6 reasons you should absolutely make a vision board every quarter

I can’t believe it has been almost 4 years since I have held a big vision board party.

Like. wow. Time really does fly.

Vision boards have always been my thing and I have always looooooved hosting vision board soirees, like this one I hosted with my bff in 2018. My favorite one ever was a Valentine’s love vision board party. Hint hint: I highly recommend doing a love vision board specifically. Whether single or married you can really create something magical.

One thing that I learned from the book The 12 week year : Get more done in 12 weeks than others do in 12 months, is that it is best to break your planning and organization down to 12 weeks, each season or quarter. So, when I started chunking down my vision boards into every season or quarter, I had a much more effective way of organizing my year and accomplishing my goals.

Anyway, if you can’t tell by now, I love a good vision board. If you don’t know exactly what a vision board is, it is a collection of words and images put together like a big collage that creates a vision for your life. The idea behind the board is that as you create a board of the life you would like to live, seeing it repetitively would impress upon your subconscious mind and help manifest it.

I first read about vision boards after watching the documentary “the secret” and then later watched as Oprah really pressed for vision boards. For years, I would hear success story after success story all about vision boards.

For me, its an artistic experience, creative expression and activity that helps me get excited about what I am creating for my future. I make a vision board every single year and sometimes, I make vision boards for different areas of my life too (like love, career or wellness).

I even created a vision board workshop with my specific method I created to help you create a vision board that will manifest! Check out the workbook + video course here.

6 reasons YOU should make your vision board EVERY QUARTER

♥️ You get a chance to get to know yourself better. Before you actually create your vision board, it is so important that you spend some time getting clarity on what it is that you really want in your life. Doing this forces you to take some time out of your busy schedule and really think about what your soul wants to create. If you make your vision board properly, you can use it as a self development tool to get yourself in alignment with the life you want to create.

You don’t want to just create a collage of images that your soul doesn’t really resonate. This can cause you to just become frustrated by your vision board because you won’t actually feel its a true representation of your future life.

♥️ You will get better at making decisions. Decision fatigue is real thing. And it is one of the self-sabotaging habits you may come up against when trying to reach goals in your life. However, when you create a true vision of the life you want to create, it will help you have more focus towards exactly what you want. This way, you will be much more equipped and able to easily eliminate distractions from your life that can potentially set you back or knock you off track.

Having a strong vision for what you are wanting to create can help you in relationships too. I can remember Tony Robbins telling a story about writing out a vision for the type of romantic partner/relationship he wanted to attract. Whenever he would meet someone who didn’t align with his vision, he automatically knew that wasn’t the right person for his life. You can use this same theory for helping you determine what does or does not belong in your life.

♥️ Clarity equals confidence. Here’s the thing about being really clear about what you want, you walk around with more confidence. Confidence is one of those silent forces that helps people really get what they want. When you do anything with more confidence, you are so much more likely to be successful at it. Also, confidence will give you the motivation to elevate every area of your life. You will start dressing better, shining your light, sharing your truth and showing up in ways you hadn’t before.

♥️ Your vision board will hold you accountable. When you place your vision board somewhere you can see it often, you will keep all of your goals and desires at the top of your mind. Anytime you are looking to reprogram your subconscious mind, the key is repetition. Use your vision board as a daily reminder of the life that you want to live so you can keep yourself more likely to stick to those healthy and positive habits that will help lead you to the place where you are living out your vision board.

♥️ It helps you unblock your creative energy. Creating a vision board is an artistic expression. If you are someone who isn’t typically creatively inclined, a vision board is a great way to unlock your creativity. It also will help you get better at visualizing. A huge part of manifestation is the ability to visualize your dreams and see them realistically in your mind. So, when you are looking for visual representations of the things you want to experience, a vision board will help you wrap your mind around visualizing those intentions.

♥️ It can help you push past fears. Most of us are secretly + subconsciously holding a fear of success somewhere deep inside. Because of this, we often allow ourselves to engage in those old, negative or toxic habits we become so accustomed to. We may see something on our vision board that scares us because we aren’t sure that we are worthy or deserving of it. We may think when things are going well, the other shoe is going to drop. We may even doubt that it is possible for us to have or experience the things we truly want.

Your vision board can be a beautiful trigger that helps you see what may feel like a far stretch for you. You can use your vision board as a reminder that you ARE worthy and deserving of anything and everything you desire.

When you use your vision board as a self development tool and a way to really elevate through inner work, its no longer just a board with pictures of your dreams. It becomes a tool for co-creation for the beautiful life you have been wanting to live. Be sure to take my Vision Board Bliss workshop, a video and workbook experience that will support you in transforming your life!

Love you bestie!

Related: How to throw a vision board party

Vision board inspiration

01 | I choose peace

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02 | Act Like The Person You Want To Become.

source

03 | Dream home

04 | The Best Version of Myself

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05 | Girl, look at you

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8 SIMPLE HOLIDAY SELF CARE HABITS FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE BLISS

I’ve always been obsessed with Christmas, especially music. The second those Mariah Carey Christmas songs start playing at the grocery stores, I become hooked. All the memories of my childhood Christmases come flooding in and happiness just fills my soul. I absolutely love Christmas.

However, as adults, Christmas season is not necessarily a time of bliss and joy like all of the songs tell us it is. It’s also full of holiday parties, hangovers, overspending, obligations, major clutter, overwhelm, stress and burn out.

So, this year, I have decided to get a head start on my health kick, which typically begins in January. I’ll be slowly implementing these self care habits and rituals so that I don’t experience the typical holiday burn out and lessen the guilt that has us spending all January in detox mode.

When it comes to manifesting and creating out dream life, stress, worry and overwhelm can send our body in to quick fight or flight and living in survival mode which will kill your manifestations. Stay in that calm, neutral and zen state of mind with these self care strategies.

p.s. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. I am so grateful for your support.

💡 Pro-tip: Grab a FREE 30 Day trial of Amazon Prime to get unlimited free shipping to make shopping for your home super easy – without even leaving home!

These 8 simple holiday self care tips are what I will be implementing as we move into the end of the year.

01 | Consistent movement

Fun fact: though the positive feelings from exercise are often attributed to endorphins, it’s actually quite the contrary that endorphins are responsible for the mood boost, according to John Hopkin’s Medicine.

Instead, that positive feeling is more likely related to an increase in chemicals called endocannabinoids. These are natural chemicals produced by the body that can move through the blood-brain barrier and act as mood-boosters.

When we are consistent with moving our bodies, we produce more of the feel good chemicals and hormones. You don’t have to burn yourself out with rigorous workouts either, find something simple that you love to do that gets your body moving, even if only for 20 minutes.

A few body movement rituals you may like:

♥️ Morning yoga flow - I really like this one.

♥️ A walk around your neighborhood (it is always really good for your body and digestion to walk after meals)

♥️ Find a new exercise class that excites you and see if a friend will join you. I love doing pilates with girlfriends.

♥️ I can’t tell you how many of my friends are obsessed with this walking pad, you can walk while watching Christmas movies.

02 | Cycle Syncing

In my workshop, Goddess Glow Up, part of the program is learning how to sync your cycle. During your menstrual cycle, hormone changes can cause swings in your mood, energy, appetite, creativity and social engagement all of which affect your energy and mindset. Cycle syncing is a way to adapt your lifestyle to these changes to achieve better balance and feel your best.

So, whip out your calendar and track the month with each phase of your cycle. For each phase, you will want to focus your diet, exercise and physical activity in accordance with the energy levels.

• Menstruation (Days 1-7) Time to rest & rejuvinate

  Exercise: Take it easy on your body and focus on rest. Do something lower intensity, like yoga, Pilates, meditation and walking.

  Diet: Increase your iron intake by eating foods high in iron (like green leafy vegetables, red meat and beans) and vitamin C (like citrus fruits and berries).

  Vitamins: Iron, zinc, magnesium

• Follicular phase (Days 8-13) Time to check off the to-do list

  Exercise: Your energy levels will rise, but you may experience low stamina. Stick to walking or light cardio and strength training. 

  Diet: Support energy with carbohydrates like fruit and whole grains and balance estrogen with avocados, broccoli, cauliflower and fermented foods.

  Vitamins: B Vitamins, Zinc

• Ovulation (Days 14-15) Time to socialize

  Exercise: Your energy levels are at their peak. Focus on more intense or prolonged exercise activities like HIIT workouts, running and cycling.  

  Diet: Continue with foods that support the follicular phase. Make sure you hydrate to compensate for the water you’ll lose through sweating due to more intense workouts.

  Vitamins: Omega 3’s, Choline, Magnesium

• Luteal phase (Days 15-28) Time to slow down

  Exercise: As your energy starts to lower, focus on low-impact activities such as yoga, Pilates, swimming or barre classes.

  Diet: Your cravings may increase, and it may be for less-than-healthy foods. Satisfy cravings with plenty of protein and high-fiber foods (like complex carbs and veggies). Stay hydrated and choose to snack on healthy snacks like dark chocolate, fruit and lightly salted nuts.

  Vitamins: Potassium, chasteberry, calcium, magnesium, iodine

  **You can listen to episode 263 of the Blissfully Ambitious podcast for more on this topic.

03 | Practice saying No

Once you have sorted out your calendar with your phases and understand your energy levels throughout the month, you should focus on managing your time and your obligations wisely. Hot tip: Always choose YOU first.

This year, why not challenge yourself to stop and think about what commitments you are making or what obligations you are saying yes to. Remember, when you say yes to something, that means you are saying no to something else.

• Saying yes to another holiday party, might mean saying no to a good nights sleep.

• Saying yes to a big gift shopping spree might mean saying no to paying down your debt.

• Saying yes to another glass of wine might mean saying no to your morning workout.

How can you better practice saying no this holiday?

04 | Add adaptogens to your daily routine

Adaptogens are herbs, roots and other plant substances (like mushrooms) that help our bodies manage stress and restore balance after a stressful situation. They also help the body function better than its natural capacity.

These ancient healing herbs are needed more than ever. Whether the stressor is environmental (originating in your body) or psychological (triggering your fight-or-flight response and causing the release of cortisol), adaptogens are packed with amino acids and/or vitamins that help manage the harmful effects stress has on the body.

A few adaptogens I love and swear by:

Ashwaganda - This is an herb that helps your body handle stress without going quickly into fight or flight mode. I like to drink Ashwaganda tea but you can also take it as a vitamin.

Rhodiola rosea - This is a fabulous herb for increasing energy levels, your moods and your mental performance which is key in handling stress.

05 | Level up your skin care routine

There is nothing I love more than glowy, dewy skin. When I turned 40, I became relentless in the pursuit of keeping my glow with these 6 habits. Needless to say, I am always upgrading and leveling up my skin care routines.

Earlier this year, I purchased a cute pink facial steamer for my house so that I can give myself facials whenever I need a refresh. Let me tell you that I have absolutely loved taking care of my skin even more after using a steamer, gua sha and diving into the world of Korean skincare.

Two beauty products I am obsessed with and you need this winter:

1. Snail mucin. This product is so gooey and rich, it will hydrate your skin to feel so plump you just won’t believe it. I use this after my serums and right before my moisturizer.

2. Rice Overnight Mask. The same Korean brand also makes this rice mask and I absolutely love it. I slather it all over my face, neck, hands and elbows. This moisturizes my skin without feeling like its clogging up all my pores, I just love it.

06 | Prioritize your sleep

Sleep is critically important for proper stress management, nutrition, mindset, overall health and wellbeing. Do absolutely anything that you can to prioritize getting really good sleep.

Here are some of the things that I do to make sure I have proper sleep:

• I invested in good bedding and deliciously soft sheets.

• I decorated my room in dark, cool colors to promote sleep

• I keep the temperature at 68 degrees so I have a cold room, which helps you sleep better

• I avoid scrolling before bed and read a book instead

• I drink warm ashwaganda tea before bed and I add CALM magnesium powder to it. At least a full tablespoon.

• I keep my hair wrapped up so it doesn’t get caught up in my neck and wake me up. These silk turbans are so helpful for this.

• I sleep on mulberry silk pillowcases.

• I wear comfy pajamas, this short set in particular I love to sleep in

07 | PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE and pick up your journal

Here’s the thing. During the holidays, the trap of social media can send anyone down a deep bottle of wine and a box of chocolates mind spiral. Looking at what others would consider someones “perfect” can be incredibly triggering, as can seeing all of the things people are buying up for the holidays. It can leave you in a financial mess and 10 pounds up.

So, resist the urge to scroll on your social media and let all of your thoughts feelings and emotions out onto your journal so you can clear out some mental clutter. I even have a guided journal that can help you do this called The Daily Bliss journal: 111 personal reflections to inspire self love, nourish your soul and realize your worth.

08 | rEAD BOOKS ON FINANCIAL LITERACY

So many people find holidays to be the most triggering time for money and finances. Whether its buying outfits for the parties, gifts for family and friends, traveling to see loved ones or nights out drinking, your bank account is sure to take a hit.

Instead of allowing yourself to stress out about it, you may want to consider reading a book on financial literacy so you can feel more in control of this area of your life.

A few great books that you might want to consider starting with:

♥️ Rich Dad, Poor Dad : what the rich teach their kids about money

♥️ Secrets of Six Figure Women

♥️ We should all be millionaires

I hope you enjoy this blog post and try out some of these self care strategies this year.