Happy New Year, friends! I hope your year is off to a flying start.
When I first created my original vision board printables three years ago, I did it because I wanted to create something pretty and inspiring as a gift to you to start your year. I had no idea they would be so popular and end up being shared over 29,000 times. (In fact, a lot of you are probably here because you signed up to receive those vision cards!)
They’ve been updated a couple of times, but I thought it was high time to create an entirely new set of free vision board printables for you this year.
I’ve always been a bit of a self-help junkie. It probably comes from being an introspective personality type – I enjoy self-analysis and working on personal growth. Reading paperback novels will always be my first love, but I enjoy listening to non-fiction books on Audible as I’m driving, folding laundry or going for a run.
One of the most helpful things I heard last year was from Dr Amen’s “Change your brain, Change your life.” He says to ask yourself two questions:
- What do I want? and
- Will my behaviour right now get me what I want?
So simple, right? And yet SO powerful. I took a page in my journal and wrote down what I want. Essentially, this is your life goals. I wrote down ten.
Then it’s just a matter of checking in with yourself to see if your daily actions and choices actually align with your goals.
To help me do that, I’ve started a habit of writing out my goals every day. It’s amazing how fast we forget what we want. When you remind yourself EVERY. SINGLE. DAY of what you really want, it becomes easier to check and and ask the next question…
Is my behaviour right now getting me what I want?
The thing to recognise here is that there is nearly always a conflict between what I want MOST (those life goals we wrote down) and what I want NOW.
At any given moment, I don’t particularly FEEL like heading outside for a run, or putting down my phone to engage with my kids, or closing the pantry door and eating a carrot, or sitting down at my desk to work.
What I want NOW is whatever feels good right now. I want a chocolate, or a glass of wine, or to scroll mindlessly on my phone, or to ditch the work and watch TV.
But what I want MOST is to be fit and healthy, to build a successful career doing what I love, to parent with intention, and so on.
Hence the quote card to remind you: choose what you want MOST over what you want NOW.
I have truly come to believe that this is the absolute cornerstone of success. It’s the tried-and-tested concept of delayed gratification in a nutshell.
I hope you enjoy these free vision board printables. Stick them up on a corkboard so you get a little daily shot of inspiration.
And if you’re serious about going after your goals this year, I really, seriously want you to check out the Dreams by Design planner I created to help you do just that.
Remembering what we want most and checking in to see if our behaviours line up with that is hard, because we all get distracted. We forget.
We spring back into the same well-worn habits, as if our brain is an elastic band and the second we lose concentration on those goals, SNAP! Straight back to where we were before.
That’s why I created a planner that helps keep your goals front and centre of your mind.
I am a Mum of four and I’ve been blaming mummy-brain for my distractibility for years. (I wonder how long I can keep blaming it? My youngest is two. I feel like I’ve got a few more years yet.)
I’m naturally day-dreamy and scatterbrained, so this sort of long-term focus is hard for me. I wanted a way to create follow-through, all the way from those big life goals and dreams right down to the monthly, daily and even hourly choices that will get me there.
I invented the Dreams by Design planner because I couldn’t find a system that could do this. The most unique feature is the way the monthly goals physically fold out, so you can keep them right in front of your eyes as you plan your week. There is no better way I know of to keep your big picture goals front and centre.
It also cuts down on all that mental noise that comes from simultaneously feeling overwhelmed by everything you have to do, and not knowing what to focus on next.
With Dreams by Design, you will always know what to do next. The planner walks you through structuring your week to find time for your biggest priorities; creating daily routines; and tracking the habits that will get you there. I hope you’ll check it out here.
Make sure you let me know in the comments – what are your goals for this year?
I have a few. It’s going to be a big, busy and exciting year. This post is already long enough so I’m thinking I might share my goals in a new post – if you’re interested! Let me know in the comments!
Okay, here are your free vision board printables! Click the button below the image to download. I hope you like them. Enjoy, lovelies!!
Oooh, thanks Karen. Your designs are always beautiful and inspirational!
Oh thank you so much Bec! You’re such a sweetheart!! xo
I love these, thank you! I’ve never been good at setting at obtaining goals so I’m going through a few courses and there is a online moms conference that starts tomorrow that I signed up for so hopefully I’ll do better! I have so many “goals” I’ve just gotta narrow it down 😁
Yay, that’s awesome Rachel! I hope it helps you focus in. I have the same challenge. I found “The One Thing” by Gary Keller to be really helpful for me in that area. All the best with your goals this year! xo
Thanks, Karen. Really inspiring and lovely!
So glad you like them, Roxana! 💜
I love these! I post them up at home and work!
That makes me so happy! Love seeing people use something I created. xo
Thank you so much. These are beautiful and inspiring!
Thanks Tamalita, hope you enjoy the inspo this year! xo
The “just start” one is my favorite.
Yes it’s a message I need to remind myself of often! I probably should’ve also made one that says “Just finish” – ha!
Wow. Thanks. Really nice. Happy New Year1
I’m glad you like them Alison! Happy New Year to you also! xo
I love your printables. I set goals every year and check how I am doing during the year. But sometimes I feel that I am exhauted. In such cases beautiful motivators help. Dr. Amen’s books also motivate well. About 7 years ago I translated 3 or 4 of them into Russian. I still take fish oil when I need extra energy))
Oh wow!! That is amazing! I started taking fish oil after reading this book as well. 🙂 xo
Thanks so much Karen for the gorgeous printables. I’m just in the process of doing my vision board for the year so they have come at the perfect time! I must admit i’m a huge reader of self development books too (I always find some really great practical advice and have learned so much) but haven’t read the one you mentioned so will add that to my list this year! I hope 2019 is a wonderful year for you and your family 🙂
Thanks lovely Lisa, I hope your year is amazing also!! xo
Getting back on the horse again to try and lose weight. The printable “Choose what you want most over what you want now” will be my mantra!!!!
Go Vanessa, cheering you on!! (P.S: ME TOO!!)
Hi Karen,
I’m loving my Dreams By Design 2019 planner! However, I have realized I didn’t use it as efficiently as I could have last year in terms of goal setting and follow through. I wonder if you can do a blog post, or maybe there already is one, about how you use it in the best way (other than your promotional video about it). For example, how long to do take to sit down at the start of each year / month/ week to think through your goals, steps to implement them etc. Do you take time each morning, or the evening before, the day begins to plan your day? Any other tips would be great!
Thanks,
Maria in Melbourne
That’s a great idea Maria, thank you for the suggestion! I will give some thought to this! xo
Thanks for sharing! I started a Vision Journal last year and I continue to add to it. I add in key words of what I want or pictures of things I like to serve as a reminder whenever I need some inspiration!
That’s awesome Jessica! Love the journal idea!! xo
Thank you.
You’re so welcome, lovely Denise! xo