There is so much power in being positive and thinking positively which is why I encourage teenagers to set goals or create vision boards. In this post, we share why vision boards are powerful tools when it comes to goal setting. Vision boards bring clarity and help teenagers identify what they want from life.
What is a Vision Board?
A vision board, sometimes referred to as a dream board, is a visualization tool that helps individuals clarify, concentrate, and maintain focus on your life goals. It can be both a creative and strategic project, allowing teenagers to imagine their desired futures and then create a visual representation of those futures. A vision board is a unique way to think about what you really want in life.
Vision boarding is typically a collage of images, pictures, and affirmations of one’s dreams and desires, all of which are designed to serve as a source of inspiration and motivation. These images and affirmations are usually placed on a poster board, cork board, or even digitally on an app or a website.
The items on a vision board are personal and can represent various life aspects like career, relationships, travel, personal growth, education, spirituality, health and wellness, material possessions, financial goals, or hobbies. They may take the form of photographs, magazine cutouts, printed quotes, or any other visuals that hold personal significance and evoke positive emotions.
How can a vision board help me?
The principle behind a vision board is based on the law of attraction, suggesting that we attract into our lives whatever we focus on and visualize. By regularly viewing and interacting with the board, the theory goes, we keep our goals and aspirations firmly in our minds, thereby increasing the likelihood of achieving them. The visual cues serve to make our aspirations more tangible and real, which in turn can help to increase our motivation and commitment to pursuing them.
This is a great audio book on getting started with the law of attraction. I find listening to audio books for manifesting really powerful.
When should I start a vision board?
Many people like to start a vision board or create one each new year. However, there are no fast and hard rules and you can start a vision at any time. Some teenagers may choose to start one at the beginning of a new academic year, so in September and in that they set out their desires for the next school year in a creative way. Alternatively, you could start it on your birthday and think about the upcoming year.
How to start goal setting
The first step is to think about where you are now and what you want to achieve in the future. It has been suggested that it is a good idea to ask yourself these 3 questions before creating a vision board.
A good way to start is by answering the following vision board questions:
- Who do you want to be? Define the kind of person you want to be and how it relates to your chosen vision. …
- Where do you want to be in life? You want to also carefully think about the place you’d want to be in life. …
- What experiences do you want to have?
What is the major rule for creating a vision board?
There are really no rules when it comes to vision boards, since it’s about crafting something that will inspire you to realize your dreams and goals on a daily basis. Some vision boards hone in on a singular idea, while others look at the bigger picture of what you might want the future to look like. They are a great tool for drawing different areas of your life together. Plus they are a fun activity to do as a family, with friends or on your own.
Vision Boards Card or Digital?
A digital vision board, also known as an electronic or online vision board, is the modern, tech-savvy version of a traditional, physical vision board. It involves using digital tools and platforms to create a visual representation of your goals, dreams, and aspirations. There are a number of vision board template that you could use to get you started.
Just like a traditional vision board, a digital vision board is a collection of images, texts, and affirmations of your life’s desires. However, instead of using a poster board, you use a digital platform to create it. This could be a graphic design tool like Canva, a slideshow presentation software like PowerPoint, a mood board tool like Pinterest, or even specialized vision board apps available for iOS or Android devices.
Digital vision boards offer certain advantages over their physical counterparts:
- Flexibility and Convenience: You can add, remove, or change elements at any time without having to physically print and cut out new pictures. You can also take your digital vision board with you wherever you go, thanks to smartphones and tablets.
- Unlimited Resources: The internet offers an endless supply of images, quotes, and inspirational material you can use. You’re not limited to what’s available in magazines or personal photos.
- Multimedia Options: Digital vision boards can include not just images and texts but also videos, music, or voice recordings, adding a multi-sensory element to your visualization process.
- Privacy: If you’re creating a digital board around personal or sensitive goals, a digital vision board can offer more privacy for your big dreams. You can keep it to yourself, or selectively share it with people you trust.
Creating a digital vision board can be a fun, creative process. It’s about exploring your dreams and ambitions, and then translating those into visual form. Just like a traditional vision board, the key is to keep it somewhere you can see it regularly, so it continues to inspire and motivate you towards your goals. I have a simple vision board as the home screen on my mobile phone and it means that I look at it multiple times a day.
Card Vision Boards
A great way to create your own vision board is on a large piece of A6 card or piece of paper. This is my preferred method as I am still and pen and paper-type girl despite having a blog! For me there is something about the creative process of cutting up and sticking that makes it more valuable to me.
When it comes to creating a vision for the future, teenagers have a unique opportunity to explore, dream and set goals. Whether it’s visualizing academic success, nurturing hobbies, exploring personal values or imagining future careers, a vision board can be a powerful tool. It helps to consolidate dreams and goals into one visual image, providing a constant source of motivation and inspiration.
Great Vision Board Ideas
Now, let’s dive into some creative and fun vision board ideas, specifically designed for teens. I suggest these 8 categories as a great starting point.
1. Academic Aspirations
Aiming for good grades? Want to get into a dream college? Dedicate a section of your vision board to your academic goals. Include images and phrases from your desired colleges or university, course subjects you love, and inspirational quotes about hard work and success. Remember, this isn’t just about achieving perfection; it’s about valuing growth, developing a growth mindset and learning.
2. Career Dreams
Maybe you dream about becoming a doctor, a software developer, a chef, an artist, or perhaps, you’re still exploring. Whatever it is, find images that represent these careers, people who inspire you in these fields, or symbols of skills you need to develop. The best part is that it can be as literal or abstract as you like.
3. Personal Development
Whether it’s about boosting self-confidence, nurturing emotional intelligence, or enhancing communication skills, personal development is vital. Pick powerful words that resonate with you, images that depict personal growth, or even list habits you’d like to cultivate.
4. Health and Fitness
Maybe you aspire to make the varsity team, aim to eat healthier, or wish to cultivate a regular exercise routine. Use images of your favorite sports, healthy foods, athletes you admire, or symbols that remind you of your fitness goals.
5. Hobbies and Passions
This section is all about what makes you happy. Do you love painting, playing an instrument, reading, hiking, or cooking? Gather images that reflect these activities. The goal here is to ensure that you make time for what you love in life.
6. Travel Dreams
Have you always dreamt about backpacking through Europe, climbing Mount Everest, or simply exploring a national park? Use travel brochures, maps, or photos to help visualize these dreams. You can get free photos off the internet too.
7. Relationships
Healthy relationships, be it friendships, family or dating, are an essential aspect of life. Use pictures and quotes that encapsulate your goals for relationships. It could be images representing qualities you want in your relationships or symbols of how you want to treat others.
8. Community Involvement
If there’s a cause you feel passionately about or a local organization you want to contribute to, represent this on your board. It might be photos of a charity event, symbols of causes you support, or even an inspiring quote about giving back.
How to put the vision board together:
Now that you have the understanding and have thought about what to include on your vision board it’s time to get really creative. You will need a pile of old magazines, a glue stick, loads of coloured pens and your large piece of card.
The best way to start is by going through the magazines and cutting out images or words that mean something to you, this could include quotes, people you admire (check out my 55 role models for teenagers if you get stuck for inspiration), places you wish to travel too, a car you’d like to own and a home! Treat this like a brain dump – not everything will make it onto your vision board.
Remember the key is about what will make you happy – not just having the latest stuff. Think about creating your perfect life and making some big goals.
Once you have a pile of images then start ordering them onto your card, think of it like a big life board. Your hopes and aspirations for the future, you may well not achieve them the first year and that’s fine – but you still want to dream big. That’s the great thing about personal goals they will change and develop over your lifetime but there is always more to make.
Tips for Creating Your Vision Board:
Stay Positive: Use images, words, and phrases that inspire you and make you feel good.
Be Specific: The more detailed your vision board, the more it will resonate with you, use smart goals where you can too.
Make it Visible: Put it somewhere where you’ll see it daily as this keeps it in the subconscious mind.
Update Regularly: Your dreams and goals may change over time, so feel free to update your board as needed.
A vision board is more than just a collage of pictures and words. It is a testament to your dreams and aspirations. Remember, the objective here isn’t to create a work of art; it’s to design a tool that encourages you to believe in yourself and your dreams.
We hope this vision board activity has you all inspired to get creative and get started. The important thing is don’t put it off until another day, start dreaming and creating your dream life today. Once it has been made put it somewhere prominent where you will see it every day. I like to have ours on the wall in bedrooms or in the study area as it ensures that I am always working and thinking of my long-term goals.
Further Reading:
The Best 30 Positive Affirmations for Students’ Success
