Why Your Vision Board Is So Much More Than a Wish List

You made a vision board. You were proud of it. You maybe even framed it or got a cute board and some pretty ribbon to hang it up just right.

Congrats, I’m giving you a virtual high five!

But then…. then life got in the way. Somewhere between your daily busy-ness and your endless to-do list, your vision board became that thing on the wall that you walk past without really seeing anymore.

If that sounds familiar, then you're in good company!

Here's what I want you to know though. That's not a you problem, and it's not a vision board problem either.

It's a manifestation problem. And once you understand the difference, it all starts to make a lot more sense.

Not to undercut the work you already did, but a vision board on its own is just images and paper. But without understanding how manifestation works, it stays as a decorative. There’s no transformation.

So let's change that!

Sorry, I had to say it. This is probably the most important thing I'm going to tell you in this whole post, so stay with me here.

A vision board isn't magic. Meaning, simply looking at a bunch of dream houses and luxury vacations won't always bring them into your life. I get that’s not what social media wants you to know, but it's true (at least to me).

I view a vision board as a tool. A manifestation board is a collage of images, affirmations, and quotes where you put your goals and desires.

Examples of things you might be working toward:

Peace and freedom

Wanting to feel comfortable in your body

Spending Saturdays with family

Having quiet time in the mornings before work

Loving relationships that fill you up

The key word here is working toward. That means there's action involved! Your board is the map, not the destination.

Similar to a wish list, a vision board isn’t the same thing as a resolution. I view resolutions more like breaking a pattern to become “better” at something. Some examples that come to mind are less phone scrolling, less sugar, more exercise, etc.

But quitting a bad habit (or adding in a good one) isn’t the same as striving for a full life.

If a resolution says, here’s what I need to do/not do, then a vision board says, “here are all of the possibilities.”

Here's where most people miss it.

A vision board is basically like a daily reminder of where you're headed. The value is in how it makes you feel every time you look at it. Not just what you see, but what it stirs up inside you.

Think about it this way… let’s say you put a photo of the beach on your board because it seems like the right thing to want. If you don’t get that flutter inside each time you see it, then that image is just decoration.

But when you find something that does gives you that flutter every time you look at it, now you're working with something real.

That's the gap that so many people don't think about. The gap between wanting something and moving toward it.

As you craft your vision board for things you truly envision, that gap starts to close. You’re moving towards it without even thinking about it.

So if it's not just staring at pictures, what is it? I’m so glad you asked!

Wait! Before you grab a single magazine or start scrolling on social media, sit down and get really honest about what you want.

What lights you up? What gets you jazzed?

Having that kind of clarity is what turns a pretty collage into something that moves you and gives your board a solid foundation to build from.

Every time you look at your board, it should stir something up inside you. That feeling, like a little spark of excitement or anticipation, is what keeps you going after your dreams and goals even on the days when you're running on autopilot.

Look at it every single day

This is something I stress a lot. There’s not much point to creating a vision board and then forgetting about it. If you really want it to work, you need to interact with it regularly by imagining your ideal scenario playing out.

Put it where you'll see it. No, not in a drawer or behind a door that stays open all the time. Put in on the wall by your bed or in your home office. If you prefer a digital vision board, then this might be perfect for you.

If you've read my vision board journal writing post, then you already know journaling and vision boarding go hand-in-hand.

When you write out how you envision your future (looks, sounds, and feels) your brain starts treating it less like a dream and more like a plan. That's why keeping a journal right alongside your board is such a powerful combo.

This one's non-negotiable. Your board is a reminder…it’s not a replacement for action! Every time you look at it, ask yourself, what's one small thing I can do that moves me closer to this?

And then you do it (of course).

I personally don’t think that the board you make in January should look the same in October. Once your board is created, your work’s not over.

Think of it as a living thing that grows with you. You might do a seasonal refresh, or a big mid-year update. There’s no right or wrong.

Just be sure to check in on it, update it when things in your life change, and celebrate when something on your board happens.

Because it will!