[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to products. As an Amazon Associate, I may receive a commission for qualifying purchases made through these links. Small commisions from these purchases help keep this site running!]
2020 started with so much promise.
A new year, different decade, and for me, the end of a very difficult season for my family.
There were big plans in the works to finally get this dang blog going.
We’d just moved back into my parents’ house, which meant some big changes for the better, for a while, for who knows how long.
Time to bust out some cute magazines & scissors and get crafty making a vision board collage.
Now we’re 5 months into 2020.
Yiiiikes.
Looking back, the optimism of making a dream board almost seems silly with the state of the world right now.
Why bother dreaming about the future, when the future is so uncertain and scary?
Because hope is what keeps us going.
Seeing what we’re hoping for in front of us turns that desire and expectation for what you believe is better
into
planning,
then executing,
and eventually making that dream reality.
I have my dream board tacked to the inside of my closet door, where I look at it everyday while getting dressed.
Coronavirus may have changed a lot of those plans and ideas.
and that’s ok.
Let’s work with the circumstances we’re in.
Plan for the future! The chaos of now is can’t possibly be permanent.
DIY Dreamboard
Things you’ll need:
- Posterboard
- Scissors
- Gluestick (Next time I’m getting this re-stickable one)
- Magazines that suit your interest : The Magnolia Journal, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping Martha Stewart Living, & Elle are some I like, to name a few.
[More ideas] - additional printed pictures of your goals
- washi tape
- pressed flowers
- scrap fabric
- greeting cards
- pretty things that can be collaged
1. FIRST!
Write down your goals, wants, needs for the near future.
Make it as superficial or meaningful as you’d like.
A mix of tangible things you want, ideals for life, and experiences makes for a good collage.
Make your goals realistic.
A little mnemonic to help set yourself up for success:
S- Specific
M- Measurable
A- Attainable
R- Relevant
T- Timely
Like if your goal is to “be healthy”, how healthy are we talkin’ about here? Are you looking to lose weight- if so, how much?
Or if you want to travel- where? When?
Having specifics will make your goals be more attainable with an actual destination in mind.
A few things on my list:
- Pay down debt
- Go to Texas
- Get a tattoo
- Visit my bff in Nashville
- Get family photos
- Launch my blog
- Create a cute workspace
- Have a bonfire on the beach
- Cute first birthday party for Indie
- Go snowboarding.
- Adopt a cat.
- Work on new skills- photography, money-managing, writing
- Write & send letters
2. NEXT!
Collect words and images that reflect the list.
I like working with my hands, so cutting out pics from magazines is my first choice.
I used The Magnolia Journal, Real Simple, & Martha Stewart Living, to name a few.
I am a walking cliche when it comes to “things a mom would like”.
I guess I can live with that.
Some of the pics I was looking for were weirdly specific.
For those I couldn’t find in magazines, I printed out free stock photos from Pexels & Unsplash.
Cut out a few words or quotes that stand out to you, and any extra pictures that could be pretty or inspiring.
3. THIRD!
Arrange those bad boys on your poster board & glue ’em down
Tips:
- Start with the biggest pics, end with the smallest ones.
- Arrange by color or theme
- Take a picture on your phone so you don’t forget what the layout looks like when you remove to glue down
- Glue sticks seem to work better than Mod Podge or school glue. Those leave more wrinkles.
- Fill in the blanks with aesthetic extras, like scrap fabric, pressed flowers, stickers, etc.
4. NOW:
Frame, hang, and be inspired!
Framing could be as simple as a washi tape border, or leave it as is.
I chose not to frame mine since it’s hangs on the inside of my closet door, and the aesthetic doesn’t quite match the rest of the room. 😉
Just be sure you like what you see, and hang in a place you’ll see it everyday- on the fridge, in your office.
I made my dream board in January, and it’s now May.
Some of the goals have been realized,
some are on-going,
some won’t play out like I had envisioned
or aren’t nearly as important to me now as they were.
A visual reminder of how you want to better your life is the first step toward bringing those changes to life.
There is no right or wrong way to make a vision board.
As long as you put those dreams in front of you, you’re on the right track.