A step by step process for guiding a vision board workshop.

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Vision Boards with
the Pro-gals

2. +
New Season, New Vision
 We are halfway through winter, and as we embark on spring, a
season of rebirth, we have an opportunity to reflect and
manifest on the things in life we desire. Creating a visual
representation can support us in this journey and remind us on
a daily basis what our true and deepest desires and intentions
are. This workshop is designed to provide one with the
opportunity to understand the universal law of attraction and
how it works when it is set with intention.
 Materials will be provided but do not hesitate to bring poems,
photographs, quotes, or other items that you find inspiring.

3. +
What is a Vision board?
 A vision board (also called a Treasure Map or a Visual Explorer
or Creativity Collage) is typically a poster board on which you
paste or collage images that you’ve torn out from various
magazines. It’s simple. Really.
 The idea behind this is that when you surround yourself with
images of who you want to become, what you want to have,
where you want to live, or where you want to vacation, your life
changes to match those images and those desires.

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Supplies that will be provided:
 Poster board.
 A big stack of different magazines.
 Glue.

5. +
Before you begin
 Before you begin your vision board: No matter which method
you’re choosing, how to make a vision board that is right for
you should be started with a little ritual. Sit quietly and set the
intent. With lots of kindness and openness, ask yourself what it
is you want. Maybe one word will be the answer. Maybe
images will come into your head. Just take a moment to be with
that. This process makes it a deeper experience. It gives a
chance for your ego to step aside just a little, so that you can
more clearly create your vision.

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How to make a vision board in 5
steps:
 Step 1: Go through your magazines and tear the images from them. No gluing yet! Just let
yourself have lots of fun looking through magazines and pulling out pictures or words or
headlines that strike your fancy. Have fun with it. Make a big pile of images and phrases
and words.
 Step 2: Go through the images and begin to lay your favorites on the board. Eliminate any
images that no longer feel right. This step is where your intuition comes in. As you lay the
pictures on the board, you’ll get a sense how the board should be laid out. For instance,
you might assign a theme to each corner of the board. Health, Job, Spirituality,
Relationships, for instance. Or it may just be that the images want to go all over the place.
Or you might want to fold the board into a book that tells a story. At my retreats, I’ve seen
women come up with wildly creative ways to present a vision board.
 Step 3: Glue everything onto the board. Add writing if you want. You can paint on it, or write
words with markers.
 Step 4: (optional, but powerful) Leave space in the very center of the vision board for a
fantastic photo of yourself where you look radiant and happy. Paste yourself in the center
of your board.
 Step 5: Hang your vision board in a place where you will see it often.

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Three types of Vision boards
1 - The “I Know Exactly What I Want” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
 You’re very clear about your desires.
 You want to change your environment or surroundings.
 There is a specific thing you want to manifest in your life. (i.e. a new
home, or starting a business.)
How to make a vision board if you know what you want:
 With your clear desire in mind, set out looking for the exact pictures which
portray your vision. If you want a house by the water, then get out the
Dwell magazine and start there. If you want to start your own business,
find images that capture that idea for you. If you want to learn guitar, then
find that picture.

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Three types of Vision boards
2 – The “Opening and Allowing” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
 You’re not sure what exactly you want
 You’ve been in a period of depression or grief
 You have a vision of what you want, but are uncertain about it in some way.
 You know you want change but don’t know how it’s possible.
How to make a vision board if you’re not quite sure what you want:
 Go through each magazine. Tear out images that delight you. Don’t ask why. Just keep going through the
magazines. If it’s a picture of a teddy bear that makes you smile, then pull it out. If it’s a cottage in a misty
countryside, then rip it out. Just have fun and be open to whatever calls to you. Then, as you go through Step 2
above, hold that same openness, but ask yourself what this picture might mean. What is it telling you about you?
Does it mean you need to take more naps? Does it mean you want to get a dog, or stop hanging out with a
particular person who drains you? Most likely you’ll know the answer. If you don’t, but you still love the image, then
put it on your vision board anyway. It will have an answer for you soon enough. Some women have NO idea what
their board was about, and it wasn’t until two months later that they understood. The Opening and Allowing Vision
Board can be a powerful guide for you. It can be better than the first model because sometimes our egos think they
know what we want, and lots of times those desires aren’t in alignment with who we really are. This goes deeper
than just getting what you want. It can speak to you and teach you a little bit about yourself and your passion.

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Three types of Vision boards
3 – The “Theme” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
 It’s your birthday or New Years Eve or some significant event that starts a
new cycle.
 If you are working with one particular area of your life. For instance, Work
& Career.
How to make a vision board for a theme:
 The only difference between this vision board and the others is that this
one has clear parameters and intent. Before you begin the vision board,
take a moment to hold the intent and the theme in mind. When you
choose pictures, they will be in alignment with the theme. You can do the
Theme Vision Board on smaller pages, like a page in your journal.

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Some things to remember about
vision boards:
 You can use a combination of all three types of vision boards
as you create. Sometimes you might start out doing one kind,
and then your intuition takes over and shifts into a whole
different mode. That’s called creativity. It doesn’t matter how
you make a vision board. once the creativity is there, just roll
with it.
 Your vision board might change as you are making it.
Sometimes you will be making a vision board and as you pull
pictures and begin laying them out, the theme might change.
You might find that you have little epiphanies from making a
vision board.

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A vision board, at it’s core, is a
visual representation of all the
things that you want to do, be, and
have in your life.
It’s a daily reminder of those things. Something you can look at every single day to remind you of your deepest desires.
And it’s powerful.
Because the thing is, ATTENTION is powerful, and where your attention goes, your energy flows. And don’t you want
your attention focused on the things that you want to attract in your life?
So what is a vision board?
It’s you.
Your dreams.
Your best self.
Just waiting to be.

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“So, why should I make one? What is a vision board going to help me do?”
Well, honestly, it’s good for a lot of things. And there are a lot of reasons you
might want to make a vision board. Maybe you’re in transition (between job
or relationships, or anything really!). Maybe you’re feeling stagnant. Maybe
you’re pretty happy, but you know deep down that there’s more out there for
you. These are all perfectly good reasons to make a vision board. Heck,
there’s not really a bad reason to make one!
Essentially, a vision board is going help you answer three questions:
 If money, people’s opinions and judgments, and fear were not factors,
what would you do, be, and have?
 What beliefs or things would you have to let go of to create this in your
life?
 What would you have to believe in order to be, do, and have these things?
(I know, they’re big questions!) But if you’re ready to answer them (and to do,
be, and have all those things that you really want), this is exactly what a
vision board will help you to discover!

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Before you begin…
 Reflect upon your goals. Most of us have some general or
vague idea about what we want out of life, what our goals are,
and what makes us happy. Nonetheless, when asked directly
about our conception of the good life, we may struggle to come
up with specifics. To make sure that we're on track, and that we
won't look back on our lives with regret, it's a great idea to
regularly set time aside to clearly identify our goals and
aspirations in as much detail as possible, and to then come up
with plans with concrete steps for achieving our aims. Creating
a vision board can be one way to help us with this important
task.

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Think about the big questions:
Before you get started making your vision board, spend some
time thinking about the following general questions:
 What, in your view, is a good life?
 What makes a life valuable or worth living?
 When you are on your deathbed, what will you have hoped to
have accomplished?

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Break down the big questions.
To help you answer these big questions (which can be overwhelming!), break them down into
smaller questions:
 What activities do you want to learn how to do?
 What hobbies and activities do you already do, but want to continue doing or get better at?
 What are your career goals? What steps will you have to accomplish along the way to be
able to eventually land your dream job? (For example, do you need a particular degree, or
will you need to secure an internship?)
 What are your relationship goals? Don't think just in terms of whether or not you want to be
married, be in a long-term relationship or have children: think more specifically about what
kind of person you want to be with, how you'd like to spend time with your partner, etc.
 How do you want to be remembered by others? For example, do you want to write the next
great American novel? Do you want to head a charitable organization that positively
impacts the lives of others?

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Choose your theme.
 Based upon the discoveries you've made after completing the above
steps, it's now time for you to decide what you want the focus of your
vision board to be. Don't feel as though you must limit yourself to creating
just one vision board to reflect all of your dreams. You can make as many
separate vision boards as you want, each with a different focus.
 You can decide to make a vision board which focuses on a very specific
goal that you have. For example, if want to be able to afford your dream
vacation within the next year, you can design a Jamaica-themed dream
board.
 You can also make dream boards which have a more general theme.
Perhaps after reflecting about the type of person you want to be
remembered as you determined that you want to work on becoming a
kinder, more generous person. Your dream board can be devoted to this
theme. Among the things you include can be pictures of inspiring role
models.

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Decide upon the format of your
vision board.
 Now that you've chosen a theme for your dream board, you'll want
to decide the format that it will take. Most people who make vision
boards make physical boards out of poster-board, cork-board, or
on any material that can be hung on or propped against a wall.
When placed in a prominent position, you'll be able to view your
vision board regularly and reflect upon it daily.
 However, there's no reason to limit yourself to just this style of
vision board. You can also make an electronic version of a vision
board. You can design your own webpage or blog, use sites like
Pinterest, or even just create a private document on your
computer where you'll collect your inspirational images and
affirmations.
 Choose the format that you're most comfortable with, and which
you'll be the most likely to actually look at and update regularly.

18. +
Collect inspirational images for
your vision board.
 Now it's time for you to find positive images that correspond to
your chosen theme. Obvious sources are the internet,
magazines, and photographs, but don't forget to keep your
eyes open while out and about for funky, inspirational
postcards, newspaper clippings, labels, etc.
 When choosing your images, select them with a careful eye,
making sure to closely examine the entire image.

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When selecting images
Don’t be seduced by the marketing. If you flip through one magazine for too long, you will get pulled into the
advertising trance of the images and words. Tune into how the images are making you feel: anxious, jealous, joyful,
trapped? Pick out the images that make your body feel great – like the way favorite food tastes when you are hungry.
Don’t stick with what’s possible. If you have a big pile of images that don’t seem to go together, don’t worry about
it! You may not know what a fly fisherman in Montana and a yurt in Mongolia have to do with each other. Don’t try to
make a rational connection, just accept that both images mean something to your Stargazer self.
Don’t look at the images in a conventional way.Turn the magazines upside down and look at the images as designs
instead of literal pictures. Notice how your body reacts. Many people will lean towards images that feel right, and lean
away from those that feel wrong. Others notice a very “open” feeling in their head or chest towards attractive images
and muscle tension when viewing repelling ones. As you gaze at these images, your mind may try to identify their literal
form. Martha says: “Knowing what that thing is will not help you as much as picking it without thought.”
Don’t fall for clichés While researching for this post, I thought I would see if there was software available for this
traditionally homemade activity. And I will be honest: every site I visited made me want to vomit. Because they
contained, along with slick sales letters and cheesy audio greetings, extremely materialistic and cliché images: Palm
trees. Beaches. Fast cars. Dollar signs. Beautiful women. In short, every get rich quick symbol possible. The point
is not that you can’t have a picture of a palm tree and a beach on your vision board. But only include these images if
you are magnetically attracted to them. Don’t put anything on your board that doesn’t feel extremely juicy and
appealing.
Don’t settle for second best. If you get a strong feeling that you want to interview with Matt Lauer on The Today
Show but can only find a picture of your local consumer affairs reporter, leave the space blank!

20. +
Collect inspirational words for
your vision board.
 You want your vision board to be very visual, and to contain plenty of images
which appeal to you and which demand your focus. Don't forget, though, to
pepper your board with plenty of inspiring sayings or affirmations.
 An affirmation is a positive saying or script which you can repeat to yourself as
a mantra. You can of course write your own affirmations, or you can search
online for examples
 Your aspirations should be positively focused. For example, perhaps your goal
is to be selected as first violin in your orchestra, but in the past you've struggled
to practice every day, in spite of making resolutions every New Year's Eve.
Don't include the following: “I won't quit practicing daily after just one month,
like I always do”. This just highlights your previous shortcomings, and has an
overall negative tone.
 Instead, consider something like “I'll fill my home with joyful music daily”. This is
so much more positive, and makes practicing an activity to look forward to, as
opposed to describing it as something to be endured.

21. +
Feel, don’t think your way
through the exercise.
 Our rational minds imagine our futures in neat, organized
steps. So it is very tempting to search for images by thinking
things like: “What is the logical next step in my career?’ or “What
kind of man would make me happy?” or “What tropical destination
is most affordable for a family of five?” Martha says: “To act
without thinking is almost unthinkable in our culture! Powerful
action can occur without any thought.”
 Observe your process of making the vision board; it can clue
you into the way you operate in life. So if you take too much
time looking for the “ideal images,” you may find that perfectionism
gets in your way. If you never make time to complete the exercise,
you may find that you spend so much time taking care of everyone
else’s needs that you neglect your own.

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Put your vision board together.
 Once you've selected your images and inspiring phrases, it's time to get
creative with your arrangement. Experiment with different designs—you
can find fun examples through online searches, but don't feel as though
you have to match anyone else's style.
 Consider choosing a colored background for your vision-board. Select this
color carefully depending upon the nature and content of your theme. For
example, if you want to stay pumped-up about being able to accomplish a
difficult physical goal (like being able to bench press your own weight),
choose a strong color, like red.
 If, on the other hand, you are working on achieving peace and calm in
your life, choose colors that are likewise soothing, like a soft blue.
 Once you've settled upon a design and arrangement that appeals to you,
secure the components with glue or staples (if you are making a physical
vision board; if you're making an electronic version, be sure to save your
file!).

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Place your vision board where
you will see it every day.
 Your goal in creating this vision board is to create a visual
reminder of what you are hoping to accomplish and to be able to
view it regularly in order to maintain your focus and motivation.
Don't hide your vision board in a back closet!
 You may prefer that your vision board be a private source of
inspiration, which is fine. If this is the case, don't feel as though
you must hang your vision board in your living room. Similarly, if
you are using an electronic vision board, you don't need to make it
public. Most webpages and/or blogs can be set to private, or you
can limit the people who can view your work.
 The point is that your vision board should be accessible to you,
and shouldn't be placed where you'll fall out of the habit of looking
at it.

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Common mistakes in the process
 Mistake #1. Thinking that you are making a mistake is a mistake. Don't focus on a
perfect layout or the perfect images. I challenge my attendees to make the best board they
can with what they have right now in this moment. I constantly remind them that there is no
mistakes, no right way to do it. Just create without rules.
 Mistake #2. Being embarrassed by setting big goals. Just like the toddlers with the bag
of random items. If what they are creating doesn't work, they find another way, and another
way and another way. Don't be embarrassed by putting weight loss on your board if you
know you have gained some unhealthy weight due to being an emotional eater. Be honest
with yourself and be free.
 Mistake #3. Just putting things on the board with no intention of working towards
the goal is not cool. Using the example in Mistake #2. The vision may be for you to lose
weight. The goal is to put your inspiration up of healthy meals and healthy images and
words that reflect your vision for getting healthy and losing the weight. Be specific on how
much weight you want to lose. Looking at salad on your post board every morning may not
motivate you, but looking at a salad next to a picture of nice fit body or a picture of yourself
when you were fit and healthy just might trigger some energy. The more specific you are
the better. Pick images that will trigger an emotion into an action.
When your visions are supported by a "why" that has
meaning, you will find the "how" to bring them to reality.

25. +
The law of attraction.
 The basic idea with the law of attraction is that you are personally
responsible for what happens in your life based on what you
attract into it. You’re using your subconscious mind. Positive
thoughts? Positive actions, relationships, and interactions. People
who believe in the law of attraction believe that when you choose
to focus your energy on something, that energy will be multiplied,
so focusing on love and gratitude will bring on more things to love
and be grateful for.
 With a vision board, you focus your energy into finding appealing
text and images that reflect what you want out of life–how you
want to look, feel, and BE. You then build your board with
intention, selecting just the right images from your complied
materials and reflecting on what you want.

26. +
Examples