At the end of the year, I like to host some friends for a vision board party. Not only is it a way to get some of my favorite women together for a night of reminiscing and looking ahead, but it’s a powerful way to start the new year.
It’s funny: I used to think that everyone made vision boards, because I’ve been doing them since I was a kid. I used to just paste some inspirational photos and words on the front of my notebooks, but since then, my vision boards have become a much more important tool in how I approach my life, my legacy and my intentions. Vision boards are a way to check in on where we are in life and how far we’ve come—as well as to set goals that we want to achieve in the coming weeks, months and years.
How you make your vision board is up to you: You can make it as big or small or simple or complicated as you want. But my biggest piece of advice would be to DREAM BIG. I have friends who think that a certain goal for a year might be unattainable, but unless you set the intention, you never know what wheels might start turning. And we never want to become complacent.
For instance, last year I happened to have the word “NASA” on my vision board. I don’t even remember exactly why it spoke to me, except for dreaming of going to Space Camp as a kid even though my family didn’t have the money for it. Lo and behold, this past summer, I was chosen by NASA’s social team to go to the West Coast for to witness an interplanetary launch. Standing in the room with all of these ridiculously smart scientists was both inspiring and overwhelming—so much so that I started crying because I was so in awe of the entire experience. I truly believe that had I not put it on my vision board, it wouldn’t have happened.
So what’s on my board for 2019? This is a big year for Sparkle & Shine Darling, as we bring it from the physical space of a boutique to an all-encompassing lifestyle brand, so I have things like “Give the gift of sparkle” and “We want a space to be creative and strategic.” It’s all part of my goal to empower women through this platform. In that same vein, I have Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s name on there, as she’s someone who inspires me daily.
And then my 2019 vision board also contains some long-term goals, for establishing my family’s legacy and continuing that noble pursuit in the coming years. I even have my kids making vision boards—they’re really into it, and it’s fun to see what sorts of things they want to accomplish in the coming year.
I think that we could all use a little more accountability in our lives, and my vision board is just one of the tools that holds me accountable to my goals and dreams. What do you use? What would be on your 2019 vision board? I’d love to hear, so please share your thoughts in the comments. And sparkle on.
