When I was a teacher I loved new school years, breaks, and Mondays! I truly loved Mondays as a teacher. Not because I was excited to work but because in the school system there’s a sense of renewal each semester, quarter, week! Each week I would put an intention or goal — both for myself and the class. It was something we would all work toward. And no it wasn’t something metphysical like “be more mindful” it was something more physical like “turn in fist draft of essay”. Either way I loved that sense of starting again.
And that’s the feeling we all love with the new year. It’s why people push off starting their goals until January — or a Monday. It’s why we’re so ambitious and excited for the New Year. But that’s the problem right there. We’re too eager. And that’s where failure resides — in that space between blind ambition and reality.
I’m a firm believer in high expectations. I set the bar just a little too high so that I can challenge myself (and those around me) to reach it. But I don’t set it so high that it’s inevitable I’m going to fail.
And when I look toward the new year and think about what I want to accomplish and think about my vision board (yes I do this) I think broader terms with examples of how I can reach them.
Creating My New Year’s Resolution Vision Board
I’ve creating vision boards for four years now. Really I’ve been creating vision boards for a lot longer but I’ve been more methodical the last four years. Each year is different the boards are different, none are similar in style feel, or goals. But what always stay the same is the intention.
I like to go in with an intention for the year. Some people have a word — I have a feeling.
For example for 2023 I want to get lost. I want to feel peace in not knowing. My vision board — or in this case, mood board — reflects that. It says the words “wondering whereabouts,” which gives you the impression of wanderlust, not so much in traveling, but in just aimlessly wondering and being at peace with that.
However, in 2021, it’s clear I had goals. The biggest one was having a baby. And that board was clearly a vision board with clear goals and objectives.
Vision/Mood Boards aren’t Written in Stone
While I’ve been setting goals for myself or general feelings, I never take them too seriously. If I don’t accomplish the goals then it’s OK. I either put it again for the next year, or I reflect on why it didn’t work and adjust.
This is why I have been leaning toward intentions and creating mood boards. I’ve broken down what I want to be for that year and I think about what I need to do to grow into that.
In 2022, I wanted to embody light, peace, happiness in being a mom. I asked myself, “What do I need to do to achieve that feeling — that intention.” I needed to prioritize communication with my husband and children. I needed to prioritize self care. I need to prioritize healthy habits. I needed to prioritize saying no to things I didn’t want to do. I needed to prioritize setting up boundaries. And by doing those things, I
achieved happiness in being a mom and enjoying my four kids individually. More importantly, I continue to practice those things, and I continue to find happiness in the small things of being a mom.
New Year’s Resolution that Extend Beyond the New Year
The the most important part of the way I set up my vision/mood boards is that I make them so that I can accomplish them throughout the year and throughout my lifetime.
- I start with an intention. It can be a word, a feeling, a vision; it doesn’t matter. But let that guide everything else.
- I make it visible so that I can see it, visualize it, and achieve it.
- I think like a teacher, or architect, or engineer; and I backward design. I imagine myself at the end of that year and think about what I want to feel, where I want to be and then I think about how I can achieve that.
- I take a picture of my board and have it on my phone. I do this especially if I have clear goals, or a somewhat difficult intention.
- I give myself grace if it’s not working out. This is the most important one because if I feel like I’m drowning with no way out, I will inevitably frown. But If I notice I’m struggling I put on floaties, I ask for help, I readjust, and I stay in the shallow end until I can figure out how to achieve he vision/mood board.
No matter how you do your new year’s resolution, just remember that at any point in the year can be a new beginning. Your vision/mood board isn’t set in stone and you can add on to it. Halfway through 2023 I added this to my mood board. I realized I needed a reminder of how to be OK with being lost.
How are you going to start the new year? Are you going to have a word? Create a list of goals? Or are you going to join me in this mood board idea? Let us know in the comments!
