If you’ve ever put together a vision board, you probably remember cutting out pages in magazines of places you wanted to go or things you wanted to buy. Or you may have tacked up a photograph of what you looked like 20 pounds thinner to motivate you towards that goal. You attached them to a poster board and hung them up to look at for inspiration every day.
The imagined becomes manifest when we can find that picture or thing that “speaks” to us and helps us remember, in a real way, our intentions for success. The connection is there with the items on your vision board because you have chosen them and look at them every day. However, I use another technique that I believe builds an even deeper connection between you and a vision board because it stems purely and deeply from inside of you as your own, holistic creation. I call it a “dreamboard.”
A dreamboard combines your dreams with your senses, using your own creativity to produce a visual expression that stems from your own creative juices. We do this through the use of four expressions of creativity—drawing, coloring, words and the zentangle. Each has a special place in the dreamboard. Unlike the vision board, which often evolves from a hodgepodge of pictures you happen to come across, the dreamboard concentrates on one solid image, drawn forth from you, that expresses your physical, spiritual, and emotional desires. At the end of this exercise you feel free and focused, with an artistic masterpiece to show for it!
The dreamboard is a step up from the vision board because actually putting pen (or colored pencil, crayon, or marker) to paper has been proven to help us achieve our goals. In fact, we are 50% more likely to do so. Drawing and coloring both engage the same senses. So putting together a dreamboard actively engages both your right and left brain, and can be a very powerful activity that communicates not only to yourself, but to those around you as well.
Before you start this exercise to produce your own dreamboard, why not put on your favorite music to inspire you?
To produce a dreamboard, follow these steps:
- Identify the theme of your dreamboard. Based on your intentions and goals, what are you trying to express? Perhaps it’s a theme for the year, or a major goal you are working towards in your life. What image would best represent it? For example, if you are intending to have a “year of transformation” you may want to use a butterfly as your image. If you are looking to become a more loving person, your main image may be a heart. Dive deep. What should your image be based on your goals?
- Now, divide up the image and write a word in each space that will inspire you or remind you of an action you need to take to complete your goal. Let your words be lively, pulsating feelings that spur you forward. Make as many divisions as you need to bring your vision to life.
- Time to make your picture a zentangle! A zentangle is an abstract drawing created using repetitive patterns. Just like our life, our hopes, and our dreams, each section should look a little different. Let your soul dictate the pattern to you. Just draw it repeated throughout each section. Is it busy? Structured? Whimsical? Let it flow from your thoughts to your hands.
- Finally, we add color, again letting your soul guide you. How will you use color to highlight and contrast your goals and dreams? Will you use dark colors for the most important things? Outline those things you need to master? Will you use the same color in a section and vary its intensity in different areas of the zentangle? What color will you make the word in each of your zentangle sections?
Voila! You have created your very first dreamboard. Hang it up proudly for all to see and throughout the year it will serve as a reminder of all you can accomplish. Have a great 2017!
Jacqueline Camacho-Ruiz is the CEO of JJR Marketing (www.jjrmarketing.com) and Fig Factor Media LLC international book publishing company (www.figfactormedia.com), founder of The Fig Factor Foundation (www.thefigfactor.org), creator of Today’s Inspired Latina book series and international movement (http://www.todayslatina.com), author of thirteen books (www.jackiecamacho.com), international speaker, and pilot. Jacqueline speaks to hundreds of audiences about marketing, servant leadership, finding your passion, and achieving success in business. She has addressed the United States Army, BP International, United Airlines, Allstate, and Farmers Insurance among other corporations to share her inspiration.
If you or an organization you know needs as speaker, please get in touch with us at http://www.jackiecamacho.com/contact.