Real Life Wednesday: On Vision Boards.
Hi hi. We’re doing something different on Wednesdays now. It’s been in the works for a few months but since I’m the #illstartonmonday type, 2014 had to begin first! More real stuff. Live it.
If you follow me on instagram, you might have seen me mention that I made a vision board. Oh, and how I used to think they were dumb (semi-truth) but now I’m a bit obsessed. It’s very true. (P.S. a vision board is just a big inspiration board that is covered with magazine cut outs, etc & things you like. Kind of like a non-overwhelming pinterest. I do have an inspiration board on pinterest (it’s my favorite board of all) but it’s mainly just colors, photos and things that inspire me in general.)
Let me back up a minute though – it’s not like I’m against inspiration or anything like that. True story: at the end of 2011, I wrote down a bunch of goals on a sheet of white paper and literally taped it to the wall next to our bed. Some were goals, other were affirmations and just general positive thoughts. I obviously looked at it everyday since it was right near my bed, but eventually it became stuck in my subconscious. If that makes any sense. Sometime near the end of 2012, the tape gave out and the paper fell on the floor. Being the lazy person that I am, I left it there for a few weeks (in my defense I’m pretty sure it fell halfway between the wall and nightstand, so I’d keep forgetting about it until I was totally zonked and couldn’t deal at night) and when I went to finally throw it away that December, I turned to Eddie in utter shock. Literally everything on the list had happened or had become a habit. Everything.
It was nuts. So I firmly believe in writing down goals and stuff. It wasn’t until two weeks ago when I clicked on a link from Facebook and watched a video that I decided I was making a vision board for the first time. Plus, I’m like the magazine hoarder of the century (seriously right now I think I have 12 subscriptions, I LOVE magazines) and this would make excellent use of them.
First though, I have to tell you something embarrassing. Like where I found the link to the video. A few years ago (like 2007 maybe?) when I was competing in fitness, there were tons of girls doing the same who I admired and like a total clueless fangirl, I friended them on facebook. One of them was Lori Harder, who still happens to be on my friends list (if she ever looks at hers she is probably like who the hell is this chick), and made this video. Dude. This video!
It’s long but it’s inspirational. I was sucked in and so motivated by her. THAT is the reason I made the vision board! I’ve since watched the video two more times just to get everything in my brain again.
My vision board this year is mainly focused on positivity. I just… want to be more positive. All around. Everywhere. About everything. It’s simple. I’ve always been a huge worrier (my mom has called me a worry wart from the age of probably seven) and it impacts a lot of my life in many different ways. Sure, lots of it is major first world problems, but you know. I just want to be more positive. So there’s that.
One of the other goals is a really strong focus on my yoga practice, which even ties into the above. When I’m consistent (for me, like 4-5 times per week) I have so much more clarity, sleep so much better, can relax easier, am more positive in general and have less anxiety (be it real or ridiculous) overall. It’s like my mind’s happy place.
Plus it lets me sweat out all the wine.
The rest of my vision board is covered in things like bright kitchens and wacky words like SHOW YOUR SPARKLE in all caps. Not joking.
Because I am 17 years old forever. And ever.
(I also cut things out of magazines like a kindergartener and don’t trim edges.)
The whole vision board thing ties in with the planner that I’ve mentioned a few times now, this one by Whitney English that I am capital O obsessed with. Like, I just don’t even know how I can fully explain my love for this thing.
A lot of you asked for a review of it and while I’m not sure what I can review just yet, I’ll tell you that I love it because it has a whole day on a page.
For a psycho chronic list maker, this is a DREAM.
Oh so dreamy.
That’s not all though. This is super geared towards entrepreneurs and goal setting and consistency and keeping up with your dreams. It blows my mind.
Want to know what I’ve been eating lately? Well. I’ve been riding the avocado toast train nonstop because facebaby’s uncle sent me a MASSIVE box of avocados from California. Best thing ever.
Wait no – here it the best thing ever. I’ve discovered a new combination.
I’m still rolling with the mashed avocado and humbolt fog cheese crumbled on top. But but but now? I drizzled honey over it all. Yes honey.
It’s insane. Everyday.
The other thing we’ve been eating every single night is a simple arugula salad with toasted pine nuts and grated pecorino romano. I make a quick vinaigrette with some red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and olive oil. Shake up in a mason jar, pour a little on the arugula, toss toss toss.
So darn good. Monday night? I ended up eating just a bowl of that. So weird.
I don’t even know me right now.
Can we talk about books for a quick sec? The past two days I read Candace Cameron’s book because you know I have a Full House fixation and kinda love me some DJ Tanner. Eh… don’t really think that book was for me. I was expecting a little more. Or something that was not that. What though… I’m not sure.
I’m thinking of reading two of Rainbow Rowell’s books now – Eleanor & Park and Attachments. Have you read them? Share share share.
Ah! That’s another thing on my vision board. Books. My goal is to read one book per week (loosely) and to read every single day. I get really busy with work and just don’t make time for it. Need = less time in front of a screen. More time in front of paper with type. (the good kind.) If you see me on twitter after 9PM, scream at me. Loudly. In 140 characters.
Sidebar: can I just say that this solar oil is saving my nails/hands right now and this kiehls cream is saving my (very dry) skin? I love my body shop body butter, but if I put it on during the day, it’s near impossible to put on normal clothing afterwards. So sticky.
Now that we’re in the thick of winter (the universe didn’t get my memo of no snow after Christmas), I’m envisioning vacations later in the summer. This is the time of year when I always take a trip down memory lane and go crazy with my pictures from northern Michigan and think about our vaca coming up in August.
But! Um, I fell in love with Nantucket this year. Like, really in love. Like we talk about it all the time. Since we were there for work purposes, we didn’t have too much time on our own. Just a few hours in the early morning and if you remember, it poured rain every single day.
I’m dying to go back so we can really immerse ourselves in the island.
I found a pretty place to stay too.
It was only $28,000 a week. Uh. That’s normal, right? Awesome.
Why do I think I can live like Beyonce?
137 Comments on “Real Life Wednesday: On Vision Boards.”
Love this!! Inspiration boards were my life back in the day. And I’ll always remember when I broke up with my first bf and went to my friend’s house so we could make giant collages about how horrible he was. I HOPE I still have it hiding someone in my childhood bedroom… I love my Erin Condren planner, but that Day Designer looks so awesome, too!
Loved this post, and the last sentence especially. Now that I’m laughing so hard I feel much better about getting out of bed and getting ready for work-thank you!
I made a goal list that I stuck by my bed junior year of college and, like you, found that everything on the list happened. Well, except for one thing but it was a long-term goal and it’s still on my mind every day. I’m not great about not giving up on goals, so this really stuck out.
Also, my ‘potential new year’s resolutions’ (because commitment is scary, right?) list for this year starts: “be more positive about: . . .” and continues from there– glad I’m not the only one. Yoga helps me immensely, too. (Oh, I should take a deep breath here instead of freaking out? Novel concept! Ok!)
I read both of those books by Rainbow Rowell and really liked both. I first read Eleanor & Park and loved it, even though I don’t normally read YA. But it was really good, and different. Then I read Attachments and though it was a bit fluffy (i.e. not serious literature), I thought it was great too!
OOoooh I’m so proud of you for making a vision board! I did one (as I do every year) because I am a goal setting nerd and have an obsession with cutting, pasting and collaging. (I also love Pinterest but it just doesn’t seem to have the same effect). Mine’s posted at http://bit.ly/1hvcbzB. It took forever (as it always does) but at least I feel organized and like I know what I need to work on now. And on the note of planners, I love yours!! I got one of the Emily Ley simplified life binders and adore it. Seems you can never have too many! :)
LOVE THIS ADDITION TO THE BLOG!
Thank you! Can’t wait to read this every Wednesday!
I work as a drug and alcohol counselor, and we have the patients make vision boards while they are there; I think it’s really therapeutic.
Also, I really really liked Elanor and Park.
Eleanor & Park is one of the best books I read last year — highly recommend!!
I think vision boards are a great idea!! And I love this new series!
I ADORE everything from Kiehl’s but especially their ultimate strength hand salve. I think my hands are a tad bit OCD with it because I swear they want to slap me when I don’t re-apply every 3 hours like a maniac. I need to try that creme de corpse cause well, my skin is like an alligator (TMI?) in the winter. I love that they call it cream for the corpse..kinda like how my skin is, really. i love reading about your life (creepy, no?) – you have so much inspiration and positive energy that i hope to exude! I need more positivity in my life! can’t wait for more of these posts, friend!
This is fantastic! I love getting a glimpse into my favorite bloggers’ real lives, in a totally non-creepy way, of course. Thanks for your dry skin tips- I was just gonna ask how you keep your hands moisturized in the winter. I can’t seem to keep mine soft for more than a few hours lately, and it’s driving me nuts.
Arugula, avocado and planners. YES.
I’ve been wanting to get into a yoga routine at home for awhile now – any good DVD suggestions for beginners or just in general??
unfortunately i am pretty clueless when it comes to yoga dvds – i do yoga in a studio so i’m not familiar with any.
Depends on the type of yoga you like but I’ve tried a few by Rodney Yee and Muriel Hemmingway that were good. I’m no expert by any means though!
I read Eleanor & Park and thought it was just ok. It may have been overhyped for me, but there is definitely better YA out there. I would say it’s worth a shot though because it is a fast read.
I second everyone’s recommendation to read Eleanor & Park — one of the best books I read last year (and I frequently read YA, although I am definitely not YA!) I have also read Attachments (loved it!) and her newest called Fan Girl. She is a wonderful writer! I can’t recommend Jojo Moyes enough either — anything you can get your hands on!
So, I think Wednesday’s are going to be pretty awesome around here. Not that they weren’t before, but I love this new Wednesday focus!
So thoughts…
I read the secret many moons ago and created a Vision board. And EVERYTHING on it happened, except getting to go to the Oprah show. I had some pretty lofty visions too! I love The Secret and Vision Boards and all that jazz. AND I love the Whitney English planner…so much!
Books… I used to barely read, just couldn’t make time for it. Over the past three years I’ve set a “standard” of expectations for myself. I MUST read every night before bed. Whether I pick up a book and make it through a paragraph or end up reading for hours, I will not let myself fall asleep without reading. You will LOVE Eleanor and Park AND Attachments. They are both so different from each other, but so good!
And yay for summer vacays… I’m already dreaming!
I just started reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed and it’s fantastic, can’t put it down.
Oops, I was also going to add that my friend is a musician and she told me about this book, The Artist’s Way. It takes you through a series of exercises, one a week for 9 or 12 weeks (I can’t remember), and it helps you unleash your most creative self, get out of your own head, etc. etc. I thought it looked pretty fantastic and obviously applies to cooking, writing, whatever your passion is :)
Definitely read “Eleanor and Pak”…so good. But be warned…it had me in tears and feeling all the feelings for much of it.
Um…that should be “Eleanor and Park”. I haven’t finished my first cup of coffee yet. :-|
I am seriously coveting your day planner so much! They only have ones that didn’t pass initial inspection left, and while they are marked down, they are still 50 bucks, and I’m having a debate with myself right now whether or not I can justify spending 50 dollars on a slightly defective planner that won’t get to me until March. That just seems so late in the year already! I am posting my resolutions for the year on the wall next to my desk, and I’m hoping that will have a similar result as your list next to the bed. One thing I’ve just started doing in the past couple of days is write down things I’m thankful for in a journal by my bed at the end of the day, and it’s definitely made me notice throughout the day things that I want to write down that I would have immediately forgotten otherwise. It’s a really lovely thing to do, and I’m hoping the initial joy of it will keep me going with it. My inspiration board needs a little love, so maybe I’ll work on that today!
oh man. this is a tough one. you might think i’m crazy, but i honestly think it is still worth it – that is, if you’re looking to be crazy motivated and held accountable to your goals. last year i spent $50 on a erin condren planner, and while i definitely agree that you can find a great planner at staples or even the dollar store for much, much less, i have never seen anything like the whitney english one. she really knows her stuff. plus, in march, you still have 3/4+ of the year left! that’s a lot of time to dream big.
(i can justify anything.)
Confession: initially I was like hey, the price of this planner has gone down! I’m totally getting it! And then I saw it was lightly damaged or whatever and I paused and thought, and I thought if she’s still selling it, I’m sure it’s fine. And then I added it to my cart and saw it has $12 shipping. And then I paused again. And this is how 80% of my online purchases become almosts, because I let things sit in my cart until they get purchased from beneath me. Because I can almost justify anything.
GAH. i totally forgot about the shipping. this made me laugh though. keep me posted if you take the leap!
I totally just bought one. So excited.
I love this! I want a vision board! Weirdly, one of my new goals is to read less. I just stay up to all hours of the night reading sometimes…and it makes the mornings miserable. I’ll give you some of my reading minutes.
Also, just read Necessary Lies (Diane Chamberlin) and Me Before You (Jojo Moyes) and loved them both so much. Both of them much more serious (or grown up or something) than I usually read…but I loved them lots.
ha! i seem to have this problem myself. perhaps my goal should be to “read moderately” because when i am deep into a book i love, i will literally stay up all night too! then it’s over so soon and then i’m sad.
I second Katie: Me Before You is wonderful.
Love the concept for this post! Your positivity is flowing already! Keep it up :)
I love you real life! I look forward to reading more of these posts. I wish I had that much time to read! Also the planner looks beautiful, but I don’t really need to make a list for getting my kids dressed and feeding them lunch (which is basically all I do in a day).
hahaha. adore your honesty.
Love this! Anything that will inspire, and keep you on track, I am all for!
I have told myself this year I will get into yoga. I tried hot yoga once, and while I did great in class, the next few days I felt a strange tingle from my head down my neck…I didnt like that feeling at all.
What type of yoga do you do?
i do a hot yoga flow – it is vinyasa based. that is strange about the tingle feeling! i wonder if it was a pinched nerve of sorts?
most likely…pinched or over stretched from the heat! I really want to give it another try.
Oh, and you competed in fitness? Bad Ass!
I know you dont like to make this blog about your fitness, but I would love to see one of your ‘crushing on’ posts about fitness clothes, accessories and workouts?
thanks for the suggestion! i will include some in the near future. :)
I second this request!
Great!
Love the idea of an inspiration board and since I recently returned to college and work full time along with caring for my 3 boys I could probably benefit from a day planner. They gave us one at my new student orientation, but it’s no where as gorgeous as the Whitley one.
On a side note I made the Pomegranate salsa you posted on your currently crushing on post a week or so ago all I can say is OMG!!! So good! Even my picky boyfriend loved it :-)
I LOVED Eleanor + Park. Definitely read it. Warning, it may make you ugly cry.
I love this! Your recipes are obviously fab, but Tuesday things, monthly favorites and beauty picks are some of my favorite posts of any blog to read. So I’m excited you’re doing even more life-talk!
An inspiration board has been one of those things in the back of my mind for, like, YEARS. But I’ve always just talked myself out of it. I think you just talked me into it though!
And I just wanted to say (without sounding SUPER cheesey) that you’re one of my biggest blogging inspirations and I’m seriously amazed at what you seem to accomplish in a day.
Love this post Jessica. I definitely need a planner with a whole page for every day. My current one is a mess of lists and post schedules and meetings. It’s barely readable. Thank for inspiring me to get organized and set some goals for the year!
Oh, read EVERYTHING by Rainbow Rowell. You won’t be sorry. I went through her work backwards – Fangirl, Eleanor and Park, Attachments – and like them in that order (i.e. I enjoyed Fangirl the most, though E&P is a close second). Attachments reads a bit rougher than the other two, a smidge clunky, but i don’t regret the time I spent reading it.
Loved this post! Your vision board reminds me of when i was in middle/high school and we would cut out cute pics out of magazines and glue them to the covers of our spiral or composition notebooks and then put clear packing tape over them. Sooo badass! :) Like you said, FOREVER 17!!
For the record, I LOVED “Eleanor and Park.” I’ve reread it already, it’s that good. It’s definitely one of those nontypical love stories and that’s what I like about it. It kind of reminds me of this other book I read called “Why we Broke up.” Both amazing. And “Why we Broke up” has pictures. PICTURE BOOK.
Ps, if you like Nantucket you would lovvvvee the Outer Banks in NC or even some of the other smaller beaches…like Emerald Isle, or Shackleford Island has native horses just roaming the beach. SO COOL.
Can I just say I love you! I wish you were my best friend! LOL I am a worry wart too and having kids did not help….I worry all the time, I worry they are going to get hit by cars or fall and crack their heads open. Just last night my son slept in my room under the floor and I woke up in the middle of the night to move him because I was worried the tv, which is mounted on the wall, would fall on top of him….I don’t think I am normal……
oh you’re totally not helping me severiana, ha. that is what i’ve always assumed: once i have kids, i will be a total worrying lunatic!
I love your story on your intentions coming true! The same thing happened for me when I looked back at my “vision” board on Pinterest for 2013. Almost all the things came true even though I hardly looked at it. The power of intentions I tell you…
I read Attachments and LOVED it. Granted it’s not typical format, the majority of it is “emails”. But I loved it and it was such a fast read. Highly recommended.
Loving the Real Life Wednesday post! Keep them coming!
I’ve read Eleanor & Park and it was definitely one of my favorite books that I read last year. Hope you enjoy it!
A friend a few years ago told me I should do a vision board, I bought the magazines twice to do it and have never done it. that’s it, I’m doing it this week!
I really needed this post…so thank you!
You know how I feel about you xo…can’t wait to see more Wednesdays here! :)
I am totally a #illstartonmonday type, too! It seems like a weird way for my brain to organize itself, but it’s totally a thing!
Also – competing in fitness!? I want to hear more about that!
I adored Attachments. It is pure fluff but I embrace the fluff. Hug the fluff. It is the perfect amount of quirky that I love. However, I didn’t like E&P. I am one of five people on this planet that didn’t. It just… wasn’t anything special to me. I felt like I had read variations of that book before. BUT, give it a try! Rainbow (that name!) Rowell has a new one out called Fangirl that I heard is fantastic.
This is a great post! Can;t wait to see where they go in the future!
I totally know what you mean with the worrying and yoga, when I do pilates regularly I feel so much more in check with my anxiety, too!
Speaking of magazines…I have a stack under my foot at the moment that I mean to sift through and tear out recipes and pretty pictures! Vision board might just be in my future!
I’ve never been to Nantucket even if its just a couple hours away, but I have been to Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, both I love, but Cape Cod a bit more! I have wanted to go to Nantucket for awhile, seeing pictures from your trip made me want to go there so much more! I’ve heard its gorgeous! Gosh darn, now I want a summer vacation!
Eleanor and Park is so, so good! It’s a quick read and really cute. The whole story in itself just makes you laugh, but at the same time… You wish it would happen to more kids in high school. There’s always a book called “Wonder” which is SO cute and heartwarming. It’s definitely a good read!
LOVE that planner (chronic list maker) and LOVE your positvity promise, if you will. Being more positive is also one of my resolutions for the new year (chonic worrier as well) and I’d love to know ways that you are keeping more positive/implementing this resolution! Also DEF trying the honey drizzle on my avacado toast next!
I like Rainbow Rowell (especially Fangirl) but you MUST read The Love Me With Lies series by Tarryn Fisher! There are three books and they are incredible! The first book is The Opportunist
I run a book blog and posted my favorites of 2013 here {adult/NA) and here (YA)
Thanks for sharing! I’m with you on doing more yoga (I need the relaxation & a good yoga class takes me to another place) and getting away from the screen so much. I’m totally hitting up the bookstore this week.
Inspiration board? Have I told you lately how much I love you? Seriously. I haven’t written a blog post in a month due to my recently acquired state of “uninspiritis.”
You are a blogging Goddess.
I am impressed by your magazine consumption! I’m trying to be better with my time in 2014 and subscribing to more magazines is probably not consistent with that goal, but you have inspired me. What are your favorites?
Also, I’m reading Eleanor and Park now and it is melting my heart.
what kinds of things were on your original paper taped next to the bed?
Ahh the book dilemma. I go through this every month! Sometimes it’s so hard to find the right one. If you are looking for something ‘deeper’ than a fluff read, try Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho. It starts off a bit dark but it’s really about living life to the fullest, might be a good start to 2014 to go along with your vision board! I found myself underlining quotes as I read.
I am also planning to expand my yoga practice in 2014! I have a new yoga mat and Yoga Foundations with Travis Eliot dvd in my Amazon basket, ready to order!
love this! I haven’t jumped on the inspiration board train and am still having a hard time falling in love with pinterest (maybe this is a good thing?)
goalless and resolutionless in 2014, I’m actually just striving to be a kinder, nicer, more emphatic person each day; one who is a better listener, a better friend, and loving.
I LOVE Rainbow Rowell. I definitely recommend Attachments, it’s so good. My favorite one of her books is Fangirl though, I read 222 books last year and Fangirl is easily my favorite. Eleanor and Park was good, but the characters were too odd for me (yeah, I’m kind of mean) and the story was just so damn depressing.
Loving this post! Just realized after your description of the vision board that my best friend and I essentially did this in high school, lol. We made posters with things cut out of magazines – pictures of hot guys, phrases we loved, phrases I’m sure our parents DIDN’T love, etc. We even covered shoe boxes the same way, and we’d put notes from guys, cards, movie stubs, etc. in them. We were visionaries without even realizing it, HA!
I was late on the Whitney English train at the end of the year; my planner is backordered and should be here in a few weeks. Can’t wait to dig in!
I have mixed feelings about Eleanor and Park. On one hand it’s a love story about true love and it really made me cry. On the other hand, there was so much hype surrounding this book and I don’t think it lived up to the hype. I like hearing what others thought about it though. There are just so many other books that are like…knock your socks off amazing.