Hey Hornets!
As we head into the last few weeks of the semester and further into the unknown with COVID-19 (cue Frozen 2 soundtrack), many of you may find yourselves feeling a bit stuck, unsure of what’s next, or at a minimum, a little unmotivated.
Well SOAL’s got just the thing for you! Get out your crafting supplies or laptop and tap into those creative juices to start envisioning your future. I know what you might be thinking right now. “Umm, Ashley we’re in the middle of a pandemic, how are we supposed to think about the future when we don’t even know what next week will hold?” Well the fact is, you’re right.
Creating a vision board is less about trying to predict the future and more about creating a path for yourself and putting the things you’re working towards in your clear line of sight. Vision boards are essentially like taking your personal goals and trying to express them through images, quotes, or colors that inspire and motivate you.
Like all good things, vision boards are most effective when approached with intention and thoughtfulness. Check out the list of tips for prep work and supplies to start looking for around your space to get started!
Vision Board Prep
Supplies
- Scissors
- Poster Paper Printer paper or cardboard would also suffice, you’ll just need a foundation to use as backdrop for the collage!
- Old Magazines Cut out images, words, phrases that are meaningful to you!
- Newspaper Can use to cut out words or phrases that stand out to you!
- Photos You can either print photos, use pictures/Polaroids of loved ones that you already have lying around, or even google search for images that best represent what you’re hoping to articulate to print out!
- Quotes/Motivational Words/Phrases Don’t have a magazine or printer? Use markers to write out your favorite inspirational messages!
- Jazz it up with extras! Use stickers, glitter glue, markers or colored pencils to fill in blank space or add an extra pop of color!
- Don’t feel crafty? Go digital! Create an electronic collage with a Word Doc and images you find online!
- You can also use Canva to create a graphic that can be sized as a desktop background!
Personal Goal Setting
While our current situation makes looking ahead a bit harder then usual, keep in mind that COVID-19 won’t last forever. In fact, it may be motivating for you to have a visual representation of your longterm goals to encourage you tot take small steps to accomplish them. To get started, check out the resources below:
How to Create a 5 Year Plan, Medium
Five Golden Rules of Goal Setting, Mind Tools
Putting it All Together
Once you’ve found your supplies and have identified what you want to be represented on your vision board, its time to put it all together!
What’s important to keep in mind whether you craft or create a digital vision board, is that it should be showcased in a visible location. Just like with traditional goal setting, keeping your vision board present increases the likelihood of it being helpful to you!
Make space on your desk, in your planner, or even on the background of your laptop. Just keep it in your line of sight in your day to day life to serve as a reminder of all of things you are working towards that make your sacrifices or discipline worth it!
The beauty of the vision board is there is no wrong way to do it so long as it means something to you. Whether its a collage on a poster board, items pinned to a cork board, or even a digital graphic you can use as a laptop or cell phone background, the options are literally endless!
Need some inspiration? Check out these examples below:
Sac State Leadership 
Leave a comment