Creativity

Each new year brings anticipation of new realities, new ways of being, resets of self and our dreams for the future.  One of the tools we use in our home is to create personal Vision Boards.  We sit with magazines that look promising, or calendars with beautiful photos and pour through them to see what pops out as focus points.  Feeling free to simply peruse the beautiful photos and headlines first is lots of fun.  Both my daughters and I love this activity.  Looking for what resonates can take more than one time period.  This year, it was three one hour periods of time.

First, we looked through each magazine’s treasure for our enjoyment, and if something popped out at us…a word, phrase, quote, image, photo, we tagged it.  Next, we went back through our ‘finds’ a second time to see if what popped out resonated.  Were we still happy when we revisited  the photo, word, phrase, etc. again?  If yes, then we cut those items out to set aside.

There is something fascinating about laying out what interests me to see if there is a theme.  I like to start with a clean slate and have no theme for the year in mind and see what my aspects of Self are drawn to naturally.  I found this year to be very different.  The main themes that popped up were: Self care and comfort in the simple things, calming images, Magic,  and Time.  Time especially interested me because time was not in my scope of thinking and being.  Finding comfort in the little things had been.  I had been drawn to soft, cozy blankets, hot tea, beauty in nature, and homemade foods.  I was not drawn to grand ideas of saving the world…only loving and being in the moment with the simple beauties of life.

I also have words each year that I like to focus upon, and if those words come up in my perusal, I am thrilled.  That did not happen this year.  And so I found fonts and words that had the letters I needed and pieced my words together.  I always feature my words front and center on my vision board.  My words for 2022 are:  Discern, Distinctions, IN-Forming, Refinement and Regeneration.

As the year progresses, I look up at my board, which sits above my desk, and use it almost daily to check in with myself, to see if other pathways rise as a result of what I see on my board.  The board is my compass for the year, and all that is on the board stays current throughout the year.  I love that new thoughts and projects rise from being with my vision board, or that if I become stuck while writing, I can look up and find inspiration anew!

I confess that I love vision boards so much that I have created another small one in my yearly planner.  And…this year’s planner is divided into two planners –  one that lasts until July, and the other from July until December.  In July, I will create another mini vision board to see where the Self is at the half-year mark of time on the calendar.

The last thing I use my vision board for is to assist mySelf as I write the Creation Exercises.  This year I will be activating my words for the year as part of a self study to run the templates for each word to deepen my relationship with mySelf.  I am inviting YOU all to join me in a self study of three words that resonate for you, and to deepen your relationship with yourself!

I can’t wait to play with this practice of using a vision board as a springboard to continue to learn about mySelf and look forward to being in a creative practice with you!