Many of us have envisioned the future that we want. When we were younger, we might have written our futures in secret journals. Then, as we prepared for college, these lists were more focused on what we were looking for in a college and a major, considering the careers that we dreamt of as a kid.

We’ve learned about importance of goal setting since high school, but what does that look like as you get older? Do you keep your goals in the back of your mind? Do you keep them in a private journal or on postage notes stuck around your house or apartment? I went to a speaker once who said that the best way to make goals and stick to them throughout the year is by creating something called a vision board.

So what is a vision board? You may have heard of them, or maybe you have made one yourself. Vision boards are a great way to help realize your goals. I took some time a few weeks ago to make mine and I am in love. I decided to make a vision board this year especially since I will be graduating college, entering the workforce and hopefully, moving. I wanted a physical reminder to always work towards the goals that I set. Here is how I made mine.

First, visualize all that you want to happen for this coming year. Where do you want to live? Are you saving money for anything? Are you looking for a new job or hoping to get a promotion at work? Is one of your goals to eat more fruits and vegetables and drink more water? These are all things to think about before you start creating your board. Remember, you don’t have to completely finish your board all at once-- leave room to add more as you achieve or change your goals.

1. Once you’ve reflected on your goals for this coming year, it’s time to take to the web. Find anything-- pictures, quotes, artwork, anything that represents your goals for the year and print them out. The pictures don’t have to be quite literal—for instance, one of my goals is to drink more water this year. Instead of printing out a picture of a water bottle or writing down ‘drink more water’ I printed out a picture of water.
   
2. After you’ve print out your pictures, it’s time to arrange them. You can use whatever you would like to create your vision board. Personally, I used a cork-board that I can hang on my wall. If you don’t feel like spending money on something like a cork-board, poster board or a piece of cardboard will work just fine.
   
3. Congratulations! You just made a vision board. Now, the most important thing is to put your board somewhere you will see it everyday. Vision boards are great visual reminders to continue to work towards your goals. Plus, they are fun and relaxing to make.