If you're an avid internet user (you likely are), you know exactly what the concept of a vision board is. It's a collage of pictures, quotes, and stickers that envisage what you'd like to achieve and accomplish in the year. It's a fun way of acknowledging stacked away projects, getting to work on your resume, or simply bettering yourself.

Some call it a sort of “to-do list,” and some call it a manifestation technique, a way to connect with the universe- to acquire everything you wish for. Whether you choose to believe in any of these ideas, we can guarantee that it's something you must try out if you haven't before.

This method of visual manifestation has proved successful, and that's not just because of some good luck. It's a mechanism for shoveling procrastination in the backrooms of your mind and feeling motivated to push through your goals. There aren't any fixed rules for creating a vision board.

You may be surprised to discover a little science connected to this practice. Neuroscientist Dr. Tara Swart explains: "Looking at images on a vision board primes the brain to grasp opportunities that may otherwise go unnoticed. That’s because the brain has a process called ‘value-tagging,’ which imprints important things onto your subconscious and filters out unnecessary information.”

“The brain assigns a higher ‘value’ to images than written words on a ‘to-do’ list,” says Swart, “And the more you look at those images, the more those images move up in importance.”

Image Credit: Andy Vult from Unsplash

So, without any further ado, let's discuss how you can create the perfect vision board for the upcoming year 2025!

Reflect

Before setting goals for the next year, reflect on yourself. Think about your values, mindset, and how much you've done in the past year. Acknowledge each accomplishment, whether grandiose or minor.

It's important to understand yourself better and think of the big questions. Decide what habits you wish to develop with time and what you want to dispose of in the past year.

Take the Quiz: Plan Your Perfect Day and We'll Reveal Your Aesthetic

This quiz will reveal the style that matches your lifestyle. Let’s plan your perfect day!

Set Down Goals

Write down all the goals, aspirations, and opportunities you wish to work towards. This isn't limited to goals related to work or travel; you can also focus on your own body, mental health, relationships, or simply the energy you wish to bring into 2025. There aren't any stone-set rules; anything that is relevant to you is valid. Just ensure that you're considering themes that you resonate with. Some ways you can do this is by answering questions like:-

• How do I want to treat my body?
• How can I break away from unhealthy habits?
• What new hobbies/skills do I want to learn?
• How can I improve my sense of style/fashion?
• How can I add to the community?
• How can I become efficient financially?

Image Credit: Jan Kahánek from Unsplash

Gather Supplies

Now that you've defined exactly what you want to represent on your board, do some research on the pictures, text, and content you'll need for the board.

Traditional Vision Boards: If you want a physical board to place on your desk or the wall of your room, you can get a large piece of cardboard, corkboard, whiteboard, or poster board. You can also use smaller mediums like journals, scrapbooks, or albums.

Cut out pictures from magazines, use printouts from various sources, and even use your own images and Polaroids to add a personal touch. Use markers, washi tapes, different fonts, and stickers to make it appealing.

Digital Vision Boards: If you can't work on something tangible, go digital! Use pictures from sites like Pinterest and Instagram or even pictures from your own camera roll. Make the most of design sites like Canva, Procreate, or even PowerPoint.

Pinterest boards are a simple way of doing this. Remember, these pictures you plan to add shouldn't necessarily need to make a lot of sense. As long as you can gather

Set The Mood

Clear up your space to create your board. If you're working on a traditional board, clean up the surface you're working on and have all your supplies ready. If you're working digitally, have your resources ready and curl up in a cozy corner of the house.

It is highly suggested that you either work alone with some music in the background or gather your friends to make unique vision boards. This way, you can share ideas and even add to your board by taking inspiration. All in all, it's a fun activity to do with friends and family.

Image Credit: Brooke Cagle from Unsplash

Making The Board

The exciting part is working on the board itself, sticking together pieces. You could arrange the pictures in an organized or messy way. It's up to your creativity!

Honestly, the more you love you pour into it, the more likely you'll be ticking off all those checkboxes. Use different collage styles and look up other people's vision boards. Be intentional with the placement of each element, and arrange it in a way that resonates with you.

Using The Board

Time to put it to use! The board must be placed somewhere readily accessible. It's a visual reminder to get on track and follow up on those goals.

Place it on your study table or work desk, hang it near your mirror, or put it up on your bedroom wall. If you're making one digitally, you can always set the board as your laptop or phone wallpaper.

Remember, don't fantasize too much about end results when you're looking at your board. The whole point of the board is improvement to get to the point of success. Realistically, you can't expect overnight success without putting in any of the work.

Image Credit: Abhishek Desai from Unsplash

Alterations Are Okay

You may find yourself needing to make a few tweaks to your boards as time goes on. Don't be afraid to make alterations! You can always cross out something you no longer want to do or break down mammoth tasks into smaller steps.

For example, your initial goal may have been to go to the gym every day. Later, you may have realized that you can't allocate enough time for that. You can start by working out thrice a week and slowly building from there. As long as you see some sort of progress, you can be sure your vision board is successful!

In a nutshell, vision boards are a visual portrayal of the classic New Year's Resolutions, and we all know how frustratingly laborious it is to follow up on them.

A vision board pushes you to do the same and work on yourself and what you wish to achieve. You can't expect dreams like "I wish to become rich" to work instantly unless you win the lottery (I doubt that's happening anytime soon). Instead, find ways to earn extra cash through opportunities like small jobs or internships. This breaks down your bigger goals into smaller steps, thus making it easier to follow through.

Don't sweat it; take it easy, and be kind to yourself. 2025 is a new year for new opportunities! Have fun with your vision board, and here's a manifestation for a magical year for you!

(Here's a video by Jillz Guerin to help you go about your vision board-making process!)