We are finally putting 2020 behind us. It’s been a long year. Many made resolutions back in January that had to move to the back burner as we switched gears entirely by the spring. But crossing the threshold to 2021 gives us a fresh start. A clean slate. And one way we can do that for ourselves and our girls is to create vision boards to allow us to manifest how we wish to spend the year. 

Self-care also became a big topic throughout the pandemic. Concerns about health, safety, and the inability to see friends and family made it difficult to get through the year. So even as we begin to see hope on the horizon, we want you and your girls to set goals for clear intentions and positive thinking by using this visualization tool. 

What is a Vision Board?

Do you remember making collages as a kid? You cut out images from magazines and pasted them on posterboard to create a story or design. That’s the concept behind a vision board. People use them for all kinds of things. Interior designers, for example, will create them to give a homeowner the vision of how they want to design a living space. 

For you, and your girls, a vision board can be made to visualize what it is you want to manifest in the coming year. And after a stressful and complicated year like 2020, we believe a vision board dedicated to self-care is a great project. 

What is Self-Care?

Self-care has been advertised to us as taking a long hot bath or eating chocolate when we’re stressed, but that’s not exactly what the term means. Self-care is about making healthy choices for your mind and body even when outside forces are creating stress and anxiety. 

And for 2021, taking time to understand self-care, what your body and mind needs, and share that experience with your girls will be important. A vision board can help you get started with your self-care goals for the year. 

Materials to Get Started

Creating a vision board taps into old-school arts and crafts skills. To get started, you’ll need:

• Posterboard or cardboard cut to size
• Scissors (Safety scissors for younger girls) 
• Magazines and other materials to cut
• Glue such as glue sticks or white glue

You can also use markers, crayons, or colored pencils to add words or drawings to your vision board. 

Once you’ve collected the items you need, you and your girls can flip through the pages to find images that reflect your ideas for self-care moving forward. Cut everything out that appeals to you to consider for your final collage. You can help younger girls cut out the things they like and set them aside for the next steps. 

After you’ve gathered the images, you can make a design or build a narrative around self-care on the poster board by gluing the pictures down. Once the board is complete and the glue is dry, hang it somewhere you can see it throughout the year to remind you of your self-care goals for 2021. 

Digital Media

Some girls, especially older girls interested in computers or graphic design, may want to engage in a more technology-forward version of the vision board. Using programs like Photoshop or Canva, they can design a board using images they find online.  They can add text and other elements to enhance the design. 

If you’re unable to print the vision board, save it as the wallpaper on the computer they use every day. 

We would love to see your vision boards. If you make a self-care vision board for 2021, share a picture with us online.