A couple of years ago I had my very first panic attack. Sitting at my desk in the middle of a busy office one day I couldn’t catch my breath. The room started to spin. Sound seemed elastic, quiet one minute, unbearably loud the next. My colleague’s faces loomed unfeasibly close, then retreated. Lights flashed. It was terrifying. Then, as suddenly as it had started, my breathing returned to normal and it was over. It happened again later that week.
To give you some context of what was happening in my life around that time, my Mum had recently died after a long battle with leukemia, one of the magazines I edited had been folded, the other had been sold to a new company, and a long relationship had ended. My life seemed completely out of my control. Everyone kept telling me how well I was coping and I guess I was going through the motions of someone who was doing just fine, but the panic attacks told a different story. A few months earlier a friend had passed on the details of a counsellor she’d seen when life felt overwhelming. I called and made an appointment.
I saw the counsellor once a month, or so, for around six months. At the end of one session she asked me to gather together a bunch of images that represented how I’d like my future life to be and to bring them along to our next meeting. I collected pictures of beaches, flip-flops, cut-off jean shorts, girls on road trips, surfing, doing yoga and taking photographs. Spreading them out on the table in her office, she pointed out the obvious. There was nothing work-related at all. It seemed my subconscious knew that some time out to travel was just what I needed. Shortly after I handed in my notice and embarked on a year filled with, yep, beaches, yoga, surfing, road trips, mostly wearing denim shorts and flip-flops, taking photographs along the way.
What I’d done, without realising it at the time, was to create a vision board, a collection of images that represented what I wanted my future to be like. Fans of the process believe that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, where you want to live, what you want to have and so on, your life changes to match up with those images and those desires. I think that maybe it just helps you work out what it is that you want, and then you can start working your way towards it. Whatever, it can’t hurt, right?
If you fancy making a vision board, gather together a large piece of paper or board, a pile of magazines and some glue. Go through the magazines and pull out images and words that speak to you in some way. Lay your favourites out on the paper or board, perhaps organising them into sections (future home, future holidays, future job and so on) or maybe just placing them where they look visually pleasing. When you’re happy, fix them in place.
I think it’s worth taking some time to work out what your board is saying about your dreams and desires. Perhaps you live in the city but your board is filled with images of country cottages, meadows, flowers and so on. Maybe you can’t move to the country right now, but perhaps it would serve your soul to spend more time in the country? Why not book in a weekend to visit a country-dwelling friend or take a day trip to the countryside on one of the upcoming Bank Holiday weekends?
Hang your board somewhere you’ll see it often. I took a photograph of mine and set it as my phone wallpaper, so I got a reminder every time I switched my phone on. Apparently it’s a good idea to make a new vision board each year or so and, as I’ve pretty much done everything on my board, I think it’s time to put together another one for the next stage of my life…
Have you ever made a vision board? How did you find the process? Did your life change to fit your board? Do share!
I don’t know about the vision board itself, but this whole approach is pretty much in line with how I move through life. When friends are fed up or dissatisfied in life, I tend to find that given every option in the world, they have no idea what it is they actually want, and that’s the problem.
The hardest part is identifying what life you want to be living. Once you’ve done that then the making-it-happen part tends to flow. If in order to clarify that difficult initial identification process it helps some people to actually see in the flesh real pictures then I imagine a vision board must be must be a useful tool. I’m quite an image-driven person anyway (as in images drive me, not that I’m driven by my OWN image!) and find it quite natural to visualise in my head how I would like my life to look. I then use that visualisation in the same way you describe using the vision board, keeping it in mind when making decisions and choosing directions. It becomes a subconscious guide, and before you know it, all of a sudden you’ve arrived!
Totally agree Philippa, nailing down what life you want to be living is definitely the hardest part, and it can change as we change too. I would also imagine that for some people who are less visual writing a list could work well instead.
Love this! I do something similar every year – its called my ‘Wall of Desire’ (it tends to feature at least one image of Idris Elba / Ryan Gosling too) and I definitely finds it helps my focus when life gets a bit overwhelming or out of control. Great article -I hope everyone finds inspiration to do their own!
Brilliant, love the name ‘Wall of Desire’ and the inclusion of Idris Elba and Ryan Gosling!
I found this really helpful. I have no idea what I want to do, I’ve spent years getting to a fairly senior level and now I’m here I’m not sure it’s what I want. I feel a little like I’m on the edge of a cliff and don’t know whether to back away or just to jump and see what happens!
It’s hard isn’t it? I know lots of people who feel a similar way. I think that sometimes part of the problem is that getting to a senior level means you’re no longer doing what it is you love and are good at, so the joy goes out of the work, or maybe it’s just time for a change!
Hello again! I totally agree with what you are writing (saying) – at some point one looses sight of what really matters and fuels one’s life. This is when everything may become complicated and feel cumbersome. I find it is then high time to refocus (easier said than done if you ask me…becoming a mother though has helped me tremendously). Hope you’ll find the path, Ann-Marie!
This is a wonderful idea! We did a 30 before 30 list a couple of years ago and that was a great incentive to actually get things ticked off the list that otherwise we might have just ignored thinking we’d do another time. Still got a year and a half to go before it is completed! I love the idea of a vision board and flicking through a magazine and seeing what pops out to me so I will definitely be giving this a go – thank you! x
Your 30 before 30 list is a great idea Holly, intrigued to know what’s on it and what you still have left to do! x
Inspiring post, really. I do like the somewhat spontaneous feel of putting together a vision board – as opposed to sitting down and just brainstorming wildly on your own (or worse, with others around you pushing you one way or the other). I am going through major changes at the moment (house, job) – or should go, rather – so I’ll give it a shot. Possibly visualizing it all is going to make me see more clearly how to get there and what I really need to focus on? Thank you for sharing your experience – it is enlightening. Take care!
Have fun putting your board together and good luck finding your path and what you need to focus on!
I am so inspired to do this Miranda.
I also love the idea of physically seeking and cutting out the images. Going to drag out all my magazines now! x
I’m going to do a new one this weekend! x
Miranda this is such an inspiring post! I too must make an effort to rip images from magazines I love and keep them as inspiration, I now there’s pinterest etc but somehow this seems somehow more “real”
Love the phone/wallpaper idea too! x
I agree, making a board with pages from magazines as opposed to a Pinterest board, makes it so much more real and it’s good to put it near your desk, so you see it often! x
Fab idea!
This year I made the hubby & I write down a list of all the fun things we want to do this year – from things such as bands to see to getting some gardening done or visiting a new city. We have them all on a white board as a reminder of things to try to squeeze in to make sure we make this year count! (just need to actually hang it up now!! Oops!)
I like the idea of the inspiration board though. – definitely something I may need to have a go at soon 🙂 x
You should definitely hang up your white board as a reminder to keep checking things off your list! x
This weekend we sort the study in our new house and I am making it compulsory that it includes a vision board. Brilliant idea. It is so easy to feel lost at times; especially when in your head you have a million and one things you want to achieve as an individual, as a partnership and as a family.
Thanks so much for sharing this and I’m so glad it worked for you and put you in a better position after such a tough period of time x
Aw, thanks Becky! x