In early 2016, I was encouraged to create a 2016 Vision Board. Vision Boards are a fun way to use your creative side to visualize a future. My Vision Board for 2016 was full of color, created a very positive feel for my year, and supported the word of the year I had chose – which was JOY. I kept my vision board front and center all year – it was hanging where I often did my morning journaling. As I looked back at it at the end of 2016, so much of it came true!
Before I share with you my vision board, here’s How to Create a Vision Board:
Pick up 6-10 different kinds of magazines that you’re “attracted to”. I’ve gotten mine at the local half-price bookshop! Then thinking about “what do I want to happen this year?” or “what is my vision for my 2017”, flip through and rip out pictures that you feel a connection with. Using scissors and glue stick, cut and paste your pictures onto a poster board. When you are done, if you are a word-girl like me, you can then “write the story” of the year you’ve created.
Pat’s Vision Board 2016
The Story: There are a lot of words, because I love words. It starts with embracing today. I view this first picture as a sunrise… the beginning. I do believe that I am beginning a new phase of my life. It’s time to stop putting things off and to embrace and enjoy today and this time of my life.This heart at the beginning. It represents my Hubby… his heart is in the beginning, the foundation that lets all this happen in my year. He’s there in my soul…not bright color, but swirled inside.
So much color! I was attracted to color and roundness when I was creating this vision. Endless color, color bursting out, joyfulness, moving forward. Color is about spring time. This is my year of beginnings. Color/joy in creating the home I want. Color/joy in having fun with friends. Color/joy in day trips.
The Route 66 picture – reflective of moving forward on my path (and a road trip I want to take, maybe not this year!) Doing stuff. What are you waiting for? And then even more words – Be playful. Out & about. Let her zip. Life is eating, laughing and loving. All those words reflect the year I want – happy, playful, and ACTIVE. Doing. Fun with friends. Time with Tim (hubby). Less work/more play.
At the end of the year I can say… 2016 was a year of many beginnings and a year of joy. While 2016 was not all positive, both personally and on the greater side of society, I was more happy and playful and active than ever before. I found joy in daily living, accomplished a number of my yearly goals, and tried on a number of new things – from pottery to cooking class to zip lining to starting a foodie club to regular yoga!
Yes, I am creating a vision board for 2017. If something seems to work, you keep doing it right? This is one (super fun) tool in my tool box for retirement transition!
Have you considered doing a vision board for your year?
Picture Credit: Adobe Stock
retirementtransition 
I love that you keep your vision board visible also. Since mine was for the Year, it felt right to do a new one for the new year. And yes, it’s just been posted…. I originally had it all as one post, but it felt too long. 🙂 And the new board helped solidify my word of the year too! And, yeah… it was fun to do. Happy New Year to you!
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Probably not a bad idea. In golf, the player is always encouraged to “visualize” the shot before striking the ball. I always visualize a high, gentle draw that lands softly on the green and rolls to within five feet of the cup….right before I yank a dead pull into the swamp on the left side of the green. 😜 I just seem to have problems with mental visualization. Perhaps something physical and attractive like this would help me in visualizing and completing my goals.
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Even being more a words person, I find the creation of the visual is helpful to solidify my thinking. And then I do write the words that go with it. Having it physically visible all year was often a gentle reminder to focus on some of the elements. Not all of the elements in the visual came to be… but so many of them did that I created one for 2017. See next post!
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What a terrific idea!! Thanks so much for sharing the idea and the how to.
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It is a fun project… feels a bit like kindergarten with glue stick and scissors! And really helpful if you’re a visual person. Happy New Year to you.
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I’m so glad that 2016 was a year of many new beginnings and joy for you. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2017!
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It was helpful to look back at the joyous moments and the new beginnings and not focus on the negative elements for a bit. Happy New Year to you too.
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Cool idea – hadn’t seen that before. A fun project and something you can put on your wall for inspiration. Look forward to seeing your 2017 version. Happy New Year, Pat!
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It is a fun project and great if you’re a visual person. Happy New Year to you as well!
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Several months before I retired, I also created a vision board (I shared a picture of it in a late December, 2013 post). I really enjoyed the exercise and maybe I should create a new one now that I’ve been retired for almost three years (in May). Looking at the board now – I still have it on my wall, along with my personal Vision Statement – I’m not sure how much I’d change it, though. Much of it still rings true, so I guess that indicates I’m on the right path! I hope you share your new one with us too!
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ack, why does wordpress sometimes not do a direct reply – always seems to happen with you too! See comment above. Sigh.
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I used to make the mistake (often with the first posted comment) of hitting the main “reply” button, rather than the smaller “reply” button under the post. By doing this, the reply I meant for the person leaving the comment became a general reply (like I was commenting on my own post – duh). I wonder if that’s what is happening? The only way to fix it is to delete your reply (copy it first), “update” your post, the re-reply under the comment by pasting your reply in the right place.
Or, just say “ack” and direct the person to the errant reply. 🙂
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