We are half way through the first month of our new year. Happy 2020!
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and have had opportunity with the start of the new year for a little bit of rest and re-grouping.
No?
Yea, me either.
Our holidays were wonderful but there’s been little in the way of rest and re-grouping. We’ve been clipping along at a pretty steady pace; riding in the new year on a wave of sickness but life moving forward as it does nonetheless.
So…I’ve been wondering…how many of you set resolutions for New Years? How many of you are still on track with resolutions you set? How many forego the setting of New Years Resolutions because…what’s the point?!?!
I once read the average resolution dissolves within the first two weeks – one month, at most.
Yikes!
Might a propose a different approach? Even if you set a resolution you’re still on top of. Or one that’s already tanked. Or skipped the resolution setting all together because you know yourself too well and didn’t want to even bother….
How about creating a vision board?
A tool I used a lot when working with adolescents in therapy: vision boards work in a similar way to other visualization exercises and are proven effective.
Visualization, put simply, is mental practice.
When we put in to practice very detailed and specific visualizations (pertaining to whatever goal) the same areas of the brain are activated as though we were physically doing the activity. It also increases motivation, confidence and self-efficacy.
Visualization primes the brain and sets us up for success!
Sports psychologists use visualization techniques with professional athletes all the time as performance enhancer.
That’s right. It’s science y’all.
When hung in a place often seen, a vision board takes us through a brief visualization exercise (whether we know it’s happening or not) every time our eyes meet with our masterpiece.
This year, rather than get all wrapped up in New Years Resolutions, I set out to create a vision board (mine actually ‘lives’ in a planner that I use daily).
Putting your dreams and desires out into the universe also has a powerful impact. Similar to speaking out loud daily personal affirmations, and having faith in that which is yet unseen.
Here’s the trick, though: while your board should certainly include material things you’d like to have, things you’d like to do and stuff you wish to accomplish, the board should focus more-so on how you want to FEEL.
Because lets be honest: when we FEEL our best, all those other things tend to fall in to place for one reason or another.
So…how about it? Ready to ditch the resolution for (or, at least add to the resolution with) a vision board?
Getting started is easy…..
Start by thinking about how you wish to FEEL in the coming year.
Brainstorm and jot down notes about what is most important to you: in the way of accomplishments, and things or experiences you want to have.
Then, find ‘stuff” to glue to your board that represents the ideas you have brainstormed. Magazines, old calendars, stickers, and brochures. I even used Christmas Cards before they were tossed in the recycling!
Your representations only need to make sense to you so don’t feel the need to find things that anyone would “get” without explanation. Also, don’t feel pressured to explain your board to anyone else…unless you want to, of course.
When finished, proudly display your board where you will see it often!
Re-visit your board as frequently as makes sense for you! If you quickly discover that your board isn’t serving as inspiration and motivation, or you are rapidly achieving what you have envisioned for the new year, have a do-over!
Don’t let fear of not being overly artistically inclined deter you from this exercise. Cast those fears aside and just start creating!!
The new year is a blank slate. How will you color it?
-H
