines. Or use a combination of online photos and magazine photos.

Whichever image source you use, make sure the images provoke a good feeling in you. You don’t want images that make you feel bad or jealous or anything like that.

Pick A Place For Your Vision Board

Where will you see your vision board regularly and where can you spend a minute or 2 focusing on it?

As I mentioned above, my vision board is the background on my computer (I’m on my computer A LOT). I also have it hanging in my closet.

You want to choose a place where you will see it multiple times a day and a place where you will be able to focus and practice your visualizations.

Looking for more information on how to create a vision board? Check out these courses from SkillShare. Use this link to sign up and you get 2 months FREE!

Create a Vision Board for Your Dreams & Goals

Create a Law of Attraction Vision Board that Manifests your Dreams

How to Use a Vision Board

Sit down when you know you will have a few uninterrupted minutes. Look at your vision board. For each image you put on the vision board close your eyes and take a moment to imagine what it would feel like for that to be your life.

Using the healthy eating example, you might imagine cooking a healthy meal or walking through the grocery store and choosing only healthy foods to put in your cart. Again, it’s important to stress you should not focus on the things you don’t want. Don’t imagine saying no to junk food! Your mind only focuses on the junk food not the “no” that surrounds it.

Once you’ve imagined the experience focus on the feeling of eating healthy. Maybe this feels like having more energy, or better sleep.

It’s also important not to worry about the specifics. Don’t focus on the steps you need to get done to reach that goal. Just experience the feeling of having achieved it.

Once you’ve experienced it, say thank you! At the end of my visualizations I will say something like “I am so grateful I have achieved XYZ in my life”. Read More About the Power of Gratitude.

Final Thoughts…

A vision board is a great tool to help you develop and strengthen a visualization practice.

By creating your vision board you can take the first steps towards creating the life you want!

If you’re looking for more ways to get motivated and stay motivated, check out “How to Stay Motivated to Achieve Your Goals”

Minimalist style | Palm leaf in cup of water

Life

Simplify Your Life: A Beginner’s Guide to Minimalist Living

Minimalist living has become trendy. With gurus like Marie Kondo, there are so many people embracing a more intentional and minimalist lifestyle.

And I’m totally here for it!

We are acquiring more, consuming more and busier than any other generation before us. And we are drowning.

But friend, I have to be honest with you. If you thought this would be another article just about getting rid of your junk drawer, you’ll be pleased to know it’s not.

Because adopting a minimalist lifestyle is much more than having organized drawers, a capsule wardrobe and reducing your clutter.

I’m here to tell you that the beauty of minimalism is that while it is about being intentional and embracing simplicity, it is also something unique to each person.

I know. I know. It’s tough to figure out how to implement minimalist principles into different areas of your life.

So I’ve put together a beginner’s guide to living a minimalist lifestyle. The goal here is to provide you with simple steps to create a more simplistic and intentional approach to all areas of your life.

What is Minimalist Living?

First, let me start with what minimalist living is not.

It’s not about getting rid of all your things and swearing off earthly possessions (though this is a path of some minimalists).

You can be a minimalist and have a big house in the suburbs. You can be a minimalist and have a library in your house.

Minimalist living extends beyond cleaning up your junk drawer and can apply to all areas of your life: your time; your finances; your lifestyle.

Because Minimalism is about putting your energy and focus towards what you value. Rather than filling your life with all the things you should do or have, you live more simply by only filling your life with those things that mean something to you.

It puts the emphasis on being more intentional with your time and your money and more thoughtful with your choices.

For example: Have you ever gone shopping and bought a top because you felt like you should buy it? You think, “I should have something fancy for going out on the town” but then when it comes time to go out you bypass that top because you don’t feel comfortable in it.

By adopting a minimalist attitude you wouldn’t purchase that top. You only acquire and keep the things you will use and that fit with your values and likes. That’s what Minimalism is about at its core.

Instead of filling your schedule with all the shoulds, you only commit yourself to taking part in activities you value.

You might say “ But, Jill I don’t like cleaning my house and only do it because I think I should. Does that mean I should stop?”

Yes and No. It might mean it’s time to get rid of the clutter so there is less to clean. Or cutting back your spending on other items so you can hire someone to clean for you.

Before you start simplifying your life, I’ve put together a few steps to help you begin the process of developing a minimalist mindset.

And it is a process. It is your process, and the outcome doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s version of minimalist living.

How To Get Started with Practical Minimalist Living

Make a List of the Things and Activities You Value

What brings you joy? Think about all the things you value. These can be actual physical items or they can include activities, experiences etc. Make this list as long as you like. Include as much as you want (or as little).

In a culture focused on acquiring more and instant gratification, it can be so easy to lose a sense of the things you value in your life.

I recommend breaking this list up into 2 main categories:

Items – These are the physical items important to you
Activities – These are the things you love to do

When you sit down and make this list, try just going with your gut. Don’t over think this list. Even if you write down things you don’t have or don’t do, put it on your list (you’ll see why a little further down).

Assess Why You Can’t Do Or Have More of the Things That Bring You Joy

Looking at your list from above, see if there is anything you don’t have or can’t do or don’t have or can’t do enough of.

For these items consider why it is you can’t have or do these things. If you need help, ask yourself this question:
What needs to change so I can have more of the things I value in my life?

Don’t be scared to write down big changes. This might include things like finding a job closer to home so you can cut down on your commute and be more present for your children.

Or, you might want to spend less time tidying up the house during the week. You may realize the toys in the family room overwhelm everything and you need to sort through and either get rid of some or find a new space for them.

Remember, you don’t have to commit to these changes today. You are just identifying what is taking away from your values and choosing to think about the intention of the items in your life and they way you spend your time.

Make Changes

What can you remove from your life today to bring you more of what you value in life?

Start small. Don’t overhaul your clutter and your life all at once.

Instead, develop a roadmap for how you will get from where you are today to a life filled with things and activities that fill your cup rather than drain it.

I recommend looking at your values and making a list of what you need to do to support those values in your life.

List these changes from the least effort required to the largest effort. The theory behind this is that as you accomplish those tasks that take a smaller effort you will be motivated by your accomplishments to keep going!

Remember minimalism is about intention. What is your intention for having all the things? Don’t have a good one? Get rid of the junk.
What is your intention for doing all the things? Don’t really have a good one? Cut it out from your life!

If you’re looking for a deeper look at minimalism, check out these courses on adopting a minimalist lifestyle from skillshare. If you sign up with this link, you can get access to these and other courses for free!

Introduction to Minimalism

Conscious Living

Life

How to Stay Motivated to Achieve Your Goals

I’ve been thinking and writing a lot about goal setting lately. I don’t know if it’s because we’re coming to the end of the year and I’ve been reflecting on the goals I set for myself, or because it will soon be time to create goals for the new year.

One question I get asked a lot is how I stay motivated.

Sometimes staying motivated is easier than other times. Waning motivation while working towards a goal is a natural experience.

But don’t worry, friend! There are ways you can avoid complete burnout and stay motivated as you work towards your goals.

When I feel my motivation slipping, there are certain things I do that help me get back on track.

So today I‘m sharing tips to help you stay motivated to achieve your goals. These are techniques that help me stay consistent and ahead of those dips in motivation.

Write Your Goals Down Every Day

Every day when I sit down at my desk, I write down my goals. I have a list of about 10 goals I re-write every day. This includes goals like “work out 3 days a week” or “publish X amount of posts this month”. Writing them down every day focuses my intention on those goals and helps me to connect to them.

When I let this practice slide, which happens because I am not perfect, I also find that my attention and motivation towards my goals begin to slip.

When I feel my motivation going down, I re-read my goals from previous days or weeks. Sometimes, I’ve already achieved some of those goals. Seeing that achievement, along with re-writing my goals, often gives me the boost I need to get back on track to meet my goals.

Break Your Goals Down into Smaller Goals

Sometimes our goals can become overwhelming as we work towards them. This can be extremely discouraging.

If you’re feeling discouraged or overwhelmed, examine your goal and see if there is a way you can break the goal down. Perhaps your larger goal can be broken down into 3 or 4 smaller goals.

For example, one of my goals is to make a certain income from my writing. That goal is huge and include lots of tasks that go towards achieving that goal. So I’ve broken that goal into smaller goals. I prioritize those smaller goals and I concentrate on a just a few at a time.

Connect With Your “Why”

The German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

Sometimes when we start to burnout or become less motivated, it’s because the fire that fueled us to want to achieve that goal has been dimmed. This is when you need to reconnect with why you made that goal.

Here is a simple exercise to help you reconnect with your why for a goal you have set. Sit somewhere quiet and away from any distractions. Close your eyes and think about what it would feel like to achieve that goal. Try to really fee” what achieving the goal would be like. Visualize that achievement in as much detail as you can.

Find Support

Surrounding yourself with positive people or people with similar goals is an important way to stay motivated. These people may be in real-life or in online groups where you connect with others trying to reach the same goals.

If there are people in your life that are unsupportive of your goals, keep your distance from them. I don’t mean don’t talk to them or cut them out of your life (though sometimes this may be necessary). I mean just don’t share progress or accomplishments with them. Find others that will cheer you on and high five you every time you lose a pound or save $100 in your emergency fund.

See Setbacks as Lessons

Remember that success is built on setbacks and failures. Expecting that there will be bumps along the way will lessen the blow when something comes up. Instead of getting down on yourself for failing, approach the setback as a lesson. What did you learn from the experience? What could you have done better?

Celebrate Accomplishments, Big or Small

Always celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how big or how small.

By celebrating all your accomplishments you give yourself that extra little boost to keep you moving forward.

Sometimes when my motivation is waning, I will stop the Pitty party and ask myself what I have already accomplished. I’ll remind myself of each small win. This change in focus has helped me countless times to get over a funk and refocus on moving towards my goals.

Don’t Play The Comparison Game

While leaning on others and finding a support group is a great way to stay motivated, make sure you don’t get caught up comparing yourself to others working towards the same goals. Usually the comparison game comes up through social media. If this is the case for you, it might be time to hide certain friends on Facebook or Instagram.

Remember: Everybody achieves their goals in different ways and at different times. Stay in your lane. Focus on your achievements and the way you want to achieve your goal and you will find greater success.

What helps you stay motivated?

Check out these articles for more tips to skyrocket your productivity and increase your motivation!

Best Productivity Tips For Working Moms from Female Entrepreneurs

7 Time Management Tips For Busy Moms

How To Practice Gratitude So You Can Live Your Best Life

Life

How To Practice Gratitude So You Can Live Your Best Life

“When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” -Lao Tzu

How often have you heard about the importance of practicing gratitude? From Rachel Hollis to Tony Robbins to Oprah the word on the street is that gratitude is a key factor to a fulfilled and successful life.

Which got me thinking.

I know that being grateful is a good thing. When you feel grateful you feel better, right?

I write down things I am grateful for everyday and I often try to look at a situation through the lens of gratitude. Since I started doing this, I have noticed small but profound changes in my everyday life.

But I wanted to know WHY we feel better when we are grateful. How does being grateful impact or physical and mental health?

So, I started to do a little research.

What Are the Benefits of a Daily Gratitude Practice?

Turns out, gratitude and its impact on our mental and physical health have been well researched. And the results are in…

From supporting a strong immune system to helping us develop better interpersonal relationships, practicing gratitude is an amazing tool that you and I can use to improve many areas of our lives.

Check out all these amazing benefits of practicing gratitude!

Experience Life in a Positive Way

According to a research study from the University of California, Davis people that practice gratitude regularly are more likely to experience situations in a positive way.

Does this mean you’ll never have a negative experience? Of course not! But incorporating gratitude into your life will help you see the silver lining in more situations rather than focusing on the negative.

Better Memories

If you are more grateful and view your experiences in a more positive way, you are more likely to have good memories.

If you consistently practice gratitude and look for the blessings in your life, when you look back at your day, month or year you will be filled with more joy rather than negative emotions.

Better Relationships

Studies have shown that people who are more grateful have better relationships. Essentially, grateful people are empathetic. Because of this people who practice gratitude are more likely to help others and in turn they receive more help. Better relationships can help you feel more connected and fulfilled in your life.

More Patience

Another study found a direct correlation between individuals who practiced gratitude and their heightened levels of patience in interpersonal relationships.

Better Sleep

Many of us suffer from poor sleep due to stress and anxiety. The more you focus on gratitude the less likely you are to experience stress and the more likely you are to sleep better.

Better Overall Health

When you are full of negative thoughts your stress levels increase. A lot of the times this stress manifests as physical symptoms like headaches, stomach aches or even more long term health issues.

One study found that stress actually creates inflammation in the body. Inflammation can be a good thing when we are sick because it helps to fight off germs. However, if the inflammation is caused by stress our bodies start to attack the good cells in the absence of germs. This can actually weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to illness.

How To Practice Gratitude

You can practice gratitude just like you practice any other skill like playing an instrument or a sport. But how do you build an intentional gratitude practice?

The general consensus is that as you practice gratitude you should focus on both the big things in your life you are grateful for (your health or your family) and the small things in your everyday life (a good cup of coffee or a beautiful sunrise).

Start a Gratitude Journal

One of the easiest ways to practice gratitude is to start a daily gratitude journal. This journal is a place for you to write down the things you are grateful for that day. (If you don’t know where to start, I’ve listed some prompts below.)

You can also purchase a gratitude journal that contains prompts and can help you develop your gratitude practice. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Gratitude Journal for Women: Find Happiness and Peace in 5 Minutes a Day

Instant Happy Journal: 365 Days of Inspiration, Gratitude, and Joy

Create a Gratitude Routine

Just like you need to make time in your day for working out, cleaning the house or walking your dog, you should carve out some time as part of your routine to practice gratitude. Pick a time of day when you know you will be able to focus on gratitude and when you won’t be distracted. It might be first thing in the morning before the kids wake up, or right before bed.

I like to write down 5 things I am grateful for on my lunch hour. It’s a time in my day when I know no one will bother me and when I have some time to focus on all that I am grateful for.

Make A Gratitude Board

Similar to a vision board, a gratitude board uses images to help you focus and visualize the things in your life that you are grateful for.

As you choose the images for your gratitude board focus on why you are grateful for the things in the image. Hang this collage somewhere you can see daily or even multiple times a day to keep all that you are grateful for front and center in your life!

Gratitude Prompts

If you are just getting started with a gratitude practice and you are struggling to find things to be grateful for here are some prompts to help you.

What are 3 things I own that I am grateful for?
Who are 3 people in my life I am grateful for?
Write about a happy memory.
What do you like about your job?
What author, musician or artist are you grateful for?
What is something you can see, feel, touch, smell, taste and hear that you are grateful for?

Teaching Kids How to Practice Gratitude

The best way to teach our children about gratitude is to model gratitude in our daily lives. As you develop your gratitude practice, think about incorporating your kids into your practice.

Here are some fun ways you can help your kids develop their own gratitude practice.

Talk With Your Kids About Gratitude Daily

At bedtime, I talk to each of our kids about things that we are both grateful for in our days. I start by sharing something I am grateful for that happened that day and then I ask them to share what they are grateful for.

Most of the time their response is dessert or a special toy. But sometimes I am amazed at the things they say. My 5 year old told me once she was grateful for all the love in her heart. That was validation that our gratitude practice was working.

Read Stories About Gratitude

There are so many wonderful children’s books that have gratitude as a central theme. You can use these stories as prompts for talking about gratitude, what it means to be grateful and how to practice gratitude. Here are a few of our kids favorites:

Andy and the Lion (Picture Puffins)

Splat Says Thank You! (Splat the Cat)

The Blessings Jar: A Story About Being Thankful

Thankful Together

Gratitude Jar

Have your kids write down something they are grateful for and place those notes in the jar. If your child is too young to write, talk with them about what they are grateful for and write it down for them.

When the jar is full, sit down with your kiddos and read through all the notes. You’ll be able to talk about all the wonderful things they felt grateful for.

Gratitude Rock

Find a rock and paint it with some beautiful colors and designs. The idea is that whenever your child holds the rock or rubs the stone they should think of something they are grateful for.

No matter how you choose to practice gratitude the most important thing is that you do it regularly. It may seem difficult or totally unnatural at first, but over time you will find it easier and easier.

Friend, let’s be real for a second. It’s impossible to be grateful all the time. Sometimes we experience seasons in our life when gratitude is a struggle. People who practice gratitude will still experience sadness or other negative emotions. This is all normal and you should never feel guilty for not being grateful all.the.time.

So friend, let’s start today’s gratitude practice together.

What are YOU grateful for today?

Read all about the benefits of gratitude, how to build a gratitude practice and how to teach your kids about gratitude. Gratitude has both mental and physical benefits and a daily gratitude practice can improve many areas of your life. Read more to learn how to build a gratitude practice #gratitude #attitudeofgratitude #grateful

Life

The Power Of Writing Down Your Goals

“If you have a goal, write it down. If you do not write it down, you do not have a goal – you have a wish”. – Steve Maraboli

This week I had the opportunity to share an article about the power of writing your goals over on Life Management For Moms.

I am a big believer in writing down goals. In this post, I share with you the importance of writing down your goals, as well as the the most effective ways to write down your goals achieving them.

I write down my goals every.single.day. This is different than my to-do list. My to-do list are the actionable steps I will take to achieve my goals.

The goals don’t change from day to day. So why do I keep writing them down?

Because writing them down forces me to focus on those goals. With this practice I find I am more intentional with my to-do list.

Want to read more? Head on over to Life Management For Moms. And while you’re there, check out some of the other posts.