How (and why) to have a Vision Board Party

I'm so excited for one of my favorite nights of the year.  This is the night that I get together with my close friends and we set ourselves up for a fantastic next year.  How we do that is we create for ourselves a visual representation of all we intend to bring into our worlds throughout the coming year.  In other words, my annual vision board party. I highly recommend doing this, as it not only bonds you to your friends, but it creates support for each other in having exactly what each person wants to have their lives over the next year.  It is also an incredibly fun evening. It's creative and interesting and promotes playing in a world where sometimes we're just too busy to play. So here is my strategy for having a fantastic vision board party. I'd love to hear yours.

1. First, make a list of the people in your life whom you absolutely know want only what's best for you and you want only what's best for them. Invite them to your home, set aside a five-hour window for this project.  (I love to do this on an evening between Christmas and New Year's as it is generally when people can get away, and are still in a party mood). 

2. Go to a hobby store and pick up blank poster boards, scissors, and glue sticks.

3. Ask each invitee to bring all of the magazines that are lying around their home (the fun of this, is that each person will have different magazine subscriptions and areas of interest) and have them each bring a beverage of their choice and a food item. Note: It is very important to have yummy food for this evening. My favorite are the three food groups; wine, chocolate, and cheese. I will have some of that at my house already and then people will bring what they bring.

4. Have everyone arrive at your house and set up an open space where the poster boards sit, where people can cut out pictures and images and ideas for their vision board.  Pretend we are all in grade school and make a mess, cut out stuff, and take up space, it is a great reminder of how our instinct is to play... not work!

5. Share with each other to inspire ideas and bring out what you're looking for in the next year.  Cut out pictures and images of words that represent that for yourself and each other. Share pictures and words with each other, have as much fun as possible.

6. ***The most important part; have each person bring a picture, at least one, of themselves to put on their board and in their vision for their life.  Be sure that everyone appears in their own vision.

7. Final step: Do this once a year. See how the vision board worked for each person. 

One personal thought.  Several years ago, I bought a poster frame, and my current vision board is displayed in my office, and it lives on top of the boards from the years before.  This way, I can feel the life I've created for myself, and take responsibility and care to envision specifically what I intend for my life going forward. 


Wishing you a 2011 beyond your wildest dreams, and the visual representation to make it happen for yourself.