Make a vision board and create the life of your choice.

Get inspiration for creating a vision board of your own from the ones seen here that were submitted by Experience Life readers. You'll also find step-by-step instructions for making your own vision board (and info on why you would want to in the first place). Enjoy!

CONGRATS "SHARE YOUR VISION" WINNERS!
(Featured in the Jan/Feb issue of Experience Life.)

Jennifer F., Mocksville, NC

Inspiration: "When I was a teenager, I used to cover my room with collages made from magazine clippings. I loved looking at my bedroom wall, covered in photos and words, and dreaming ahead to when I was living the lives pieced together on those boards. I miss those collages and wish I still had them. This past summer, I spent one afternoon ripping apart magazines to make a new collage. I found interests and loves I had forgotten and some new dreams and passions to bring into my life. Every time I see it, I am reminded of all possibilities that are still out there."

George and Amy W., Apex, NC

Inspiration: "My wife saw your article and thought it was a great idea. Being in sales, I had heard about doing this for your business to accomplish your goals, but never thought of doing it in my personal life. Amy had to push me to do it this time. We felt we were at a great point to see where we were in our lives and what we wanted to accomplish together as a family. We were done having children with our two- and four-year-old sons, and decided now was a great time to think about what we wanted to look forward to next. We went through magazines individually and cut out pictures, then organized and picked out the pictures for the board together. We were pleasantly surprised to find out we still had the same vision of our life together: We wanted to manage our time better, to spend more time together as a family, to eat healthy and to make sure that we did plenty of physical activities. Finally, we wanted to see the world together and just enjoy each other’s company."

Tabatha S., Cleburne, Texas

Inspiration: "I had read about 'Share Your Vision' via Facebook and thought that doing a vision board would help me focus on what the future would be like. I am a 41-year-old stay-at-home mom who's now nearly an empty nester, and I really didn't know what I wanted to do once the kids were on their own. So I did the vision board as a way to figure out where I want to be in the next five to 10 years. It inspired me to take a deeper look at desires that I had: For instance, the violin represents my desire to take lessons on an instrument that I haven't played since grade school, but still have the desire for. Of course, family is still a central figure in my life, but there are things to accomplish on my own as well."

OTHER VISION BOARD SUBMISSIONS:

Angie S., Bryan, Texas

Melanie S., Lombard, Ill.

Kelley B., Austin, Texas

Pat L., via email

How to Create Your Own Vision Board

Refer to the articles, resources and examples below for guidance on how to create a vision board of your own.

"Embrace a Bold Vision" (January/February 2008): Envision your ideal reality. Be willing to adjust your action plan. Then harness the power of hope to build a better life - and a better world.
"See It, Believe It" (January/February 2006): Imagine if everything went the way you wanted: your workouts, your relationships, your grandest career ambitions. Visioning can bring your life goals into clearer focus – and help you make them a reality.
"Envision This" (January/February 2003): Bring your grandest dreams and goals into reality using simple words and pictures.
Whole Life Coaching Week 2 "Vision" Guide (PDF): An overview of the importance and benefits of visioning, along with step-by-step instructions for creating your own vision board.

A Little More Inspiration

Before you get started, take a look at a few of the vision boards that Experience Life team members have created ...

Editor in chief Pilar Gerasimo's most recent vision board

Pilar Gerasimo's old vision board

Senior editor Jamie Martin's vision board

Blogger and author Jacquelyn Fletcher's vision board

Live Dynamite founder Maryanne O'Brien's vision board

Other Visioning Resources

www.visioningcoach.org: The Web site for Dr. Lucia Capacchione, author of Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams; offers the 10 steps for visioning and creating a vision board.
www.gwenbell.com: Entrepreneur and educator Gwen Bell — co-creator of "The Unconventional Guide to the Social Web" — offers helpful tips for creating a personal manifesto and vision board in one of her recent blog posts.
www.apple.com/iLife: If you're a Mac user, put your dreams and desires in motion using iMovie or iPhoto.
www.steponevisionboards.com: Easily create an interactive vision board by signing up for a free 7-day trial membership. No credit card or payment info required at registration.