Use your journal to power up your vision board

The first time I made a vision board I found this great image of a woman taking a leap. She was in a field and on top of one of those big, round hay bales, leaping from one bale of hay to the next. I put that on my vision board knowing that I wanted more leaping in my life.

That was it. I wasn’t clear about what I wanted to leap into, I just knew I wanted more leaping.

Later that same year I was at a retreat decorating a retreat kit – a box – with images and guess what was the first image I found? A leaping lady. This time a ballerina.

And the year after? Another leapster.

See the pattern here? I wanted more leaping in my life, so I easily found images of leaping leapersons. Kind of the way some people find four-leaf clovers.

Eventually I started writing about the images I collected for vision boards, retreat boxes, covering journals, etc. Placing the image someplace I would see it became step one for me. When I added writing about the images, I gained depth and eventually clarity into why I chose that image in the first place.

When I wrote about the leaping lady I got really clear about what it is about her that I loved. And how the image of her leaping applied to my life.

That was the key. It’s not just loving an image, it’s what it means to your life that makes the difference.

I really didn’t start to explore that until I started using my images as prompts.

Did I want to actually go out in a field and leap over hay bales?

Well, yes, that would be fun.

But, I was looking for different kinds of leaps.

At the time, leaps related to my career, marriage, and parenthood.

Each time I wrote about one of the images I had put on my board I told a little story.

The story had a simple format.
Basic description of the image: lady leaping from one hay bail to another.
What I liked about the image: she looks free, brave, with her arms and legs stretched out mid-leap.
What it makes me think of: the woman leaping looks excited and happy, reminding me that leaping is just as much about the process of taking a leap as it is about what you are leaping toward.
How it applies to my life: I want to take leaps, to feel free within my body, to experience new things – at the time I wanted to try an entirely new fitness routine and to make a plan to quit my job.

Images + Reflective Writing = Clear picture of desires.

Clear picture of desires leads to thoughtful actions. The next thing you know, you’re getting what you want.

In this way, your journal becomes an instrumental tool in moving your life forward. We reflect, take action, celebrate, and reflect again.

That’s the way growth works, right? Give it a try and see what happens when you dive into your vision board with reflective writing.

Looking for tools to help you with this? Check out my latest release, The Vision Journal: A whole brain journal and portable vision board. Click here to see it on Amazon or post a comment below to find out more.

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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