Last week, I had the awesome experience of being a vendor at the EmpowerHer 2020 Vision Brunch, hosted by CreateHer (you can check them out on Instagram). Twenty-eight lovely ladies gathered to talk about business, network, listen to speakers, and create vision boards for the new year. Of course, if you heard Episode #7 of the Big Promo Cast, you already knew that. We talked a bit about visions boards and how I, personally, have my own at home. You may not know much about vision boards, but fear not! I’m here to help. (And if you think that I’m a bit off my rocker… well, just read this until the end and then we can re-evaluate.)
The idea of a vision board is to gather up images, words, and phrases that 1) create positive feelings and 2) are goal oriented. Some people will do a vision board at the beginning of each year in an effort to start their year off on the right track. Part of the power believed to be behind the vision board is that we reap the benefits of focus. If all you surround yourself with is negativity, then that’s what will be brought back around to you. However, if your mind is focused on the positive that you have and that you desire, the good ‘energy’ (so to speak) while be sent back to you. This is called the Law of Attraction. If you focus on money, money will start falling into your lap. But if you focus on needing to pay bills, more of them will show up in your mailbox every day. The most recent interest in this was made popular after the release of The Secret, a documentary and book series from Rhonda Byrne.
While the modern concepts of vision boards and the Law of Attraction are pretty awesome, they actually date back farther than you may realize. Ancient civilizations would create artwork in an attempt to bring good things into their lives. Many are believed to be visual prayers to the gods for a good harvest or a thriving family. Even cave drawings show that people used to cover the inside of their dwellings with positive vibes! Over the years, people would also carry their “vision board” around on their bodies in the form of tattoos, which are still used today, of course.
Businesses throughout the world have also begun doing vision boards. Often, it is simply a whiteboard covered in key words and phrases that is in a common room of the office. Company leaders will gather employees into the room and they’ll brainstorm thoughts that they want to bring into the next event/quarter/year. It will say things like “success,” “sales,” “teamwork,” or “expansion.” This gives everyone in the office the opportunity to be surrounded by these uplifting ideas that can be a point of focus while they work.
As someone who has a vision board on her dresser at home, I definitely believe that there is some power in them. (I actually need to update mine, as I’ve met several of the goals that I posted). However, I’m also a realist. These types of things help, but they are not the end all, be all. It’s not a magical board that makes things happen in your life just because you wish it so. And no matter how much you focus on the idea of passing your midterms, it won’t happen if you don’t study! So take your magazine cut outs, paste them onto some poster board and focus on your dreams daily…then go out and do it.
