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How to Create a Digital Vision Board

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Digital Vision Board

Have you set goals for yourself?  Would you like to utilize a strategy to make those goals reality more quickly?  If so, a vision board may be just what you need.  Since most Americans are on their electronics most of the day, a digital vision board may be even more helpful.

How to Create a Digital Vision Board

Creating a digital vision board should only take an hour or two, but its impact should influence you for the rest of the year.

Determine Your Goals

The first step is to determine your goals.  What do you want to accomplish over the next 12 months?  What is working successfully in your life that you want to maintain?  What inspires you?

Make a list of seven to ten goals and items in your life that you want to maintain.

Then, it’s time for the fun—actually choosing the images for your vision board.

Choose Your Digital Vision Board Images

The next step is to find images that best visualize what you want to achieve in your life.  For instance, if you want to graduate from college, you may have an image of a woman in a cap and gown posing with her children.  If you want to cook at home more, you may have a picture of a luscious homemade meal or a woman cooking.

Pick at least one picture for each of your goals, though you can pick more if you’d like.

In addition, you may want to add in a few inspiring quotes to keep you motivated throughout the year.

Where to Find Images

When you’re looking for images, the best place to start is Pinterest.  Because there are so many pictures there, you can really find one that speaks to you and is unique to your own goals.  You can also find motivational quotes here.

While you’ll likely find all that you need on Pinterest, if you don’t, you can go to a place like Unsplash and find images there.

Digital Vision Board

Photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash

Remember, you can also use your own personal photos.  If one goal is, “take a family vacation,” use a picture of the family on your last vacation as motivation.

How to Put the Digital Vision Board Together

Finally, to put the digital vision board together, go to Canva.  (It’s free!).  Once you’re in Canva, click on “Create a Design” and choose “Desktop Wallpaper.”

Next, upload all of the photos and quotes that you have chosen.

Click on “Elements” in the side bar and type in “grid.”  Then choose the grid pattern you would like and starting arranging your pictures.

Final Thoughts

For years, athletes have used visualization to help them perform better.  When you visualize something repeatedly, you’re more likely to achieve that goal.

By placing a digital vision board somewhere you will see it repeatedly throughout the day, say on your desktop, you’re subconsciously reinforcing the vision of your future and your likelihood of making that vision a reality.

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Wanted: Motivation to Run!

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I am trying to find the motivation to run

(via Pixabay)

For some people it’s the fresh start of a new year. For others it’s springtime renewal. For me, fall is the time of year when I feel like cleaning, organizing, and making big changes in my life. I got engaged in the fall, married in the fall, officially started my professional writing career in the fall — anyway, the point I am trying to make is that fall is my favorite time of year!!! Maybe it’s the sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet, the crisp, cool smell in the air that perks me up every morning, maybe it’s the delicious taste of soup that’s been cooking all day in the crock-pot, or the fiery colors of the changing leaves — everything about autumn is beautiful, comforting, warm and inviting to me. So even though it sounds like I just want to wrap up in a big fuzzy blanket, sit by the fire, watch football, and eat a big bowl of chili with cheese and onions on top – which I so totally do – it has also prompted me to start thinking about exercise. Odd you say? Probably, but everyone has their own sense of timing and we are each motivated by different things.

I know that the cooler months are when most people increase the amount of comfort (often fattening) food they eat. These are heavier, heavenly meals that warm our tummies and leave us feeling like we want to hibernate. Right now, I’m thinking about that too! However, even though I eat healthy most of the time, I will admit that I do not get the exercise I need. I know I really need to change that — I just have to find the time and motivation to get moving.  When I first start out with a new exercise goal I do pretty well for a few weeks but for some reason I cannot stay on track. Soon I start feeling too busy with work, household chores and the other daily tasks I face as a work-at-home mom — BUT the reality is everyone is busy and anyone can find excuses to hold themselves back from attaining goals, which BTW I’m excellent at doing!

Why I don’t run

I would really like to take up running but there is a big problem — I despise it. I don’t like being out of breath, sweating, or getting side aches. I don’t want to run in the morning because according to the news it always seems like dead bodies are always “…discovered by an early morning jogger.” — well, joggers and fishermen actually. I also don’t want to run at night because I don’t want to be found by another jogger in the morning. Yeah, I should probably lay off the Dateline and 48 Hours Mysteries for awhile. See what I mean though — I’ve got all kinds of silly excuses so why bother right?

According to MayoClinic.org regular exercise helps relieve stress, improves your mood, boosts energy, controls weight and a bunch of other great things. It’s also important to get at least 30 minutes of rigorous exercise a day to stay healthy and to prevent certain diseases. If living longer isn’t a good enough reason, I don’t know what is.

Why I want to run

But when there are so many other exercise alternatives, why do I want to take up running — something I have already stated I do not like doing? Well the answer is simple, I really want to like it! I really do. I am in love with the idea of being a runner. I’m not talking about running in a gym on a treadmill (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Instead, I envision myself running outside and feeling very free and incredibly alive!

Another reason is that my dog would LOVE it! There is a saying; “If your dog is overweight, you aren’t getting enough exercise.”  This is true in our case. While my dog isn’t obese or anything — she (and I) could stand to lose a few pounds and also tone up our girlish figures. She’s 6 years old and I want her to be around for a long time because I simply adore her!

So what I am planning to do is to come up with a game plan. By October 1stI want to be running/jogging/speed-walking/or regular walking a couple of times a week. The other days I’ll do yoga, my Wii Fit or some other type of exercise. I’m going to devise a time table to fit this into my daily routine and make it work.

I really hope there are folks out there who might be able to give me some tips. I know that my role here is to provide tips to you but I am always open to suggestions from people in the know. So let’s hear it — how do you stay motivated? How do you juggle, work, kids, household chores, volunteer work, and still have time to exercise? Do you love to exercise or do you just get in, do it and get it over with?

I’ll be updating you on my progress in a few weeks.

 Do you run? How did you find the motivation to start?