I know what you're thinking in the back of your mind — how would cutting up pictures and pasting them into a collage magically make my brand successful? Well, it doesn't. But a vision board is much more than that and requires some simple brain work. This is where the law of attraction comes in — I am sure you have heard of it!
Did you know that the left side of our brain is for literal thinking and the right side of our brain is for creative and visual thinking? While having a formal or written plan for your brand is sometimes necessary, we still require visualization to intuitively organize and direct the grand scheme of our brand. When you look at a powerful image, the visuals simulate emotions inside of you. Those emotions are the energy that activates the law of attraction. It will bring you the people, resources, and opportunities necessary to achieve your vision.
So, how does this apply to building your brand? Creating a vision board clarifies your true intentions of your brand, clarifies the purpose you want to send out to readers and viewers, maintains focus and motivation, and inspires you to stick to who you are and what your brand is. If you are a new blogger or looking to start a blog, a vision board is a great way to figure out your niche.
As you're reading this post, maybe you still have a huge to-do list to cross off or tasks to accomplish for the day. It's time to take a step back and look at what you truly want for your blog and your future. Let's get started on our vision board!
Step 1: Imagine.
Close your eyes and imagine for a couple of minutes what your ideal life looks like. Think of the things that truly make you happy. Think of what you want and where you want to be in your life. Think of where you want your brand to be. Imagine all of this in a year from now, and then imagine all of this in 10, 20, or 30 years from now.
Step 2: Set realistic goals.
Create a list of goals you need to accomplish in order to achieve your ideal life you just pictured in your head. I wrote my list of goals in my journal. They key is to be realistic, however. You can set short-term goals and make it attainable to achieve within the few months, or long-term goals that is attainable to achieve within the next few years. What do you need to accomplish? What can you do to reach them?
Step 3: Listen to your favorite music.
Before we start choosing our visual pieces, turn on some music that makes you happy and inspires you! (I'm listening to Odesza — some positive electronic tunes!)
Step 4: Choose powerful images.
Go through magazines, Pinterest (my personal favorite), Google, and your camera roll – choose images that make you feel happy. Choose images that represent the brands you want to work with, the attitude you want to portray to your readers, and who you are. Maybe your aesthetic is inspired by the location you're from or the music you listen to. Include a picture of yourself in a very happy moment, too. Choose an affirmation or your favorite quotes to motivate you. These images and affirmations should spark happiness and inspiration.
Step 5: Grab your materials.
I personally prefer to create my vision board with my hands rather than my computer, but you can use Photoshop, GIMP, or Polyvore to create your board, too. If you're creating it with your hands like me, grab some corkboard or poster paper, scissors, thumbtacks, glue, tape, and some jewels, decorations, or other objects to accessorize.
Step 6: Put your vision board together.
Start taping, tacking, or pasting everything onto your board! You want to make it visually appealing, as you will be looking at it everyday. If you and your blog are about simplicity or minimalism, don't go for the messy collage look. I already know my brand's aesthetic, so I found that my end result of my vision board ended up looking a lot like my Instagram feed!
Step 7: Look at your board everyday, and really feel it.
Now that you have physically made your board, it's time to make it a reality! Hang it around your workspace or your bedroom. Look at it everyday, but just don't look. Feel it. When you take a minute out of each day to look at your vision board, really visualize yourself and your brand being there. Imagine what it feels like, sounds like, and smells like. Believe that it's already the reality. This is the key to actually making it happen. This is where the law of attraction comes in.
These are some of my tips:
- Keep your images simple and vague; don't be materialistic.
- Make it as personal as you please; don't worry about the board being “brand only”. Add some of your personal life desires in there, too. In my vision board (see below), I included pictures of what travel spots I want my career to take me to, my inspirations and role models, pictures of a beautiful, happy, and healthy family, my future home, my fitness goals, and my eating goals. Don't be afraid to get personal, because your life coincides with your brand.
- Look at your board before you go to bed, especially. It will make you happy when you fall asleep, and motivated when you wake up. Your visuals stay in your subconscious as you sleep!
- Record your growth. As time goes by, you will see some of those visions starting to unfold! Be aware of this and have gratitude.
- Update your vision board as much as you would like. I suggest to update it at least every year. If you're anything like me, you dreams may be changing constantly!
Here is a peek at my own vision board for my brand (and it certainly makes me super happy whenever I look at it). And you can see that brand played out in my own site at www.nicolegramcko.com.
