Physical vision boards VS Pinterest.

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vision board

My emptied, pre-reorganizing vision board.

 

It was about twelve years ago I discovered the power of vision boards.

(and gratitude boards. Im not focusing on those today but, in my opinion, they are a necessary partner to the vision board.)

I was at a place in my life where I knew I had goals and dreams—-I just wasnt exactly sure what they were any more.

I’d sold my training studio, uprooted/moved to Texas and had zero clue what would come next.

More than that I had no concept of what I *wanted* to come next.

It was a wonky feeling I still struggle to put into words.

I felt there was something different in store for me (I was finished being a personal trainer. I knew that much.).

And yet I also knew I needed to make the time to IDENTIFY precisely what I wanted or it would never transpire.

I somehow sensed if I wasnt able to send clearly out into the world what I wanted (life-wise, family-wise, work-wise) the chances of said-wants occurring were slim to none.

It sounds crazy misfit’y but Ive always believed if I can not ‘see’ or visualize something happening—it is not going to happen. Period.

As a result, without knowing the WORD or TERM for what I was creating, I bought a piece of cork and got started.

I grabbed magazines and cut out pictures which symbolized what I dreamed of.

I created images on the computer (mock book covers etc) and printed them out.

I found pieces of fabric which reminded me of emotions/feelings I wanted for myself.

I created words and phrases which symbolized who I aspire to be.

 

I gathered all these items, placed them on my slab of cork and my VISION BOARD was born. (if you want specifics about my board I shot a video three years ago about it. please to not remark how much more rested I appear in said video)

I hung the board right above my desk so I’d be near it for hours each day (for reasons I explain in the vlog).

I revisited the board every few months (I still do) and spent time tweaking it & making changes. Id add new ‘visions’ or ideas and Id remove representations of my ‘vision’ which were no longer important to me/where my goals had changed.

Flash forward to September 2011 when PINTEREST was born.

All of the sudden friends around the country were nagging me to lose the cork and git with the virtual people raved about the ability to create a VIRTUAL VISION BOARD.

I was bombarded by Pinterest-smitten folks who insisted it was far easier to express hopes, dream, wishes & personality via virtual means.

It will come as no surprise to anyone this Luddite misfit stuck with her cork.

I still snip words out of magazines and tape them to my board.

Im continually creating ‘visions’ of what I want on the computer, printing (in color now! Im so 2012) & pasting.

I still believe in the power of the law of attraction as, for me, its more about clearly defining what I desire (from health & happiness to other stuffs) so Im certain to always send those ‘messages’ out into the universe.

This is all on my mind because I took some time this long Labor Day weekend to revisit & revamp my board.

It was as I did this I spied a photo which made my arm hairs stand on end.

It was an image Id put on the board, but have no recollection of ever mentioning to anyone else.

Something I longed for yet I did not really ever see happening.

And it’s happening. Next month. (<—–oooh foreshadowing!).

I dont place all the credit on the board— I tend to work my ass off day in & out so thats some of it too Im sure—-but the photo did momentarily stun me as Id forgotten Id placed it there.

Now you.

The ROYAL, vision board creating *you.*

  • Are you an avowed Pinterest fan with regards to creating vision boards? Why/how does this work better for you than a tangible board?
  • Are you old school as I am and do you, too, still possess a physical vision board?
  • Are you my husband one who believes the Law of Attraction is a load of…hooey?

 

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Comments

  2. I’ve never made a vision board, but I do not use Pinterest that way.

    I’m gonna watch your video.

  4. I use Pinterest as a place to save links to websites I want to remember to visit, and also to collect the funny. Nothing is a vision board, unless you count the wedding I’m planning with my future second husband. 😉

  5. I always say I will make a baord and I haven’t yet.
    Can we see a picture of yours when it’s finished?

    I think I’d like to have one I could touch too.

  8. I tried to like Pinterest but it didn’t stick. Stuff like that ends up being mental clutter for me.

    I’m more of an in the moment type. When I want a recipe, outfit, craft idea, hairstyle etc. I don’t want to sift through a collection.

    I google, I print, and I/we do said activity, make the recipe, or get the haircut. Then I throw that piece of paper away because I don’t do clutter.

    The 90’s minimalism stuck with me.

    • I had the same experience, Barbara, and I was afraid I was the only person on earth who found Pinterest too much bother.

      I think I’ll embrace your notion of 90’s minimalism–sounds much better than “laziness” which is probably my real rationale for abandoning it.

      • Yep…same here. I love my old-skool vision board, which I can see just by looking up at my wall. I’ve recently embraced an online calendar and scheduling tool and am finding it difficult because it’s not necessarily front an center on my monitor (it get’s hidden behind other windows). I much prefer my old-fashioned calendar.

  9. The Law Of Attraction? Well, I believe that what we think about grows – that we have (some) ability to manifest our own reality. I don’t know if that qualifies as LOA, but this one thing has played out so many times over the past few years that I do believe there is something to it. So, yea, I’m in.

    And as much as I love pinterest, pinning pictures, links and slogans is no substitute for the physical act of creating a vision board/writing in a journal, etc. I believe that devoting the time to do those things is an important part of “attracting” or seeing those things in our lives. Pinterest is just too fleeting – it’s more fast-cut Quentin Tarrantino and less still-life-as meditation.

  11. i have actually never made a vision board….going to try. will probably use pinterest though – i read all my magazines electronically!

  12. Pinterest is a flowing river of saved ideas that get executed .04% of the time.

    It’s VERY easy and VERY pretty and that’s why we (the royal) love it. Not because it helps us be more productive or accomplish more goals. That’s also why it’s a terrible platform for a *true* vision board. Easy isn’t going to get us the important stuff.

    The stuff that matters shouldn’t be replaceable with a single click.

    *steps off soapbox. applauds glue and cardboard*

  15. ooh… I love Pinterest. When I was younger I would make collages of stuff I liked – though not necessarily “vision boards” – but haven’t done anything like that in years. I’m all digital now! 🙂

  16. Ahh I love Pinterest! You can make a TON of different boards and organize recipes, motivational quotes, inspirations, etc. It’s awesome!

  17. I’m always a fan of retaining the real-world way of doing things , even when streamlined online processes might make it easier. Putting the THOUGHT and WORK into creating a board make it more reflective of your true aspirations and remind you how much you care about what it shows.

    Last year I made my first vision board, but gave it 3/4 effort and ended up never looking at it. I’m going to watch your old video about it and hope I’ll be inspired to create a full-fledged vision board that I’ll hang proudly!

    Also love the idea of a gratitude board 🙂

  19. I like to do a combo of both! Pinterest for the cutesy stuff, but tangible boards for items with more substance. Can’t wait to see yours if you share 🙂

  20. I’ve always said I’ve never created a vision board but I just had an aha moment. I guess I never really thought about it but I basically created a vision board every year I had a locker at school. I’d spend hours cutting out items from magazines and make somewhat of a collage that would cover my locker door. I drew strength from it. I still have “scrapbooks” of clipped items too that I collected.

    Although I appreciate Pinterest I like the physicality of something I can touch. I really do need to make a vision board. Sadly I no longer purchase magazines so I’d be printing off of the computer. Any other ides of where to get good items to cut out?

  21. I don’t pinterest…but I also don’t really facebook or twitter either. I do love the concept of some of these tools but in the end….they’re just time suckers that this lady doesn’t have the TIME for. I do want to make a real vision board….its just that whole time thing 😉

  23. You really make it appear really easy along with your presentation but I to find this topic to be really one thing that I believe I would by no means understand. It kind of feels too complicated and extremely wide for me. I’m looking forward on your next publish, I will attempt to get the cling of it!

  24. I use Pinterest to motivate me toward my goals.
    I’m too busy for crafts 🙂 with work and famIly.

  25. You know, back when I was a kid *in size not entirely in mind*, I used to make collages of things I cut out from magazines. Fashion, activities, quotes, whatever. Come to think of it now, this was my own type of vision board. I hope I kept one of them just to see if what I saw for myself then relates to what I envision for myself now :)I be looking tonight!

  27. I use Pinterest for some virtual visioning, but also cut out things from magazines and save them in a bag. When I need to do some re-examination, I pull out my bag and start glue-sticking to a poster board. I need to take your more eco-friendly corkboard approach, or even a magnet board.

    And Law of Attraction? Yes.

  28. This post was great timing for me. I’m actually sort of in that “I don’t know what I want and it’s never going to come to me if I don’t know what it is”, frame of mind. I have never used pin interest or a a real cork board for inspiration. Although I have been a goal setter and written them in diaries. I’m curious to try the old cork board,

  29. I’ve never had a vision board, but I’ve heard of them. Sounds pretty cool! I definitely like Pinterest, but that’s more for saving links to other websites, or links to reference on my blog.

  30. I don’t really use Pinterest as a vision board. I link a lot of motivation stuff there but I tend to go back the the workouts & food I post more.

    I have done a vision board in the past.. honestly, it bummed me out at times cause life got in the way & things just did not go that way – sometimes we can’t do what we really want to do & have to put others first. I had a self-made family when I got married & had to help support… not to say I will never do a board again.. I still have in my mind my vision. I know people say you have to write things down BUT for me, I have always come back to trying so who knows, maybe in 5 years I will try again! 🙂

    After all that – I MORE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT NEXT MONTH!!!!! 🙂

  31. I’m totally old school – I totally forget about certain things online – whoops! It the same for me and planners… HAVE to have a physical planner, never can keep up with updating an online one!

  32. I admit that the only use I have for Pinterest is that it helps me gather images I need for my paintings. Otherwise, I need paper reminders. I like being able to physically touch something and see it in front of me!

  34. While I do love pinterest, I think the physical vision board maybe more effective in terms of reaching goals. My dreams/visions get lost in my pinterest boards (I recently cleaned them up). Right now, I typically find that I only use pinterest for recipe ideas!

  35. Is it an age thing? I still need tangible things along with the virtual. I still use post it notes for to-do lists (even though I also keep digital lists). 🙂

  37. I love the idea of a physical visual board. I don’t have one but I do dabble with Pinterest. But I SO beleive in the law of attraction! You put positive vibes out there and you are bound to get positivity back!

  41. I use a wall board at home and Pinterest/purse notebook for travels. (Cork takes up a lot of room in a suitcase. :)) For me it’s more the Law of Attention than the Law of Attraction, so I’ll do anything to keep my focus where it should be.

  43. Completely 100% actual real cork board vision board here. In fact – every person in the family has one. Even Rambo. I’m on Pinterest but just can’t get into it…because I need to be able to touch and feel things and bedazzle them up. You’ve inspired me to make some changes to mine as it’s been a while….thank you lovey dovey!

  44. I really like Pinterest because I can have multiple vision boards like for home decorating, fitness, my life, books, bucket list, etc. I can’t have that many cork boards in the house LOL! I also don’t buy magazines or newspapers, so to cut and paste stuff for me in real life doesn’t work too well 😀

    totally curious about the announcement, too! When is it coming?

  45. I’ve been very vision-boardy in the past (like, in my mid-twenties), but then started making lists, which suck for me. I have another visual alternative that I’m working on. But alas! I do not even have a Pinterest account.

  46. I love the idea of a vision board but don’t think that I’ve made one since high school. Even then, I don’t think that I really thought of it as an official vision board but it pretty much acted that way. Pinterest definitely does make it easier to gather and collect images, especially since I’m online so much but I do love the physical vision board. Honestly, I’ve been meaning to make a new one for months now to help me better focus and articulate what it is that I want. I do believe more and more in the law of attraction – if you don’t put it out there, how can it come true?

  47. Ooh, such a tease! Can’t wait to see what’s transpired…
    Me, I pin things to Pinterest, but don’t use it for motivation. Mainly a way to keep track of recipes!
    I prefer to write things down and keep a notebook/journal for thoughts, dreams, to-do’s etc. I love going back and re-reading notebooks that I filled up a year or so ago. Surprising to see how much one can change without even noticing it!

  48. I firmly believe I need to write down and define my goals in order to accomplish them. I am a maker of lists. 🙂
    As for vision boards – in university I had a roommate that really overdid the visualization thing and left notes and pictures all over the place…it kind of drove me crazy and turned me off of the visualization thing. I like the idea of it though.

  49. Pinterest is great and easy. But I like to put some dirty work into my vision boards. Get some glue and scissors and really think about what I’m putting onto it. I tend to get a little pin-happy, and I think that might make my vision a little askew. Chaknow what I mean?

  50. Yes!! That makes total sense to me too.
    It feels more…. plodding and careful when I’m cutting not pinning, too.

  51. Oh… the foreshadowing…… I want to know. I’m so happy for you whatever it may be though! You deserve it. I’ve been thinking I need a vision board to make all my thoughts a little more clear and have my goals in sight. Thanks for the little nudge I needed. HUGS!!!!!

  52. I really, really, really want to make a vision board. I remember reading your post about them years ago. I’ve seen others talk about them, too. I don’t know why I haven’t done it–I keep putting it off. And I do love Pinterest . . . but I still want a tangible vision board. I need to set some time aside and commit to making one. Thank you for the reminder–and soooo awesome about the picture you found that’s related to an event next month. Wow.

  53. OOOH….can’t wait to see what is “coming true”!!! I kinda forget to pin on my pinterest board. I think I’m going to follow your lead and get me a vision board. I’m having a bit of a “mid life, what is next” crisis and maybe the board will help narrow down my thoughts and help me work toward what I discover I truly want. I am SOOOO glad I “know” you electronically Carla. You are a daily inspiration for me!! Happy Tuesday!!!

  54. I dont have a vision board… but I DO have a training calendar with goal milage and races on it. I’m looking at it now. It has every mile I plan on running between now and Dec. 3.

    It is my version of “what I plan to accomplish” and how I want to get there. Pinterest rocks too.

  55. I am apparently your husband. I have just traveled my route without vision, although I have started using pinterest. I tend to just put pretty things there and forget about them (although I am really excited about my newest board, the one where I put things related to my unborn grandson!)

  56. I was about to say that I’ve never created a vision board, but I just remembered that I created a collage out of my dorm room door in college. I just snipped and cut pics of places I wanted to go, things I wanted to do, etc. I’ve done a lot of the stuff since then, so I guess it was a type of vision board, eh?! 🙂

  57. Love the idea of a physical vision board. They were so popular on TV shows last year it seemed. Pinterest is fun but there is something about seeing and touching your dreams. The feel of fabrics or the edge of a ticket stub or something. Now that I am MIA from fitness for a minute my crafty side is coming to life again…as long as my depression side stays away. Perchance I shall be making a board of visions….

  58. I’m a little slow sometimes…I cannot believe I have never thought about using Pinterest to create a vision board! I’d prefer to have a physical board above or near my desk, so I could look at it while I’m working up my next plan to take over the world. However, Pinterest is so cool and easy to use…why not? I guess I could just print it out, right? Right! I’m going to get on that now. Awesome post!!!

  59. I agree with you: some things just have to stay tactile. I have an all-paper day planner book that I made myself, with my own organization and artwork. It’s pretty awesome, and I actually use it, whereas I didn’t always use my iPhone for that reason.

  60. I do love me some Pinterest, but in no way do I consider it my vision board. It’s more of a mish mash reference shelf at the library.

    I do have a vision board in the physical sense, but I never use it. I haven’t added or taken away anything since I created it a very long time ago.

  61. Now inquiring minds want to know what is happening next month. I love making vision boards. And while pinterest boards work for pinning things I want to cook or diy, i can’t quite “pin” my vision board (but do have a board there for it). I think there is something to cutting out magazine fonts, quotes, and pictures. finding items to add that truly reflect our feeling. stuff you just can’t ‘pin’.

    and I truly believe in the law of attraction and putting out there.

    “I still believe in the power of the law of attraction as, for me, its more about clearly defining what I desire (from health & happiness to other stuffs) so Im certain to always send those ‘messages’ out into the universe.” Amen!

    at the same time, things I’ve asked for, I have received but in a way totally opposite than what expected. so the message applies (well, for me), ‘watch what you wish for’. haha.

  62. I’ve never tried the board idea Miz – the cork kind or virtual. Given that I’m at a cross-roads in my life perhaps I need to think about doing one.

    I think I’d like something I could touch (something tangible) rather than something online.

    Can’t wait to hear more about your news!

    Deb

  63. I have a pinterest accunt but I also don’t believe it makes a good visual board. I tried it. I didn’t look at it regularly and when I did look at it I was doing to manyother things at the same time. Good thing I kept the one on my wall!

  64. I’m afraid of Pinterest. I did sign up for an account, but I fear it sucking my time away! I’ve tried to stay away… That being said, I totally understand why it work for some. We spend so much time online these days and for those who *love* pinterest and use it often, they will *see* the board every day! And the visual is the powerful part, right?

    I’ve started a vision board a couple of times, but never completed it. I always feel like I have to complete it, but now I know it just needs to evolve.

    However, I did create a list on my computer starting with “I’m so happy and grateful now that…” and a list of things I wanted in my life. I forgot about it and came back to it a couple of weeks ago. It was thrilling to see that some of those things have happened!

  65. I have a vision board that I”m planning to redo based on my post tomorrow…I like writing things on paper too, there is something about that tactile experience for me. Pinterest is a great idea generator or place for me to file recipes 🙂

  66. Yes, to a degree we attract what we want, good or bad. No, i am not on Pinterest, nor do i have a vision board. It’s a shame, too, i need one.

  67. I definitely love pinterest, but I don’t consider it my vision board in any way. I for some reason have all these things pinned on what I’d like to do, but there are far too many because its easier to virtually pin a lot of things instead of creating them by hand and seeing them everyday. Which is why I think a home created vision board is much more useful!

  68. Ooh so excited to hear your good news! And I have to say I really admire that you are able to let go of something that’s not working (i.e. personal training) without knowing your exact next step. That kind of uncertainty is so hard for me to live with but my life would be a lot more open if I could learn…

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