Tips on Creating a Family Vision Board

A vision board can also be valuable as a family project. It can be especially useful in today's "blended" families. By working together and seeing both the family vision and individual visions, the board can assist in creating a more unified family unit. It can also help each member learn about the other members and be supportive in their dreams and visions.

To start the board, I would suggest that there be a center focus of family goals, projects or hobbies that the family shares as a whole in the center of the board. This may start out small or even several small pieces such as images that reflect happiness, togetherness, a vaction or overall harmony in a blended family.

Then, surrounding that each member should be allowed to include images of their vision as part of the family. They should each be encouraged to focus on what makes them special to the family and their unique contribution to the family. It is important that no one be judged for their vision but encouraged and supported.

Once the board is created it should be placed in a central local for everyone to see and enjoy. It would also be beneficial if each member had their own copy to carry with them or display. Many copy centers can make copies and reductions of large poster boards.

The family vision board should to be updated frequently. Children grow and change at a rapid pace. Keeping an updated board will strengthen a family unit. Children away for college or on their own should also be included. They still remain a vital part to a family.

Creating the family vision board can become a "game night" activity or part of a holiday tradition. Reflecting back on vision boards will also show great accomplishments for the family and its members. They will become part of family history.

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses."

~Joyce Brothers

The Centerpiece of Your Vision Board

When setting a formal table, there is often a grand and elaborate centerpiece. When creating a vision board, there should also be a grand centerpiece. That centerpiece should be YOU!

Yes, it is recommended by many, including Joyce Schwarz best-selling author of "The Vision Board", to include a picture of yourself in the center of your vision board.

You should include the picture of yourself on your board to be a reminder that you are the co-creator of your life. YOU are center to the vision of your life. You are the “star” of the movie and the one who must take action in your life.

Yes, some would say that the Universe will manifest your vision board. However, if the Universe opens the door for your vision, you must be the one to walk through the open door.

When choosing the picture of yourself, make it a positive one. Choose a picture that you like and that reflects a happy time in your life.

For example, it can be a childhood image laughing and playing at the park or a birthday party surrounded by friends and family. These would be especially appropriate if they reflected items you were visioning for now -- peace, playfullness, freedom, family, love, etc.

Another approach that is very common is to take a new picture -- one that reflects what you want in the future. It is a common story of people who go to a car dealership and have a picture taken in their "dream car."

With technology, you can also "photo shop" a picture of yourself standing in front of your dream home or on your dream vacation.

However you choose, it is important to picture yourself in your vision. Without you....it is not your vision.

My Law Of Attraction Number – Marie Diamond

My Law Of Attraction Number – Marie Diamond -- If you are a fan of "The Secret" you will enjoy this online video and exercise by Marie Diamond. In addition to Feng Shui, Marie is uses the Law of Attraction number to help manifest visions. By using this site, you will find out your Archetype in the Law of Attraction. With this number you can focus on certain areas of your life in certain ways to help reach your goals quicker.

I filled out the information and was a bit surprised to see that my number is my "lucky" number 6. And, my Archetype is "Inventor".

For those that know me, this is a pretty accurate description: “ You are a creative thinker and innovator, in both your professional and personal life. New technologies have a great fan in you and you love to have the latest gadgets. To you, women are goddesses and you relate better to women than to men. You are always ready to help others grow to be better human beings, and in your circle of friends your wisdom is appreciated.”

In the free e-book Marie offers, she also gives tips for setting up your Vision Board based on your Archetype.

This is definately worth the visit and I'll keep you posted on how it works for me.

The Pursuit of Happyness

Call me slow....but I just watched the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness". I am a Will Smith fan so I'm not sure why I didn't watch it earlier. But, in preparation to hear Chris Garnder speak, I decided to be a bit prepared and started by watching this movie. 

There are many great lessons in Mr. Gardner's story.  I believe this is one movie that you could watch many times over and find something new each time.  For me, the key was "happyness" and it is something we do pursue.  As Chris tells us in the movie, our founding fathers felt happiness was so important, they included it in the Declaration of Independence. But, they also realized happiness is something we pursue. It is not just handed to us.  It is not a "given".

We have the right to "life" and the right to "liberty....but happiness...we can only pursue it. And, each one of us makes that pursuit on our own.

Is it a pursuit or a journey?  I would like to think of it as a journey. At sometime, some point in our lives most of us will find "happyness".

For some, happiness could be in the journey itself. I believe there are people who find lots of happiness along the way. They are the ones who stop and smell the roses for the moment or enjoy a sunset at the end of day.

For others, we have a destiny. It may not be a place but maybe a feeling. I have heard people talk about traveling to an exotic land. Is it the land that is special or the feeling they will get when they are there? Are they seeking a place or the wonderment it will bring?

Using a vision board can help one discover their happiness and what they should pursue. Look though magazines and tear out the pictures that make you "happy". What images give you that warm, fuzzy feeling?  Put those images on your vision board, look at it every day and let it guide you in your pursuit of happiness.

Event: January 13 1 PM Pacific

Event: January 13 1 PM Pacific: "Visioning Your Writing Success with Joyce Schwarz"

Join Writing Spirit for this awesome call. It should be posted online to listen later. Joyce is an accomplished author and vision board trainer.

Vision Board Quick Tip

Quick Tip -- Get the most benefit from your Vision Board by placing it in an active place where you will see it on a regular basis.

Looking Forward

The best way to predict the
future is to create it.

A vision board is not a crystal ball or a magic wand.  It is not the baseball field in "Field of Dreams". Just cutting and pasting some pictures to a board will not manifest it to your future.

A vision board is a tool to help us on our journey to the future.  It helps us discover and then focus on what we would like our future to look like.  It is a future that we will help manifest by being open to what opportunities the Universe does place in front of us.

Your vision board can be your road map to guide you into your future. When used properly, a vision board can provide the clarity and direction to move us into our future. 

Dare to Dream

I am enjoying a great workshop in Calgary, Canada. We opened with a quote:

"The future belongs to those who believe
in the beauty of their dreams." 

 Eleanor Roosevelt

How wonderful! What a better way to see the beauty of your dreams than to look at your Vision Board.

Becoming a Certified Vision Board Counselor

With the start of the new year, we all make resolutions. Some of us diligently write them out on paper while others just make little "mental notes" of what we will work on for the new year.

I did a combination of the two -- jotting down the mental notes.  I guess I was keeping my mind open for the Universe to put something in front of me and quite by chance (of course the Universe's plan some would say) I somehow stumbled upon the Certified Vision Board Counselor upcoming training. (In thinking back, I believe that Joyce Schwarz was a friend of a Facebook friend and I "fanned" her page....)

The concept sounded interesting and I have been wanting to get back in touch with the holistic side of my life again so I joined her introductory call.  About half way through the call I was "sold". This was the 2010 path for me.

So, now I have completed my first week with her tele-conference training and very much looking forward to the next week.  As I move through the class, I will post some of my "ah ha's" and points of interest on Vision Boards, their creation and how they can truly move our lives' ahead.