Hello 2024
Joanne and I just love the New Year. It is a new slate …a new begining. We get excited about what we want to do, what workshops we want to have, what goals we want to achieve and what new places we want to see. So in December, we once again sat down and started planning for the new year.
To help you plan for the new year, Joanne and I want to share a technique with you called a “Vision Board”. This is a fun and creative way to help you create the life you want for yourself in 2024!
For the last few years, we have “kick-started” the new year by creating a vision board. This is a great group activity to do with your friends. This year we are holding a Goal-Vision board workshop to help you achieve your goals.
The first year I made a vision board, the perfectionist in me was a little intimidated. But if you read our blog on “ How Mt Airy Lavender Got Started”, you know that my sister's approach is to jump right in and just do it! Which is exactly what we did. And I can say we had a blast. We each shared our dreams and goals for the new year, which included what we wanted to do more of and what we wanted to do less of. Then we dove in and started ruffling through magazines cutting out pictures and quotes that inspired us. When we came across an image or saying that related to someone’s goal we would cut it out and pass it to them.
So how do you create a vision board?
Think about all the areas in your life: Health, Wealth, Relationships, Home, Work, and Fun! To have a full life it's important to look holistically to incorporate your goals in all these areas of your life. Think about what will make you happy..what do you want for YOU in 2024?
Decide if you want to create your vision board using just the computer, or if you want to create it by cutting and pasting images on a physical board.
Depending if you choose a physical or virtual vision board, gather the various supplies you will need:
Poster board or Cork board. If you want to add a background to your board, you can add a sheet of pretty wrapping or construction paper.
Images to cut out. These images can be from magazines, stock photos/quotes, or you can use your own pictures of past memorable events.
Glue stick and scissors
The secret is to choose pictures, images and quotes that resonate with you, inspire you and make you happy just looking at them. It is more important to select images that provoke a feeling than actually mimic your real goal. By seeing what images you gravitate towards sheds light on what you may be missing, need or want in your life. For instance, in 2021, because of Covid and not having normal daily interactions with people, I found my images focused on relationships, sharing, giving, and sending love. In 2022, I was planning to retire, so my vision board that year focused more on home projects that I always wanted to do. Last year my board focused more on creativity and travel. What images will you gravitate towards this year?
After you create your vision board, be sure to share it with others and explain what each of the various images and quotes on our vision board represents. This will help validate what you want this year. When we did this exercise, I was amazed at how each vision board was unique, and how our personality was reflected in our vision boards. For example, mine was more touchy, feely, with calming soothing pictures. Whereas, my sister, Joanne’s was more structured with her top 3 goals clearly listed at the top of her board.
Post it somewhere that you will see it daily. I have mine hanging on my office wall. Joanne and I as well as several of our children have been creating vision boards for the last three years. We have all seen and are believers that it works. For instance, my daughter Kirby had a picture of an apartment with a big backyard (since she and her husband just recently bought a Newfoundland puppy). And just a few weeks later, she found an apartment in the same neighborhood, with a large private backyard for the same rent as they were currently paying. Joanne and I have both posted pictures of a new creative space in the barn, which we recently achieved. And Gretchen, Joanne’s daughter is well on her way to reaching her goal of selling all of her exclusive Luna Hart Wine from last year. (if you have never tried her wine it is a must-do- www.lunahartwines.com )
Why does it work?
So why does making a vision board help you to achieve your goals? The answer is simple. It meets all the criteria that experts say is critical for success in reaching your goals.
Written Goals: Just thinking about what you want in life is half of the battle, but studies show that by writing your goals down, you are 40% more likely to achieve your goal. And by sharing these goals with others you are 60% more likely to achieve your goal. Why is this? Because by thinking and writing your goals down it forces you to clarify what you want, and sharing these goals makes you feel more accountable. Also by sharing your goals, others can support and motivate you, by providing tips, advice, or opportunities they find to help you achieve your goals.
Identifying the Why: During the process of creating your vision board, you are selecting images and quotes that generate a true emotion and inspire you. By going through this exercise you gain a better understanding of the “True Why” that will motivate you to achieve your goal. And this “Why” is typically more of a feeling that you want for yourself, rather than an outcome. A feeling of power, confidence, calmness, clarity, love, respect ...rather than an end result like weighing X lbs or making X dollars.
Daily Reminder: Lastly, displaying your vision board somewhere that you can see it often, reminds you of what you want in your life. Often goals are well thought out but then stuck in a drawer or locked in your computer. By visually seeing your goals every day, you are more likely to take action. But even more than this, just by looking at your vision board, unconsciously the messages on your vision board are filtering to your brain. Think about all those “subliminal” messaging that advertising agencies send. This is the same thing, but this is messaging that you are controlling. More importantly, you are sending these “New” subliminal messages to your brain that will overcome potentially some of the “Old” messages that may be holding you back (i.e I’ll never lose weight, I’ll never be able to afford a trip..).
So after making your vision board make sure to display it somewhere so you will see it every day. Take a picture of your vision board and make it your new screensaver. The more you see it - the more your dreams will come true.
And of course… It is so important to CELEBRATE!
Take time to have fun and celebrate each of your successes!
We hope this little tip has inspired you to create your own vision board. If you want more help be sure to join us at our workshop in February. We are so excited for the new year! And if you haven't done so already, please visit us at www.mtairylavender.com and sign up for our mailing list to make sure you are the first to find out about all the activities, events, and new product offerings Mt Airy Lavender has planned for you in 2024!
Escape the Ordinary and Experience the Extraordinary with Mt Airy Lavender!
Amy and Joanne