A Vision for the New Year

Once again, we are welcoming in the New Year and for just a moment, anything is possible. It's a time filled with hope, promise, uncertainty and probably a few well-chosen resolutions. We know where we've been and have a pretty good idea of what we want for the future - and the sooner the better! But how do we get there?

Goals are important, of course. Here at West Orange Nephrology, we're all about empowering lifestyle change and creating healthy habits. Goal-setting is a big part of that. There are countless strategies and support systems out there to get us started and keep us on track. In fact, once you finish this page, you can read all about creating SMART goals HERE.

But right now we are going to focus on the BIG picture. What do you REALLY want? Indulge in some day-dreaming. What do you see? Is it... true love... a beach house... new career ... winning the lottery... reuniting family... finding yourself? Those things are HUGE. How can we possibly move toward them? I mean, what would that first tiny step even look like?

Enter, the Vision Board. You may have heard of it, probably even made one. Really. Think about what decorated the walls of your bedroom when you were a kid. Pictures of movie stars? Athletes? Horses? Jet planes? Mine was plastered with pages torn from fashion magazines, teen-idol posters and a map of the world... definitely a vision board.

What is a Vision Board?

A Vision Board is simply a tool that allows you to create a visual presentation of all the things you specifically want to attract and bring into your life. Everything, no limits.

How does it work?

A Vision Board helps train your brain to pay attention.

The reticular activating system sits at the top of our spine and has the job of managing the gazillions of stimuli that bombard us every millisecond of the day. It decides what gets priority (fire!) and what gets filtered out (elevator music). By acknowledging our desires and “putting them out there” we are alerting our subconscious to the things we truly value and reminding it what to focus on.

“Where focus goes… energy flows.”

Making a Vision Board

You need: magazines, a poster board or paper, scissors, and a glue stick. That’s it.

Think about what you want for the future. How do you see your very best self? Then decide whether you want to be guided purely by intuition or prefer to choose specific themes: health, relationships, career, spirituality, family, love, wealth… there is no right or wrong way to do it.

After taking a moment to center yourself, flip through some magazines and tear out ANYTHING that appeals to you. DON’T THINK! Just let your feelings guide you. Nothing appeals to you? Grab another magazine. This is NOT the time to settle.

Got a nice pile? Now, sort through your clippings and pull out any items that you’re unsure about. For now, only hold onto the images which really speak to you.

Time for the fun! Starting at the top of your stack, cut out the first picture and glue it to your board… anywhere. Then continue with the next item, and the next and so on. You can also choose to arrange your pictures before gluing, but if this is your first board, try a free form approach so that you don’t get bogged down in being “artistic” or second guess yourself. If you like, add some motivational quotes or fun stickers and you’re done!

Hang your Vision Board up somewhere that you will see it every day, and often.

Now what?

Be ready to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. You may be surprised at the chance encounters, supportive environments and other good stuff that suddenly pop up. Just keep in mind that achieving the amazing vision you've created will still take work...

a Vision Board may attract, but YOU need to ACT!

PS: We think that cultivating a positive vision is so important for everyone, including our patients, that there will be a vision board station set up in the lobby of our Winter Garden office throughout the month of January. We'll have all the supplies and LOTS of magazines - you just need to bring your vision! You can flip, cut and glue while waiting for your appointment... or just stop in to say "hello" and get creative.