Secrets of Vision Boards

Marian Brown, Seattle, Washington area Coach, Corporate Trainer and Heart of Success author to be interviewed in free tele-seminar

What is your “Success Symbol?” Join producer and publisher Joyce Schwarz, Vision Productions, as she interviews co-author Marian Brown in a free tele-seminar on Friday, March 9, 2012. Brown will preview her chapter called “HOLISTIC HEART” on defining success and creating Holistic Vision Boards.

Is your success symbol an elusive butterfly always out of reach? Or, is it a crystal clear image you move toward each day?  Join Marian Brown, co-author of the Heart of Success, in a free tele-seminar hosted by publisher and best-selling author Joyce Schwarz on Friday, March 9, 2012.

Brown, a Certified Vision Board Coach and corporate trainer, wrote the chapter “Holistic Heart.” In the interview, she reveals her secrets to defining “success.”  She will explain how defining “success” and getting to the core of one’s heart’s desire are key to achieving personal life satisfaction. She calls this place the “holistic heart.”

“The holistic heart is a combination of body, mind and spirit,” explains Brown.  “It is your core motivation and what moves you forward each day.”  Without being in touch with our holistic heart, we are often stuck and fail to reach the level of success we desire Brown concludes.

In addition to gratitude and positive self-talk, Brown uses a holistic vision board to help achieve success. Brown developed the Holistic Vision Board concept while training as a coach.  It is a unique approach to using vision boards by combining the body, mind and spirit concept.

She will discuss the use of the Holistic Vision Board during the free tele-seminar.

To register for the free tele-seminar, go to http://holisticheart.eventbrite.com

Tags: holistic, holistic heart, holistic vision board, interview

Instead of reaching for an energy drink during your afternoon energy lull, take a relaxing breath and gaze at your Vitality Vision Board.

Studies by several Universities were recently covered by Journal of Environmental Psychology and Scientific American. In the studies, researchers were evaluating the effect of nature on levels of energy and vitality in the participants.

One study focused specifically on if seeing pictures of nature had the same increase in levels of energy as the actual experiencing of nature though a walk or setting. The study did conclude that participants felt the same increase in vitality after seeing images of nature as those who had been exposed to nature.

As we know, Vision Boards and visioning are powerful tools.

These types of scientific studies continue to lend to the credibility of using these tools to make our dreams come true. Many of us have experienced success with vision boards and for those who have not, think about watching a scary movie. You know it is just imagery on the screen; but that doesn’t stop you from jumping or being startled during the scary scene.

This brain reaction is what can make vision boards so powerful and how one can experience an increase in vitality and energy just by viewing their Vitality Vision Board. It will give the same increase in energy and mental uplift as a walk in the park.

What is a Vitality Vision Board? Like a traditional vision board, it is a collection of images gathered in a collage on a poster board. (Or for those using digital versions, it can be wallpaper or a screensaver.) The Vitality Vision Board however has the theme of Nature – it is one who’s “dream” or purpose is to create vitality and energy.

Creating a Vitality Vision Board is similar to creating any vision board.

1. Gather up your magazines — for this vision board magazines such as travel, family and outdoor types will offer the greater nature images; posterboard and glue (or rubber cement).
Note: if the board will be used near your desk or in an office, you may want to adjust the size.

2. With magazines gathered, take a moment to take a deep relaxing breath. Think nature! Think green, growing plants, flowing water, blooming flowers.

Nature exudes vitality! Growing, flowing, and blooming are words which all represent positive energy.

3. Now, page though your magazines and tear out the pages of images that make you FEEL the energy. Avoid choosing images of people running, exercising, etc. They are expending energy and we want the board to REVITALIZE your energy and vitality.

4. Once you have collected enough images to fill your board with a few to spare, start to place them on the board. Shuffle and reshuffle until they are placed in a pleasing arrangement for you.

Try for placements that show the energy flowing toward the center of the board. Show growing plants moving upward, reaching for the sky. For many, the more natural placements will be with the sky at the top and images of forests, ground, etc at the bottom. However, shuffle them until you are comfortable with their placement and it “feels” right.

5. Cut and trim your images and arrange for final placements.

6. The final touch before gluing your images is to place a picture of YOU in the center. Find a picture of yourself, headshot or in nature is ideal, and place it in the center of your Vision Board.

7. Glue your images in place and enjoy!

Two of the most powerful words we use are — “I Am”.  Whether we say them out loud or in our self talk, we use them thousands of times each day.  We can use them negatively… “I am broke,”  “I am too fat, ” I am too slow,”  ” I am not good enough”  or we use them positively “I am powerful”, “I am confident” , “I am a business builder” or “I am a successful leader”….these “I am” statements become our reality.

How do these thoughts manifest themselves? The subconscious mind works to make your thoughts your reality! It does not want to live in untruth. It works to bring harmony between our thoughts and our being.  Change your thoughts and change your reality! This can be done with mantras, self-talk and vision boards! Below is an example of a video focusing on the power of the “I AM”.

As you watch the video, feel the power it creates…the self-confidence you feel inside, the peace in your heart. Use methods such as vision boards to manifest your new reality!

Enjoy!

Best-selling author of “The Vision Board: The Secret to Living an Extraordinary Life“, Joyce Schwarz hosted a tele-conference call last week. Schwarz, founder of The Vision Board Institute, offered 5 great tips in creating powerful vision boards.  Today, I am sharing the link to this call — Next week, we will cover each of the tips in depth.

To listen to the call, visit  http://tinyurl.com/vbcoachfebcall

 A February 22 press release announced the US Navy Seals will be visiting 13 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) schools and promote their “Mental Toughness, Never Quit” campaign. The visits are not part of a recruitment tool, but are motivational visits to teach the students the importance of thinking things though and how mental preparedness is essential to winning.

The four basic principles included in the program are: goal-setting, visualization, positive self-talk and 4x4x4 breathing skills. Three of these principles are very similar to the elements I use in working with my clients to discover and follow their Holistic Heart and reaching their heart’s desire. This work is outlined in my upcoming chapter, “Holistic Heart” in the Heart of Success book.

In my previous blog post here, I noted the elements of the Holistic Heart and our holistic vision board concept. If we break down the principles used by the Navy Seals, goal-setting is finding our keyword. It is the basic core of what we are moving toward. Of course visualization, the second principle used by the Navy Seals, is the mental equivalent of a vision board. I feel that the actual physical board carries more meaning than mental visualization. Having something tangent, for most of us, makes things more “real.” The final similar principle is that of positive self-talk. Reconditioning our mind (sub-conscious) to engage in positive self-talk is uplifting and energizing.

The Navy Seals use these principles to teach about winning. These same principles can be used to create success and to living a life of purpose and fulfilling your heart’s desire!

Tags: goal-setting, self-talk, vision

"Heart of Success" book and media series

I am very excited to post that I have completed my chapter for the upcoming book “Heart of Success.” This book, to be released Spring, 2011, is being produced by bestselling author Joyce Schwarz. Joyce wrote the book The Vision Board: The Secret to an Extraordinary Life and is founder of the Vision Board Institute.

What interested me most in contributing to this book was the tagline “When Work is a Labor of Love.”  I am a true believer in we must love what we do in work, in play and in life.  In work, I love what I do and it is never really work! With my family, I embrace and enjoy the activities they love and they do the same for me. This is an ultimate act of love!

Living a life you love is an incredible experience. My chapter, “Holistic Heart” focuses on the importance of finding your heart’s desire – what you love – and living to fulfill this desire. Sometime, however, discovering this desire can be challenging.  In the chapter, I include a great excercise to help uncover this.  Once it is known, I feel there are three important steps to fulfilling this desire.  These are

1. Gratitude
2. Positive Self-talk; and
3. A Holistic Vision Board

The Holistic Vision Board is my unique concept of creating a vision board based on your heart’s desire that encompasses the body (physical), mind and spirit. Seeing these three pieces on a vision board every day is a powerful way to help move you toward achieving and living your heart’s desire. Being part of this book is certainly part of my heart’s desire and living my vision!

Watch for more details on when the book will be available for purchase.

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Tags: book, Heart of Success, holistic vision board

“What is a vision? It’s not as mystical or out there as it sounds. A vision, quite simply, is a picture of what success will be at a particular time in the future.”
~~ Ari Weinzweig

The Feb 1, 2011 INC. magazine featured a great article, Creating a Company Vision,  by Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Zingerman’s Community of Businesses. Without their vision thirty years ago, Mr. Weinzweig  points out, they would not be the multi-company, multi-million dollar enterprize they are today. Having a vision and then moving toward it is what created their business.

Ari explains  vision and visioning very well. He uses the written word to create a detailed vision (description) of what the future will be. In the article he describes in ellaborate detail a planned Farmer’s Market. It is fascinating the details that are included in something that did not yet exist!

Having a vision is just as important to a business as it is to each of us personally. For some of us, we can write out in words the vision we have. For others, we find it much more powerful to use the vision board to see what we desire.  With the vision board, we see it both in our mind’s eye and in the physical world on our wall every day.  Vision boards, like visioning, are not “mystical” or “magical”, they are a valuable tool for both companies and individuals to realize their dreams and goals.

Ari includes a great 8 step approach to crafting your company vision. This also applies to individuals, groups, non-profits and others. 

This is a great article for those of us who admittedly like left-brain plans! Read, enjoy and open your minds to vision boards.

Tags: business, vision

If you are one of the many of American’s facing tough economic times, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to go without a special date with your Valentine.

If a dozen roses or fancy dinner is not in the budget or if you are looking for something a little more personal, what about making a Valentine Vision Board together?

Set up your Valentine Date Night – hire a sitter for the kids or let grandparents spend the evening with them — arrange for quiet time for the two of you. Collect up simple vision board supplies — a stack of magazines – be sure they are a variety of subjects, your poster board, scissors and glue sticks. Add a little Valentine flare with light refreshments (wine and cheese or chocolates), soft music and flickering candles for ambiance.

Sit quietly with your partner and page through the magazines selecting images and words that reflect your life together and more importantly, your future together. Tear out the pages that strike your fancy and place them in a stack.

Once you have selected images, cut them out and begin to place them on your vision board. Work together and share what is special about the images. Watch for themes and secret dreams (visions) your partner or you may have that you were not even aware of.

If possible, include a picture of the two of you together as the centerpiece of the vision board. Choose a picture you both like and are having fun! (You may want to click a quick shot with your cell phone or camera as you are making the vision board and add it later.)

Marie Diamond, Feng Shui master featured in The Secret offered several romance vision board tips in the The Vision Board book by Joyce Schwarz. When creating your Valentine Vision Board consider the following:

• Use colors of love such as red and shades of pink
• Use hot images such as fireworks in the sky or a romantic fireplace
• Use images depicting pairs – such as a pair of candles

Be sure to include positive emotion images which reflect being in love and being a couple. Hugging, closeness and sharing are important to include.

In addition to the images, you can spice up your vision board by adding a red boarder, Valentine stickers, Valentine candy, and memorabilia such as a rose petal.

Don’t worry if your board is not completely filled. You can continue to add to it throughout the year.

When you are done for the evening, be sure to place your vision board in a place you can both see it and enjoy it. Over the headboard of your bed would be ideal!

Tags: couple, love, Valentine, Valentine's Day, vision board

A vision board can also be valuable as a family project. It can be especially useful in today’s “blended” families. By working together and seeing both the family vision and individual visions, the board can assist in creating a more unified family unit. It can also help each member learn about the other members and be supportive in their dreams and visions.

To start the board, I would suggest that there be a center focus of family goals, projects or hobbies that the family shares as a whole in the center of the board. This may start out small or even several small pieces such as images that reflect happiness, togetherness, a vaction or overall harmony in a blended family.

Then, surrounding that each member should be allowed to include images of their vision as part of the family. They should each be encouraged to focus on what makes them special to the family and their unique contribution to the family. It is important that no one be judged for their vision but encouraged and supported.

Once the board is created it should be placed in a central local for everyone to see and enjoy. It would also be beneficial if each member had their own copy to carry with them or display. Many copy centers can make copies and reductions of large poster boards.

The family vision board should to be updated frequently. Children grow and change at a rapid pace. Keeping an updated board will strengthen a family unit. Children away for college or on their own should also be included. They still remain a vital part to a family.

Creating the family vision board can become a “game night” activity or part of a holiday tradition. Reflecting back on vision boards will also show great accomplishments for the family and its members. They will become part of family history.

Tags: children, family, theme, vision board

When setting a formal table, there is often a grand and elaborate centerpiece. When creating a vision board, there should also be a grand centerpiece. That centerpiece should be YOU!

Yes, it is recommended by many, including Joyce Schwarz best-selling author of “The Vision Board”, to include a picture of yourself in the center of your vision board.

You should include the picture of yourself on your board to be a reminder that you are the co-creator of your life. YOU are center to the vision of your life. You are the “star” of the movie and the one who must take action in your life.

Yes, some would say that the Universe will manifest your vision board. However, if the Universe opens the door for your vision, you must be the one to walk through the open door.

When choosing the picture of yourself, make it a positive one. Choose a picture that you like and that reflects a happy time in your life.

For example, it can be a childhood image laughing and playing at the park or a birthday party surrounded by friends and family. These would be especially appropriate if they reflected items you were visioning for now — peace, playfullness, freedom, family, love, etc.

Another approach that is very common is to take a new picture — one that reflects what you want in the future. It is a common story of people who go to a car dealership and have a picture taken in their “dream car.”

With technology, you can also “photo shop” a picture of yourself standing in front of your dream home or on your dream vacation.

However you choose, it is important to picture yourself in your vision. Without you….it is not your vision.

Tags: centerpiece, vision board