Let’s be honest, January usually means a long a list of unrealistic goals and resolutions that fall flat by mid-month. For years I did this, too, going crazy at Christmas, telling myself that in January I would get back on track with healthy eating and exercise. And, because I am ambitious, a perfectionist and an optimist, my New Year’s resolutions were always hugely far removed from achievable reality, which only lead to failure and disappointment. Not such a great start to the Happy New Year!

These days, I begin the year in a much more positive and fun mindset with no diet or strict exercise regime in sight. Everyday I make a promise (a daily resolution) to myself to do the best I can, which is quite straightforward and much easier to accomplish, making my goals more achievable while leaving me feeling more positive about myself. With this method, I can celebrate the small changes rather than beat myself up for big failures – a simple but empowering shift.

With the pressure of unachievable goals gone, the doorway to a more optimistic start to the year opens, which leads me to today’s blog: Vision Boards, a space that serves as a visual exercise to remind you every day what you want out of life.

The New York Times did a piece a few years back – “Olympians Use Imagery as Mental Training” – about elite athletes using visual exercises to improve their performance, and The Secret, the best selling self-help book, claimed, “When you are visualising, you are emitting a powerful frequency out into the Universe.”

So, over the last four years, visualising has been a lovely practice that I have enjoyed and even involved my children in. To create your own 2017 Vision Board, follow these simple steps, set aside some time and explore your own creative flow.

Materials

• A board: cork, hard or large cardboard.
• Craft tools: scissors, tape, glue, markers, stickers, decorations, and pins.
• Inspiration material: mantras, quotes, postcards, pictures, places you want to go, images, personal photos, anything really.
• Time: Give yourself a good hour to put it together but, more importantly, plenty of time beforehand to get clear on your intentions.

Before you start

• Spend some time visualising what is most important to you in your life.
• Grab a pen a paper and answer these questions: “What “unrealistic dream” do I want to achieve this year?
• What phase, quote or motto resonates with me to inspire and encourage me this year?
• Challenge yourself to think outside your comfort zone about your most unrealistic dream, as these are the most powerful ones.
• When you are collecting your material to create your vision board cut out pictures (try Googling images for inspiration), phases or photo’s that you like and represent your vision.
• Focus on times in your life when you felt your best; what memories are connected to these feelings, smells, people, places, tastes?

Putting together your board

• When you have collected all the items you want to include, create a space to bring your vision to life on the board. Burn a candle and listen to music, if you want.
• Place the materials roughly where you want and then move them around until you feel comfortable and content with the layout. The rearranging can take a little time but enjoy the experience, tap into your creative flow. Pin it when you are happy with the position.
• Put your board somewhere you will see it on a daily basis, and use it as a base for visualisation and meditation practices. If this is a new concept to you, my advice is to experiment with having fun and be open-minded to the possibilities this powerful tool can bring.

Share your visions for 2017 on Instagram by tagging monaco_life. For more inspiration and healthy habits, head to naomis.kitchen

Article first published January 8, 2016.

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