What's On Your Vision Board?
The Power of Clarity, Courage, and Following Through
Hi, I’m Reid! I write about my life experiences and how we can all live in brave new ways. Dare You is a reader-supported publication. To receive weekly posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. 💗
The other day I was unpacking the last few boxes full of stuff since our move, and I came across the vision board that I made back in January. A poster board full of photos I had printed out and pasted in a way that was visually pleasing but also strategically intentional. Each image chosen to represent something I wanted to call into my life this year.
I hadn’t looked at it in a while, but I was shocked to see a handful of the things I had plastered on the board had actually come true! Everything from a couple relaxing on the beach of Hawaii which we did when we eloped, to pictures of beautiful interiors that represented a new home, photos that symbolized brand deals which, at the time, felt so foreign to me but have now become a regular occurrence. And so much more. I’d say about half of the things on my vision board have come true, and the other half have yet to come to fruition.
Which got me thinking… We are officially halfway through the year, and that vision board, once a hopeful collage, now feels like a quiet reminder of just how powerful intention can be when paired with aligned action. I sat down with the vision board, got out a sheet of paper, and divided it into two columns: 1. What has already come true and 2. What has yet to manifest. A few things came to mind…
First off… I can’t be mad at myself for only achieving half of the things so far. I cant expect EVERYTHING to happen all at once, and it’s very much “the old Reid” to beat herself up for not being perfect. Also, it’s called a yearly vision board and not a 6 month vision board for a reason. All the things I did already accomplish were so sweet and worth enjoying every second of.
Next, I noticed how some of the things I put on the vision board I wanted, but the universe had even BIGGER plans for me! I put photos of a new home, but little did I know at the time of making the board that we would actually be moving states three months later AND become first time homeowners! And if I’m being honest, I didn’t really think landing brand partnerships was possible at the time, and now it’s something that I know is more than possible for me. I had photos symbolizing a fun, exciting, and loving relationship, and I feel like things for me and my husband just keep getting better and better. One thing I’ve learned is that you can have an idea of where you want to go, but if you want to experience real magic, leave a little extra room for the universe to do her thing. Be open to taking a turn down the road you never planned to go down, and you might just end up getting what you need.
Okay, and here’s the biggest thing that dawned on me while breaking down what I had and had yet accomplished…. All of the things on my vision board that I haven’t experienced yet are all things that I just need to decide to do. For most of my life, my vision board was filled with things that relied on other people to give it to me… whether it was being hired by a certain director for a job, or having a certain person choose me for whatever. Most of the things I desired didn’t fully rely on how hard I worked; they relied on luck and being in the right place at the right time.
But every single thing on my current vision board was completely within my power to accomplish… all I had to do was decide and put it into motion. A wave of emotion came over me, and I felt so proud of myself for getting to a place in life where I genuinely value the kind of accomplishments that are in my control, rather than staying stuck in what felt like a rat race, just wishing and hoping to be chosen.
The fact that everything was in my power was both liberating and scary at the same time…. liberating because it all felt possible, but scary, the good kind of scary, because this meant that whatever I didn’t accomplish would be entirely on me. I couldn’t blame any outside force for not experiencing it, instead the responsibility would be entirely my own.
I took a look at the list of everything left on my vision board, and next to each one I answered the question: “What am I afraid will happen if I do this thing?” My answers varied, but the overall theme was that my main concern was if I went after all these things and put myself out there in the way I dreamed of, then I would be judged or made fun of. Which is SO funny because I haven’t really let the fear of judgement stop me in the past, but for some reason, it was popping up. I did some journaling and worked through it fairly quickly. Sometimes you just need to get your thoughts out on the page to bust through those mental blocks that hold you back.
After assessing everything, I came to realize that it is quite literally 100% possible for me to accomplish literally everything on my vision board this year… all I have to do is decide to do them. And although I’m not entirely on board with the notion that a vision board will help you manifest the life you want by staring at a poster board everyday, I DO believe that making a vision board can help you get crystal clear on your goals, creatively inspire you, and keep you on track as you create the life you want. It’s basically a fun, creative tool to keep you inspired.
So here’s to the second half of the year. To clarity, courage, and follow-through. To vision boards that turn into real life. And most of all, to becoming the kind of person who doesn’t just dream… but does. Because it’s all possible. And I’ve already decided…I’m going for it.
-Reid
📹 Meanwhile on Youtube: 📹
Why Eloping in Hawaii Was the BEST Decision We Ever Made | 6 Months Married!...
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