by Tami Taylor
Have you heard of the “Laws of Attraction” or been let in on “The Secret?” An overly simplified summary of these New Thought ideas is that if you imagine and see something happening for you, it will. Personally, I don’t whole-heartedly believe in the laws of attraction. However, I do think keeping your eye on your goals helps you achieve them. Back a few years ago in junior high—O.K., several years ago—I did an art project that forever shaped the way I approach things in my life.
The art project was as simple one: create a collage. It was to be on a piece of poster board and was to represent where I saw myself in 10 years. I recall cutting out images of business women with trench coats and briefcases, a few photos of New York and a lot of letter “A”s. I tried to project that I was going to graduate top of my class in college and have a high paying job in a big city. Remember, I was 13 and naive to what “entry-level job” meant. But, that board, a silly poster of my life in ten years inspired me. I hung it in my room and looked at it daily. I daydreamed about living in the big city and walking down to meet my friends at the coffee house, listening to some undiscovered singer at open mic night. Although my goals have changed over the years, my most successful approach to them has not.
I now use a fancy name for my magazine-collaged poster boards, I call them “vision boards.” Sound familiar? Vision boards are steadily gaining in popularity. Vision boards work—if for no other reason, than just to remind you what your goals are. Like the gal who keeps a picture of her skinnier self on her fridge to remind her why not to open the door, vision boards should be kept somewhere you will see it regularly.
My friend approached me the other day with the desire to make a vision board. She wants to focus on a healthier lifestyle. She began emailing me photos of the things she wanted to express on her vision board, and I wanted to help her. I immediately thought of all the sketches in the Get It Scrapped gallery. When I found one that I thought would fit her photos, I threw together her vision board.
Terri’s vision board is full of quotes that remind and inspire her. The images she chose remind her of the things she’ll achieve from having a healthier lifestyle. She wants her collar bone back, to cook healthy meals, to compete in a triathlon, to feel like wonder woman, to be that cool blonde driving a jeep with the top down, to take her daughter skiing and actually ski with her, and to always remember that a little belly is beautiful too.
With this sketch and Pattie Knox’s awesome teaching in Digital Templates for Scrapbook Pages I was able to complete this vision board in under 20 minutes.
If you have goals, think of how fun it would be to create a vision board. Print it out and hang it next to your computer, or on your bathroom mirror, or set it as your desktop image. I hope if you do make one, you’ll share it with us in our public gallery or the forums.
Have you ever made a vision board? What was on it? What would you put on one today?
More links
Get It Scrapped Get Sketches Gallery – many of these include layered templates
Digital scrapbooking classes from Pattie Knox
Digital scrapbooking templates by Pattie Knox at DesignerDigitals
Tami Taylor writes for Get It Scrapped!, teaches at Masterful Scrapbook Design and runs the new site for creative classes Creative Passion. She is the mom of a big family. Her favorite escapes are trying new recipes, scrapbooking, and all things TV and cinema. To learn more about Tami check out her blog, The Taylor Life.
