4 Common Vision Board Mistakes

Vision boards are about thinking, dreaming, and playing with possibilities. The process can generate clarity and inspiration for action. And if you’re a believer in the Law of Attraction, your vision board can help you attract what it is you want.

Sometimes it works. The pictures are chosen, glued to the board, and the board placed in an obvious location. And then…

Bam!

We are celebrating the appearance of what we’ve wanted.

But what about the times that it doesn’t work that way?

Have you ever had the experience when you look at your vision board and you think to yourself…this didn’t happen? Or this will never happen?

What if you could make what you want possible by avoiding some common mistakes? Check out the list below for ideas to engage with your vision board.

The work doesn’t stop with choosing an image. Does it happen that you can stick a picture of a rainforest on your vision board and then six months later win a trip to the Amazon? Absolutely! But sometimes it doesn’t happen that way. Instead an opportunity may present itself that could lead to what we want.

Be open to opportunities. Aware of open doors and willing to walk through them. Who knows. Maybe three months after choosing that image of the rainforest you meet a new friend at a cocktail party. A world traveling tour guide in need of a new assistant.

Splat. In claiming what you want, you went outside the realm of what you believe is possible. Earning a million dollars in one year is a perfectly fine vision. But if the most you’ve ever earned is $100K, it’s totally possible that a part of you doesn’t actually think a million will happen. Or at least, not in the time-limit  you’ve given yourself. Growth is good. What is a good step after $100K that you believe you can do, something that you can expand into?

Keeping it quiet. One year I had a vision board with a picture of a family that was harvesting food from their own farm. I wanted to grow food and what we didn’t grow, purchase at local food stands. I remember getting frustrated with my husband when he came home with bags of produce from a chain grocery store because I wanted him to shop at the smaller, locally sources markets. The problem? I just hadn’t told him. When I did he was on board and willing to help.

This is important on a larger scale too. Resources are all around us. You just never know when the next person you meet is going to both have a resource you need and a willingness to help. Sharing your intentions with others can help attract more resources into your life and help you get what you want faster, easier, or with more excitement.

Disconnected from the vision. This is where writing comes in. Vision work transforms into a deeper experience when time is taken to explore that work through words. Grab a journal and write about your vision board. Or, if you’d like to keep it all together, pick up a copy of The Vision Journal (click here) and put your images and words together in one place.

Tell the story about what you want. What does a month at the beach mean to you? How will a new car change your life for the better? What kind of impact will owning your own business have on the other people in your life?

You can also use your journal to track the small changes in your life that could lead to the reality of your vision. Check in once a month and be honest during your check in. Consider if you’ve passed on opportunities for change. Did someone offer you a job more in line with what you say you want, but you turned it down because they don’t have a casual Friday policy?

Vision work is about making choices, paying attention, and staying focused on your dreams or desires. This is why vision board practice is to put your board someplace you see it everyday. It keeps what you want front and center in your mind. And then as you move through your days, you take steps that are in alignment with your vision.

What are the practices you use to engage with your vision? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

Like this article? Please feel free to use it on your own blog or newsletter. I simply ask that you please include this blurb:
Sara Marchessault is a coach, writer, and mom who is on a mission to increase joy on the planet. Through the practice of self-reflection, we become aware of what brings us joy and what does not, and we make choices to move forward or stand still. Journal writing is a powerful reflection tool that can help any of us move forward, even in the darkest of times. To learn more about Sara and her work in the world, please visit saramarchessault.com.

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