Self-care is so important not only to our physical health but also to our emotional and mental health. Unfortunately, we live in such a fast-paced and self-sacrificing environment that we often completely forget that we are not robots. And, for the record, even robots need self-care. That being said, it's not always easy to find the time or energy to focus on taking care of ourselves.
As a transformational coach, I’m always looking for ways to help myself, my loved ones, and my clients remember to make themselves a priority. One way to do that is to create a vision board dedicated to your self-care goals.
A self-care vision board is a visual representation of what you hope to achieve in terms of taking care of yourself. It can be filled with images, quotes, and other reminders of what is important to you when it comes to giving yourself the time and attention you need to remain strong, focused,
and happy.
But what does that look like?
Some of you may already have your inner wheels turning as you imagine a bulletin board, whiteboard, or even a brilliantly colored poster board that can be framed and hung. However, if you need a little more inspiration or assistance getting started, let’s take a closer look at how you can create the board and what you can include on it.
Your Self Care Vision Board Template
How you go about setting up and designing your self-care vision board template is entirely up to you. If you feel exceptionally creative, you can go all out designing a board that will catch your attention and make you smile every time you walk by it. However, if you need a little more assistance, consider a quick online search that will help you determine if you like more artistic boards or more structured and organized boards.
Remember that there is no wrong answer! Create a board that reflects who you are, what you love, and the self-care goals you’re hoping to accomplish. I personally use Canva to create custom templates.
What to Include on Your Board
Again, there is no wrong answer. You can include a variety of components, colors, textures, and even entire movies, books, or travel plans in your self-care vision board!
Here are a few items to consider:
Quotes
Images
Workouts or Stretches
Mantras
Meditations
Words that Inspire You
A Reading List
A Watch List
A Travel List
A Rewards System for Goals Achieved
Start flipping through magazines and tearing out any images or quotes that speak to you. You can also look online for inspiration. Once you have a good selection of visuals, it's time to start putting them together on your board.
You can use a glue stick, hot glue, tape, double-sided tape, or whatever method you prefer to put it all together in a way that flows. Remember that this is your vision board - so don’t create it for the benefit of anyone else. It doesn’t have to (and maybe even shouldn’t) make sense to anyone besides you.
Make it Personal
Creating a self-care vision board is a great way to get motivated about taking care of yourself. Once you've put yours together, take some time each day to look at it and think about what you can do to move closer to your goals.
Remember that your board doesn’t have to a) be perfect or b) be permanent. Move items around. As you find new images, quotes, texts, books, textures, etc., that you love, add them! Maybe you need to add a whole other section to your vision board. Maybe you decide to move it into a journal. Maybe you begin a daily video or audio diary that helps you keep track of the progress you’ve made, the mindset changes you’ve seen occur, and the goals you’ve accomplished.
However you decide to move forward with your self-care vision board, the only wrong step is the step not taken. So have fun with it, and before you know it, you'll be well on your way to a healthier, happier life!
If you aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry! Remind yourself that you live in a society where self-care is not prioritized. It’s not something we’re taught in school, and it’s not something that is traditionally passed down from parents to children. This is where working with a Transformational Coach can help you identify areas that need some TLC and how to best go about filling up your cup, gas tank, bank, or however you’d like to put it. I encourage you to consider scheduling a single coaching session with me HERE. It might be the quick jumpstart you need to begin making yourself a priority.