4 Things to Do Before You Do a Vision Board
Go Here If You Prefer to Listen
Many of us are beginning to do our visioning for 2021, some of you may have already completed a vision board. There are many processes and practices to create your vision. Vision boarding, vision book, writing in planner- paper or digital. Thinking about it, but keeping it all in your head. Perhaps you don't do a visioning process at all, and just be with things as they present themselves to you. It is ALL OK. But I want to share with you a "different" way of doing visioning which is much slower and more tapped into your Inner Wisdom than some of the more traditional ways of doing it that you see out on the "interwebs" or even if you have done a class with someone or do it in a group setting. I want to share with you my reasons why I don't vision in the ways that have become so popular, some processes to do BEFORE you vision for the future, and why taking this process much more slowly than a 2or even 4-hour vision collage session becomes something much more aligned for you, and puts you at choice to do things that come from your heart and soul. And that you really end up putting your time, focus, energetic and financial resources into without overwhelming yourself, or being disappointed when you don't "achieve" something.
One reason I don't do traditional vision boards is because they end up being something that collects dust in your office, and not used as a tool to actually bring anything into form...often they become a reminder of the things you aren't doing, because they weren't created from your intuition, heart, and soul to begin with.
In Earth-based and Feminine Wisdom traditions, the visioning time lasts from around Winter Solstice (Dec 21) through Imbolc or St. Brigid's Day (Feb 1-2), and it is time to go inside (during the dark time of the year) reflect, release, preserve what wants to be preserved, and celebrate what has been accomplished or integrated into your daily life. THEN we begin to tap into what wants to emerge next, from an intuitive place FIRST, and then bring our logical minds along for the ride, to create the aligned actions we would like to take. Most vision board processes take the assumption that we have a FRESH START on January 1st, and we complete on December 31st, and there is no attention paid to what transpired in the current year and to reflect on that, or to look at those parts of your vision that are not just a one-year cycle but perhaps many cycles, or even a lifetime practice.
While vision boards are an amazing creative practice and when we bring creativity to our intentions in a visual form it does add more energy into the intention...most vision board processes still come from the logical mind. We begin with the goals in our minds, and then go find images to support those goals. And even though vision boards are meant for what we want to do in the future, the images are chosen based on our present (or very often past stories or lack or scarcity) view of life, as opposed to imagining into what's possible from a completely open and un-attached place. When we slow down, intuitively choose (or create) images first, and then look at the story those images have to tell, we see possibilities our minds could have never conjured up on it's own linear way of thinking or finding images to support what we think we know.
Vision boards often do not take into account, how we want to "show up" in our inner and outer worlds. We are all comprised of many "essences" and ways of being and expressing, some years I choose to work with and place a focus on certain aspects of my SELF and how I want to express that in the world, and based on that align my visions with those essences.
And believe it or not vision boards are often NOT a big picture overview of how you want to design your entire life in a way that weaves everything together, but a bunch of "stand-alone" goals and images, that sometimes oppose each other.
So below I am going to list some things to consider and create BEFORE you create your 2021 vision. And I will be teaching a complimentary mini-class that will go into detail on all of these in my private group on Wednesday Dec 2nd at 12:30 PM Mountain Time. I would love if you joined me for some special time together, see the link below if you would like to join. Bring a journal to take notes or create images to be used when you do the processes in your own timing.
If you created a 2020 vision, pull it out. Reflect on it. MOST importantly CELEBRATE your accomplishments. CELEBRATE those goals, that are no longer goals but that you have woven into the fabric of your life, and are now a part of who you are and how you operate. Look at what is still in progress and that has a cycle longer than a year and that you want to complete, preserve or continue. Look at those things that did not get done, be gentle and ask if you want to add it for next year, or release it.
Create an "Essence" board or piece of art that reflects the parts of your SELF that you want to explore and express, internally and externally.
Slow down, get quiet, breath, tap into your intuition and ask what this coming year is REALLY going to be about for you...at a spirit and life level...all of life not just one part. Ask the question "what is sacred to me?" From there you may get an overarching theme or word. This is your compass point to make choices for what you want to accomplish and if its aligned with your theme.
Create an Imagination Board or a Possibility Board before creating "concrete" visions and goals in your mind. In the mini-class I will discuss how to do this process, a little on how to weave the possibilities into the vision without putting a lot of pressure and overwhelm on ourselves. As well as understand the whole "picture" and looking at that when setting goals and creating timelines, instead of looking at things in separate silos.
I hope you enjoy this guidance, I would love hear your processes for visioning, and even see some of your images from years past. Below is the link to join the group and the mini-class for next week.