Awhile ago, our friend Mira had a get-together at her clothing shop to make vision boards. Once upon a time I loved making collages out of magazines and hadn’t done so in such a long time, that I was drawn towards going. B and I popped over from Holiday Market that day and joined the group of ladies to cut pictures out of magazines, and make a collage of images that represented what we wanted to create in our life. I didn’t end up making a vision board that day, I spent the whole time cutting out pictures, but I brought my images home in a bag with the intention that I would finish my collage at some point.

Then, a few weeks later, I was chatting with our market friend Denise, talking about changes we were wanting to make in our life and things we’d love to create. She told me about creating a vision board with her family many years ago and how so many things that they had envisioned together had later come into being. She had the wonderful suggestion for our family to make a vision board together and for Christmas she surprised us with a bag of magazines, bless her heart.

We didn’t do anything special for New Year’s Eve (early bedtimes are well loved around here), but we did for New Year’s Day. On New Year’s Day we all sat in the living room, cutting up magazines, gluing pictures on boards, and envisioning all the beauty we wanted to bring to life. It felt like the perfect way to celebrate a new year and a fresh start. We didn’t end up creating a single vision board as a family, but each made our own because we had quite a bit of pictures cut out, but we still talked about our vision of what we’d like to create as a family. It felt good to look at the bigger picture for a bit, since most of the time we are simply focused on the day to day. Amidst daily life it can be easy to give up dreaming because those dreams feel so very far away sometimes. But it’s so fun to dream, isn’t it?

Jeff finished his board that day and B made about three on different surfaces, his last one being on cardboard. I helped B cut out images and he cut out his own for some of the other boards he made. I didn’t finish mine that day, but finally got the time to add the finishing touches about a week later. Jeff said he might add more to his in the future, as he comes across more pictures. (My favorite picture on his board right now is the one inside that cozy hobbit house.) I spent a lot of time on mine (and took lots of pictures of it, as you can see.) We filled up our recycling with the leftover magazine bits and there was quite a bit of clean up, but it was such a fun project.

Looking at my vision board, you wouldn’t know what I want to create exactly, but just looking at it reminds me of the feeling I have in my heart, of the vision I hold. My vision for our family, for our world, and for future generations. It reminds me of the things we want to expand, that we’ve been working towards for so long, and reminds me of the things that are so essential to my well being- like time in nature. (I’ll share more about it all when the time is right.) Looking at it makes me happy and brings me a feeling of peace. I’m going to hang it up on the wall, right in my work space where I will appreciate it most. It will be a spot of color on a rainy winter day and will remind me to keep my dreams alive every single day.

I’ve never chosen a “word of the year” before. Have you? This year I didn’t set out to choose one, but it seemed that one chose me. The word Hope came to me and has stayed with me. And that’s exactly what my vision board represents to me- a whole lot of hope.

{To make your own vision board, you’ll need: scissors, glue stick, poster board, and magazines with inspiring pictures and words. Find the images and words that speak to you and fill up your board with things that make you happy. If you can’t find images that represent what it is you want to create, choose images that represent that feeling for you. What are your dreams for 2106?}