Blogpost by Elizabeth Ribons
Recently, while working with my NEXT Chapter Women group, one of the exercises was to create a Vision Board to set life intentions going forward. Some were open to it and some were reluctant. I understand. I was at first too. Years ago I was invited to do a vision board and I held off. Not because of the "nonsense" that most view it as but more as a big board of too many goals that I would stress out working to achieve. But that is just me. I finally did create a few over the years and found them useful...But for a different reason.
Let me back up a minute though. The NEXT Chapter Women is a 6 week series with a group selected because each is at a crossroads in life, wanting to uplevel, transition to a new chapter, and start new journeys.
Each of their stories is unique but they all share a commonality. They are seeking a change or changes in life and wanted tools to set the direction. Additionally, they would get guidance from not only a Compass course created to impart valuable tools, the fellowship of the cohort and access to the resources and experts from the NEXT network to guide them.
The Career & Life Design Tool Kit is a starting point to help define what is working and what is not. Where they want to see change and what they have accomplished in the past. It is an exercise to build confidence, open up possibilities and steps to begin exploring their next.
One of the exercises is to create a Vision Board to refine and define what they are wanting for themselves and that it evokes the emotions behind it.
An important aspect of the course is to integrate life, career, health, relationships, spirituality and it is carried through in the instructions for creating a vision board. Often visions boards could be about attaining things whereas this exercise is about integrating all of the aspects of your life to create your best life.
However, many do see Vision Boards as woo-woo or nonsense, as reflected in this article that debunks the use of Vision Boards from Psychology Today and points out that their test reflected participants made them began relying on "magical outcomes" that didn't happen.
But, it is more than that. Nothing gets done without effort and action on our part as in this CNBC article on an interview with a neuroscientist where she points out brain science that aligns with why vision boards can be effective. And, it helps that Oprah, celebrities, CEO's and pro athletes use these. There has to be something to it....
There is not enough research to provide support to either side but the reason I encourage it is that when people are at a crossroads, they are often anxious and not defining what it is they truly want. Change is stressful for all of us and it is normal to avoid really defining what it is we want because of fear of not getting it, failure, what we have to do, actions to take, and may not know how.
As the CNBC article points out, when we see the board often it begins to become a part of our psyche and our brains let go of that first inclination - flight/fear. And we begin to adopt the ideas/emotions/images which in turn guides our decisions.
Add to it our subconscious brain takes in and processes 500,000 times more bits of information per second than our conscious brain. Having our intentions organized visually where we see it often can be powerful.
Visualization is indeed effective as reported in this Psychology Today article. Perhaps we can change the term to "Visualization Board"? We know visualization works.
So....Do Vision Boards Work? The group created their's during a focused set time space and all commented on this:
-They have wanted to create it for awhile but never got around to it
-They never would have unless we had a focused, scheduled time with guidance to get it done
-They know that they are building their lives daily and the board won't do the work for them...Rather the Vison Board works if you do the work and keep it somewhere visible.
Life is good and we reap the rewards when we show up for it. It isn't great every day but a board like this can remind you of your WHY (mind, body, soul, career, relationships)and that it is important to continue on the journey and keep us connected to our NEXT.
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