Gluing images onto vision board
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How everything on my vision board came true

The secret to how I created a vision board and saw the results in one year.

Gluing images onto vision board

Can vision boards really work?

My vision board came true last year. Everything I had on it was touched upon within that year! So yes, vision boards really work!

My first vision board

I created my first vision board 10 years ago, when we were poor and barely surviving during my husband’s time in residency. I was also trying to overcome post-partum depression. I had learned about the power of the mind and that what you focus on grows. In an effort to start looking forward to life again, I printed out things that excited me and glued them onto a poster board.

Among several things I had on my vision board, I remember having a Honda Odyssey mini van on it, stainless steel Pampered Chef pans, picture of Disneyland and an inspiration pic of a family at a white sandy tropical beach. So far we have achieved everything on that vision board except Disneyland and the tropical beach (but we’re making plans for that tropical beach in 2020).

Vision board on a shelf

My most recent vision board

Fast forward 9 years to December of 2018. I went to an entrepreneur event to make vision boards for the upcoming year (2019). I had been struggling internally with how to proceed with my business. What my heart wanted was different than what my brain thought was best logically. I had been debating whether or not to continue with staying focused only on Instant Pot recipes or whether I should switch gears to what I love doing most, which is Interior Design, sharing DIY projects and skills with others in addition to recipes.

I knew that the Instant Pot niche was still very popular and lots of need for me to keep sharing there. I knew it would continue to grow fast and could easily be monetized. So, it made sense logically, to stick with that route.

Going into the vision board event, I had made up my goals and what they would look like based upon moving forward with the Instant Pot. I brought with me a few images I had printed off from my Pinterest board of life goals/dreams so that I could include them on the vision board. I wasn’t planning on accomplishing everything on this board in 2019 board but knew how effective vision boards can be based upon my past experience and was excited.

The room was filled with tables and amazing local female entrepreneurs which made my heart burst with joy being surrounded with other powerhouses, going after their dreams. I grabbed some magazines from the pile we were sharing and started looking for inspiration.

I decided to just let myself be completely free and not place judgement or thinking too much as I chose images. I started clipping anything that inspired me without any strategy or any thought to how these images would work with my Instant Pot business goals that I had planned.

I tried not overthink the process. I just started cutting out pictures that made me come alive. Anything that sparked my interest. I didn’t think about how these images were going to work or happen with my business/life goals I had pre-determined before this event. I was allowing myself to cut out anything that I felt called or drawn to. By gathering the images through listening to my heart, I would figure out later what it all meant or what these images would represent to me towards my goals I had set.

Stack of vision board magazines

After I gathered a pile of images, I went through the magazines again, this time looking for words/phrases. I cut out any typography that was calling my name. Sometimes during this word pulling portion, I would hesitate and question myself,”why am I being drawn to this word or phrase? This doesn’t make any sense”. Then I would remind myself that I’m not going to make any judgements and just trust that I felt drawn to this word/phrase and to cut it out.

After I gathered all of my inspiration images and words, I started randomly placing them onto my foam core board. Again, trying not to overthink the process, I allowed myself to place things as they fit. As I started compiling everything onto my board, I was floored at how different this board was compared to what I thought I wanted my goals for 2019 to be. All of the things that I felt I “should” be doing or had planned for my Instant Pot business were not on that board. Not at all.

I teared up and was in awe at how my true inner self knew what I needed and it was finally able to speak louder than my logical brain and show me what I really wanted in my life. The vision board in front of me represented my dreams. Deep down, I knew I needed to give myself permission to follow my vision board even if it doesn’t make any sense to anyone else. Permission to follow my dreams even if others think I should do my life differently. The new vision board was me declaring what I truly wanted and needed.

This was me stepping out of the comfort zone of doing what everyone else wants me to do or what I should be doing, or how a business should be run.

I’m an intuitive person and feel like I listen to myself well. But looking at that board made me realize that I had not been listening to what I truly wanted until now. It showed me that I had to completely scrap my goals I thought I had wanted for 2019 and instead follow the inspired goals from my vision board. The things on this board were things that lit me up inside, things that made me come alive.

It honestly felt magical.

As I was placing everything onto the board, it all started making sense. I didn’t know how everything was going to work or make sense as I was cutting them out but as I started placing things on the board, I could see it all coming together like a puzzle and things started making sense with such clarity.

I didn’t know how things on the board were going to happen or how they were going to come to be, but you don’t have to know the how. Even when you think you know the “how” some goal will appear, it sometimes doesn’t even end up showing up in that way. The how will show up in ways you never would have imagined. Thats the fun part.

Analyzing my vision board at year end

Joanna Gaines role model

Joanna Gaines

In November 2018, a friend asked me to join her at Alt Summit (conference) and to be a roommate, so I bought a ticket. Shortly after purchasing the ticket, I heard that Joanna Gaines was going to be the opening guest speaker for the conference.

Joanna Gaines at Alt Summit Gabbrielle Blaire

(photo of Joanna Gaines talking with Gabrielle Blair at Alt Summit, taken from the front row seat I had)

She was on my vision board as an example to me of an ordinary person, living true to her gifts and talents with home décor/interior design without a degree in that vocation, who has now become very successful. She’s also someone who truly honors her pace and not what the world wants. She’s a huge role model in how I want to live my life.

Vision board

Better Homes & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens was another thing pasted on my vision board. Ever since I was a child, I always imagined myself working with the magazine in some aspect, whether it was to have my home featured in it or to work as a stylist for the photos.

The end of January 2019, I discovered that some of the editors from Better Homes & Garden were going to be at Alt Summit as well. I was stunned at how crazy fast my vision board was working! I had the opportunity to pitch ideas to the magazine editors that April. I was nervous and felt inadequate but also knew this was a great opportunity for me.

office chair and desk

In the upper left area of my board, I placed a comfortable, bright and airy office space. I started working creating a better office space for me in 2019 and will finish in 2020.

home office

(New office space under construction)

I place some text over the office area spelling out the words,”love people”. I wanted to have what I do and how I serve stem from my love for people. It just fit to have those words over my office/business area.

Tropical beach and puppy

Belize

Pictures of beaches and excursions were put on the board. I had already known that I was going to be taking a girls trip to Beliz in 2019 so I glued those images on there.

woman on swing on the beach

Italy Opportunity

I’ve also always wanted to go to Italy but didn’t know how that was going to happen or when. It didn’t matter, I trusted that me wanting it what was worthy of it being on my vision board. So it went next to Beliz images.

Around Spring, I got a phone call from one of my friends that I hadn’t been in touch with for many years. She told me that she was working for a company that organizes large group tours and wanted to know if I would be interested in hosting a food tour with my followers. My jaw was wide open as I realized that this was how I was going to make Italy a possibility. It came in a way I would never have expected and I couldn’t believe how effective my vision board continued to be.

I’ve since decided to put the Italy food tour on pause as I prepare for other business goals. But the fact that the opportunity appeared because I put it on my vision board was astounding. It’s also a good reminder that you still have the freedom to change your mind and your plans even when something you want is manifesting.

aussie doodle puppy

Puppy

We had been wanting to get a dog for the last year and couldn’t find the right one for our family with our girls’ allergies. One of my good friends was breeding her Aussiedoodle. Knowing how good of a temperament her dog was and that my girls weren’t allergic to her, we got one of the litter and brought her home in July.

White farmhouse drawing

Dream house

I have two pictures of homes that represent my dream home on my vision board. I have a lot of history with the sketched home image. It’s appeared in my life randomly over the years. I’ve also been creating and living in my dream home in my mind since I was a child as I fall asleep at night.

In January, my husband got a job offer in a small town in Arizona. He’s from AZ and wanted to move back to be closer to family by living in this small town. I kept telling him that it was too small for me and not green enough. I didn’t want to leave Spokane because we love it here so much. He told me that if I would be willing to move there, we would build my dream house. He knew nothing about my vision board yet he was literally talking about bringing my dream home to life in January. After pursuing this job offer for several months, we turned down the job offer.

The dream house didn’t come to complete reality yet but it became part of our lives that year as we started planning building it. I know this home will be built someday.

The words OPEN HOUSE, I assumed meant that I would stage people’s homes that were listed to sell. But it turned out that it was part of us getting ready to sell our house. We got our house appraised and were very close to listing it on the market.

I was also able to tour several open houses during the parade of homes event in the fall.

Picture of me with camera in hand

The picture of me holding my camera represents me getting better with my photography and me showing up as me in my business.

Nature

The word NATURE symbolized how healing and peaceful nature is to me. How it inspires me and grounds me. Being out in nature is medicinal for me.

BREAKING OUT OF HER COMFORT ZONE

These words represented me having the courage to make the change from switching my account from being Instant Pot only to incorporating more home/diy as part of my business. Having the courage to do it even though it will upset some followers and they would leave. OPEN UP TO CHANGE also applies to this.

Words on vision board

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

These words were really hard to me to put on there without feeling guilty about it. It felt so selfish to say,”it’s all about you” because we’re taught not to be selfish. But because this board was about me and my desires, it was important that I place those words there.

My health had been affected by me doing so much people pleasing and the anxiety that came with it because I wasn’t listening to what I truly needed. I needed to find a way to serve and provide value for others but also in a way that still lifted and supported me.

SHARE THE WARMTH relates to me being genuine and my love for people.Vision board

The big white space: FREE

I had another word on the board that I took down during the summer. The word was FREE. I originally chose the word because I wanted to feel free in my business, feeling free to choose what I want to do.

Yet very time I saw that word, big and centered in the board, made me have the feeling that I’m working for free, I can only work for free, I have to do everything for free. I took it off because I didn’t want to keep thinking that way. I didn’t want to feel that I couldn’t expect payment for the work I do. I wanted to start getting paid for the hours and hours of time that I’ve been working on my business while still providing amazing value for others.

Within 2 days of taking the word FREE off my vision board, I had 3 different paid opportunities land in my email inbox. I’m a true believer that this happened with my shift in focus. It continues to surprise me at how fast it can all work out.

MONEY

The images with money represent making money, being resourceful with the money I earn and also saving money.

GRATITUDE

This serves as a reminder to have gratitude towards all things in my life. When you have a grateful heart, you are happier and your desires more likely to manifest.

Comfortable reading chair and lamp

Cozy Chair

Image of cozy chair represents me having time to rest, a place to reflect and have time to myself. The perfect reading nook to continue educating myself.

Interior Designer clothing

Fashion

Images of stylish clothing represents how I wanted to show up with a nice classy clothing style as I work as an Interior Designer.

Woman styling pillows

House styling

The image of a woman styling a home came true as I was a guest in someone’s home (in February) and taught a shelf styling class and taught others how to do that. I also did it online and shared it via Facebook live. You can watch it here.

woman teaching classshelf styling decor

Master bedroom

Cozy Bed

The bed image I was drawn to initially because I was so tired and I just wanted to have more rest and sleep in my life from working so much. I made more efforts to get more sleep at night throughout the year.

The image also showed up as a significant increase and strengthening of my marriage, an unexpected but welcome outcome!

master bedroom

I also spent time making our master bedroom a finished space. I bought bedding that coordinated, new lamps, rug, artwork of hubby and me to hang on the walls. It brings me so much joy to see a finished bedroom every day.

Smart & Organized

Words representing being smart and organized with my business and systems.

Continuing Education

These words came true as I continued to purchase courses and attend conferences to continue my education in all things relating to my business.

Woman reading magazine

Woman in cozy house clothes

The image of a woman, dressed in cozy house clothes, looking at a magazine with a cup of tea, represented me just wanting to show up as me and being comfortable just being me. I wanted to feel like I could be me, restful, peaceful and accepted. Wanting to feel comfortable in my own skin and at home with myself, feeling sure of myself and by showing up this way in my business.

With me only showing up as a food/instant pot educator, I didn’t feel like I could really show up as me. I felt like people were only following me because they wanted to learn the Instant Pot. They weren’t really here because they liked me too, just because they wanted Instant Pot content. I wanted to be able to show up for myself and others in my home design type of way too and I felt that I wasn’t able to be that person and it was hurting me inside so much that I was losing hair from stress of it all.

After seeing the vision board as a whole, I realized that I finally needed to make the change from only doing Instant Pot/food content to having the courage to share my home design/diy instead. To change the name of my Instagram account from Instant Pot Creations to Jenuine Home. I had to trust that although some people would be upset and unfollow me, it would all work out.  I was going to feel the way I wanted to feel (like the girl in the cozy house clothes), if I made this change and truly listened to myself.

Planning the next vision board

I’m excited to plan another vision board for 2020. I am honestly floored that everything on this year’s board was touched upon and showed up in some way in my life during 2019.

How to make your own vision board

I can’t promise that everything you put on your board will happen for that year like mine did. But it will be so much closer to happening because you created the board and the intentions for it vs. not making one at all.

Keep it displayed in a spot that you will see it every day. I keep mine displayed on a chalkboard shelf in my office so I can see it every day and not tucked away in a closet or filing cabinet. Seeing it often reminds me to make decisions for my life by checking back with my board (my inner self) and my goals/dreams I have for myself.

When an opportunity would appear or a decision needed to be made, I would check in within myself and see if this choice I’m making now will be in alignment with what I truly want.

I encourage you to make one for yourself. Don’t over think it. Just pull out the things that you feel drawn towards. Start living a more awake life for yourself. And enjoy life now. Why keep waiting for that life you want?

Let’s start working on what brings you joy, what makes you feel alive by working towards those dreams now. You’ll be surprised at how much progress, the rate and speed in which it’s going to occur when you create a vision board like this.

Read how create your own vision board that works.

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