Self-Care Vision Board Trends You Wish You Knew Sooner

Welcome back! We’re picking up where we left off in my last post about creative ideas for your self-care vision board. If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend checking it out!

Because now we’re getting into the how. The tools, the different formats, the social side of it, and (most importantly I’d say) how to make sure your board lasts for longer than two weeks.

Which format works best? And it’s a great question. But my honest answer is…whichever one you'll look at!

Physical vision boards have something going for them that's hard to beat. You get to get your hands dirty with some good ol’ fashioned DIY.

The act of cutting stuff out, arranging it, and pinning it up is a lot of fun. You're touching the pictures, moving things around, so you can slow down and really think about what you want.

And when you've got a big board hanging in your living room or your office, you don't have to remember to look at it. It's literally there!

You see it when you’re drinking your coffee (iced or hot, either is fine by me!) when you're on a phone call, or you're folding laundry. If you love crafting, this is your jam.

My guess is that you probably have a smartphone that you take everywhere.

Digital vision boards are pretty awesome for that reason alone. They go wherever you go. Traveling, working from the couch, sitting in the pickup line at school... our vision board is right there in your pocket. And you can update it whenever you want without grabbing scissors and a glue stick.

For a digital board, there are some great apps out there that let you upload images, add text, and even set it as your phone or laptop screensaver so it's with you wherever you go.

Lots of people use both, a physical board at home AND a digital version for on-the-go access.

Create your board digitally, print it, hang it where you'll see it at home, and keep the digital version on your phone. Now you have the best of both worlds!

This might be something you haven’t thought of before. Instead of making your board alone, you could invite your friends over and make it a whole thing.

Sure, vision boarding is a personal thing, but it can still be personal when you do it with other people. Throwing a vision board party is a fun and creative way to get it done!

Keep it small

Like four to six people, max. Between all the magazines and supplies spread out, you’ll want it to be manageable.

Set the vibe

It’s a party, right? Have comfy seating and enough room for everyone to have space and make a mess. If you want to go the extra mile, put up some inspiring quotes or sample vision boards on the wall.

Set up a supply station

Poster boards, scissors, glue sticks, washi tape, markers, printed quotes, and a stack of old magazines. Goal-setting out loud can be incredibly vulnerable. So maintain a relaxing vibe. No judgment or pressure.

Break the ice

You could do a quick little dream quiz, like "what's your dream vacation?" or “what's one thing on your bucket list?” Or go around the room and have everyone share one word for their year.

Don't skip the snacks

Keep in mind that everyone's going to have glue on their fingers! So go with quick grab snacks like charcuterie or fruit. Or go all out and serve brunch with mimosas.

At the end, invite everyone to take turns sharing their board

And I'm telling you, that's where the magic happens. Before you know it, you've got a crew of friends holding each other accountable.

As I’ve said before, a common reason vision boards don't work is because they get forgotten about. You make it, you love it, you prop it up somewhere... and then weeks later it's behind a stack of mail or shoved in a closet.

So let's fix that!

Your vision board only works if you see it. I know that sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people create a gorgeous board…and then stick it in their office closet for safekeeping.

Nope! Put it on the wall next to your mirror. Lean it on your desk. Hang it in your kitchen. Wherever your eyes naturally land during the day, that's where it goes.

Use your own photos whenever you can. A picture of your family, your kitchen, that hike you took last summer, the restaurant where you want to go to for your next birthday.

You're way more likely to stay connected to a board that’s based on real things than that’s 100% a stock photo catalog. Magazine cutouts are great for filling in the gaps, but sprinkle in the personal stuff too.

This isn’t set it and forget it. Set a reminder to update it once a month.

Spend some time with it. Does it still light you up? Have you accomplished any of your goals? Is anything missing?

And if something on there no longer fits…take it off. Swap it out. You’re absolutely allowed to remake your board. I’d say that’s the perfect excuse to host another party!

When you're planning out your week, making a decision, or choosing how to spend your time, ask yourself…“Is this in line with my board?”

Then get practical about it. Choose two or three tiny daily habits and one weekly or monthly habit that connect to what's on your board.

I love habit stacking, which means linking a new habit to something you already do. Want to start a morning journal practice? Stack it right after your coffee routine.

I get that it's tempting to put everything on there. Every single dream…every single goal…every single quote you've ever loved.

Resist!

Most boards shine with somewhere between 12-24 images plus a few key words or phrases. Edit like crazy. Keep what really matters and ditch the rest.

Now is the time! Jot down three words for the rest of your year, or tape one image that makes you smile to your bathroom mirror. That's the start of your vision board.

Cheers to your self-care!