New Years Visualization✨ (Vision Board & Intention Setting)
Friends, it’s about to be 2020 and the nerd in me just re-read The Great Gatsby (which I do every year – 2x in 2019) and I’m totally ready for the roaring 20’s to be back. I’m not as sure that it will be as glamourous as the 1920’s, but a girl can definitely dream. And speaking of dreaming, I thought I would talk a little about vision boards and intention setting for the new year and DECADE! (ALSO, I feel like the 90’s and The Backstreet Boys/Spice Girls was like 5 minutes ago – where did the time go?)
I know a lot of people think the vision board thing is a little weird or an airy-fairy thing, and to be honest, I kinda felt the same way a few years ago. I guess I just thought of a vision board as a Wishlist with these absurd things and you got them because the Universe was your fairy god mother or something, or like people who did them believed that. Boy, was I wrong, haha.
Clearly, I really didn’t understand the meaning behind them or how visualization works. (Remember I told y’all I used to be a “know it all”). Well, this year, as most of y’all know, I started and completed my health coach training and in those classes I learned a lot about behavior modification and goal setting (like how to actually make something happen). I never knew the psychology behind it and the true habit-forming techniques for forming goals. It’s very interesting to study and learn about and definitely helps you actually coach yourself and others. Through this learning process, I found out how helpful vision boards and intention setting really are.
I’ll save you the science articles, but basically this is what it comes down to: if you can see your goal and truly imagine it, and imagine the steps you need to take to achieve it, then it helps your brain take those necessary steps towards completion. So, it literally changes the way your brain responds to the goal process. Instead of just seeing it as a “wish”, it now sees it as something attainable and allows you to be able to make realistic steps toward achieving it. Also, it keeps you motivated along the way when you see the goal that you want.
Now, as a side note, this doesn’t mean you can make goals that you know aren’t attainable. Do not write yourself a 10 million dollar check and think it’s just going to miraculously happen. There is a level of what I like to call “living in reality” that you must keep in balance. Yes, make goals that are slightly out of your reach, but could be attainable. And make sure there are ways/steps you can take to make that goal happen.
This year what I’ve decided to do, which I think you should too, would be to make yourself a vision board of all the things you want in 2020. But you will need half of a poster board, pictures or cut outs, and either tape or glue. I think doing a whole poster board is a little over board, get it...LOL. I mean if you really want to, go for it and do the whole poster board, but I think it’s best to really focus on your top 10-15 things you want for 2020 and really concentrate on just those. This also helps you mentally narrow down what goals are the most important to you and makes it more likely that you will achieve your goals. Add 3-5 very out of touch things that motivate you (like a buying a huge house in Colorado on the mountain).
In summary, goals are normally things we “do”, your desired outcome, or futuristic objective. There is room for dreaming with goals, but just remember they are different then intentions.
For example, these are all goals:
“I will lose 15 pounds”
“I will buy a house”
“Every Thursday I will do dog classes to teach my dog commands”
“I will buy a new car”
“I will learn a new skill”
“I will read a new book every month”
(P.s. I INTENTIONALLY didn’t show you my finished vision board for a reason. Let’s just say, I’d like to keep somethings as a surprise for this next year).
As for intentions, I want you to type out your intentions for the year on one page and hang it somewhere where you will see it every day (maybe on your mirror, in your closet, on the refrigerator, etc.). So, what the heck are intentions and what is intention setting? Now this is a little different and for this I will give you some examples. Also, if you do a yearly intention setting it will probably be very broad, which is totally fine. But if you want more specific intentions you might think about doing this monthly, weekly, or even daily.
Intentions are a lot more about your inner desires and wishes. They are the “why’ you want to do something or the “why” behind your goal. In my opinion, they have more emotional depth attached to them. I’ve listed some of my intentions below for example. Intentions really are whatever you want to make them, so don’t worry if yours don’t look or sound like mine.
My intentions are:
- I will let go of the idea of perfection
- I will find joy in my day-to-day life (not that I don’t, but sometimes the business of life just distracts me)
- I will embrace and welcome change
- I will respect my downtime and allow myself to say no
- I will feel heathy and whole
- I will honor my body and my space
Another way to set your intentions is to do the following three-step process:
Step one: Pick an affirmation you want to start with, for example:
“I am open and thankful for the many lessons and abundant blessings this life has to offer. I place my trust in God and because of Him I trust the things and people that come into my life. I choose to let go and let God. Everything has a purpose."
Step two: Make a list of things you are grateful for.
I am grateful for having a supportive and loving family.
I am grateful for a body that works and is constantly rejuvenating and healing.
I am grateful for a loving God, that always has my back and loves me no matter what.
Step three: list your intention for the day ahead.
I want to feel _____, this looks like ____, sounds like ____, my body feels like ____
I feel energetic and happy
I am healing and my body works with me
I radiate love and kindness to those in my life
These are all different ways you can set your intentions and honestly, no way is wrong! It’s whatever works best for you and makes you aim for your highest best self. My only rule regarding all of this is NO NEGATIVE SELF TALK. Try to turn whatever it is into a positive statement.
I hope you like or can use these tips on setting your intentions and making your vision board for 2020. My goal is and has always been to help you in any way I can, whether it’s by talking about something new or different, giving you tips, sharing recipes, health opinions or even if I’m only a comedic relief (I love to make people smile). I hope this article and my blog at least do that for you!
I wish you all a very happy 2020! Remember, everything that happened in 2019 is DONE and over. It’s in the past and the only thing you can do now is learn and grow from it, whether it was good or bad. Once you learn the lesson, let it go and move on. Forgive yourself and forgive others. Release it all. Then, focus on the future because it truly is exciting and can be whatever you INVISION it to be!!!! My wish for you in 2020 is that you are a little gentler on yourself and love yourself a little more. It all starts there. When you love yourself, you attract positive things and people to you.
2020 is going to be one for the books, old sport! (had to reference Gatsby ;0 )
Cheers to a new chapter and a new year,
xx Kimberly Ann