Vision Boards Help Visualize Goals

A vision board or dream board is a way of helping to visualize goals by taking images and words that represent dreams and desires and arranging them on a board.

Art therapists may use collage (arranging pictures) as a way for clients to express themselves.

Vision boards can be a helpful way to bring into focus what you want to achieve. Letting the subconscious find and assemble the images can assist in manifesting inner dreams.

Dream boards became popular after they were popularized by Rhonda Byrne in the book and movie "The Secret." Yet, dream boards and vision boards have been used as part of art therapy for years.

I first experienced Dream Boards when I took an Art Therapy course in 1999, long before "The Secret" was even a whisper. I created a Dream Board in an Art Therapy course that had many nurturing images and images of children. Within a month or two I was pregnant with my first. Looking back on that dream board many of the dreams (like having children and a home) became reality.

I turned 50 at the end of December and felt the need to create another dream board. I created my own online Vision Board using the Oprah.com Dream Board. It will be interesting to see which of these dreams get manifested.

Read on to discover how to create a basic vision board along with many of the different types of dream boards and applications available now for creating vision boards.

Give it a try. You might be surprised what your 'dreams' really are.

Image of Bulletin Board by RAWKU5

A Bulletin Board is a good start for creating a Dream Board.

Image by brokenarts.

See different collages made for art therapy in this short film featuring visioning collages created by artist and art therapist Gretchen Miller.

In her article on Cool Art Therapy Intervention #10: Magazine Photo Collage by art therapist Cathy Malchiodi she describes the use of collage in art therapy as follows:

• Art therapists have capitalized on collage as a medium of choice for interventions and with almost infinite variation depending on the directive given and materials used.
• Magazine photo collage is widely used by art therapists largely because it's a forgiving medium, especially for individuals who are intimidated by pencils, paint, or clay. In making a collage, you don't have to go through the agony of drawing something realistic and are spared the feeling of embarrassment that your pictures look like a ten-year-old drew them.

Learn more about using collage for art therapy at the links included below:

Creating a Dream Board or a Vision Board is pretty simple. You just need to arrange words and images that seem to resonate with you on some kind of a board - a poster board or a bulletin board.

The steps will need to be adjusted slightly if you are creating a computer based board, an online board or an iPhone board.

1. Find images that you like, or that 'call' to you. You might use magazines or catalogs, online images, family pictures, cards.
2. If you are using an online Dream Board you can want to write down words and images that you'd like to use online.
3. Look for the images and the phrases that seem to speak to you or ones that you get drawn to.
4. Don't think too much about what images and words you are finding. You are trying to let your subconscious 'speak' with these images.
5. Once you have your images and words, cut them out (keep them in a folder if you're doing an online one).
6. Start putting the images and words on a poster or bulletin board.
7. Arrange the images and words until the final result feels like the right arrangement of your goals and dreams.
8. Paste, pin or attach your images on the board.
9. Choose a place to place your dream board. Preferably a place that you will be able to see your vision board.
10. You may want to add to your board or rearrange the images over time.

In this video from liloumace you can learn how to create a vision board to clarify your dreams and goals. She believes that looking daily at your vision board can transform your life.

Just a Bulletin Board or the Start of a Vision Board?

Image by Egan Snow.

These books may give you more ideas on how to make your own vision board.

Words are also important when creating a vision board.

Image modified from Kelly Cree's Vision Board.

Any of these large boards or even a large piece of cardboard cut from a box can serve as a base for a Vision Board.

A Vision Board Example by Lululemon Athletica.

Memory boards, bulletin boards and magnetic boards also make great vision boards.

Dream Boards are no longer limited to just putting cutout images on bulletin boards. There are many other ways of creating a dream board.

In addition in the video clips that follow Laura Cohn from ExpertVillage offers additional tips on ways to include secret items in a Vision Board and how to bless a vision board after it is completed.

1. Mixed Media

   Instead of using just images cut from magazines think outside the box. Photographs is an obvious addition, but you may want to add special mementos e.g. tickets, key chains, jewelry, bits of ribbon, cloth or yarn, a lock of hair or fur. Anything that is important to you.

2. Secret Items

   Sometimes our wishes and desires are not ones we want everyone to see if the vision board is displayed. Writing messages on the board and covering them with other pictures, creating a secret pocket to hold wishes are two ways to put secret items on a dream board. Laura Cohn offers some great tips on how to incorporate secret items into a vision board.

3. Blessing

   Since you want your vision board to work, it makes sense that you would take some time to bless your dream board, perhaps with a prayer, a simple blessing or by lighting a candle.

Laura Cohn from ExpertVillage offers many different video tips on How to Make a Vision Board. I've included many of her Vision Board videos including her tips on adding in secret pieces to a vision board and blessing your vision board.

In addition to the more traditional way of making a vision board on a bulletin board or poster board, there are many other ways of creating your own personalized dream board.

In the sections that follow I have included information on the different ways of creating a vision board.

Creating a vision board on a wall is a way of making a more permanent vision board. Using a journal is a way of having a portable vision board.

Computer programs, presentation programs and specialized programs can be used to make a dream board on your computer.

You might even want to create a dream board as your background image that is displayed on your computer, your browser (iGoogle or Netvibes or on your iPhone.

Vision boards can be created online using different online programs such as Google Documents or Google Presentations, Prezi and Oprah.com special vision board program.

For the video inclined - moving vision boards can be created from presentations and then edited in Windows or Mac programs.

Image of Vision Board by Wise Well Woman.

Here are some of the other ways of creating a vision board that I discovered researching the topic and brainstorming.

1. On a Poster or Bulletin Board
2. On a Wall (mural)
3. In a Journal
4. On a Computer Using Normal Computer Programs
5. On a Computer Using Specialized Computer Programs
6. Online - Google Documents, Google Presentations
7. Online - Prezi (Zooming Presentation)
8. Online - Oprah.com or Custom Webpages e.g. Netvibes, iGoogle or Pinterest
9. On a Video or Vodcast
10. On a iPad or Kindle Fire

Image of Bulletin Board with Notes by RAWKU5

These articles will help you create a vision board using post it or sticky note software or make one for your iPhone.

Prezi is a presentation tool, a visual storytelling tool and visualization software. It is an alternative option for those giving presentation because it is a slide-less presentation tool that allows users to create outstanding presentations online or on the go.

Prezi works by having people put their ideas on a canvas and then zoom in or zoom out to emphasize different points.

Tutorials from zuiprezi, zuilabs, smithfrband and prezi29 on how to use this Zooming Presentation Tool you can even get some Quick Tips on Presenting & Publishing in Prezi if you want to share your Prezi Dream Board.

On the Oprah.com site you can create your own online O Dream Board. Use the Vision Board to serve as a reminder of your goals and your dreams.

The new O Dream Board is a free web-based application available to all Oprah.com members and easy to share with your friends. You need to be a member of Oprah.com to create a Dream Board.

Custom webpages can be arranged to put the things you are most interested in focusing on all into one page.

Thinking out of the grid. Netvibes offers a dozen of dynamic layouts where widgets can expand across multiple columns.

Note this is a visual only video (no audio).

Pinterest Vision Board by GoodnCrazy

Pinterest by it's very nature is an online Vision Board or in most cases, multiple vision boards.

Liloumace shares here inspired vision video that was created using iMovie on a Mac Computer. Watch it. You may be inspired to create your own.

Vision or Dream Boards can be used in many different settings.

1. Individuals can use dream boards to visualize their own dreams and goals.
2. Teachers can use vision boards in the classrooms to motivate students.
3. Families can use dream boards to create a family goal.
4. Organizations can use dream boards to build a sense of community and create a community board.
5. Corporations can used dream boards or vision boards to plan the company's goals.

Watch how jewelchic's Vision Board impresses Oprah on her recent trip to Australia.

Collecting pictures for a Vision Board by Debra Roby

This Dream Board from Nate Cull demonstrates neighborhood spirit in

Manuka Cottage community centre in Addington, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Share your thoughts in the comment section below.