VISION BOARD

You may have heard of a vision board at some point in your life. It's meant to be a visual representation of what you would like to have or experience in your life. It can be material things, relationships, spirituality or really anything else that matters to you.

You can use photos that you have, images from magazines or from the computer. Feel free to add a few words that are relevant to the photos or use words if you can't find the right image to convey your vision.

Try doing this on a large board that will allow you to use larger images.  Place it somewhere in your home or office so you'll be able to see it every day.   You could also try a smaller version in a journal or small notebook so that you can carry it with you and have access whenever you need a reminder about your priorities.

Have fun creating this. See what excites you as you reflect or look through magazines. Start to create the image of the life that you want for yourself and/ or your family.

If you're not inclined to use images, perhaps write a few pages about how you envision your life. If you do decide to write, be as descriptive as possible to convey how passionate you are about the life you are creating and be clear about what it is that you wish to experience.

DREAMS AND GOALS

What do you want your future to look like — a year from now? Five years from now? How about ten years? Maybe you have or would like to start a list of lifetime goals or dreams.

Some people like to use the term "goals" to make things seem more concrete and legitimate. Others find that label too formal or constricting and prefer to think of the future in terms of dreams.

Choose the label that suits you — dreams, goals, aspirations, desires or intentions and come up with as many as you can for the four time periods listed. These can be related to many areas: personal growth, career, relationships, travel, finances, giving back, health and lifestyle.

Start by coming up with all of the things or experiences you want to have in your lifetime. Don't edit your thoughts. Then you can determine the timeline for achieving each of these.

Writing down your goals and dreams can be very powerful. The process of thinking about what you want, being able to articulate it and to put a timeline in place can make these

intentions become a reality.

LIFETIME  GOALS/ DREAMS

1.     (come up with 10 to 20 )

GOALS / DREAMS FOR THE NEXT YEAR

1.  ( aim for 5 to 10 )

+ 3 steps you can take this week

GOALS / DREAMS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

1. ( aim for 5 to 10 )

+ 3 steps you can take this month

GOALS / DREAMS FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS 

1. ( aim for 5 to 10 )

+ 3 steps you can take right now to set things in motion

Enjoy doing this and think about creating your life the way you want it!

HOW TO FIND INSPIRATION

How can we find inspiration in our daily lives?  Full days, responsibilities and reality may leave you worn out and uninspired.

When we're in the moment of something inspirational, it feels effortless.  Sometimes we need a bit of help to get us to a place where we can become excited and motivated.

While it is certainly individual, here are some suggestions to help get you started:

Meditate Daily
Even if it's for three minutes, clearing your mind of the incessant thoughts and worries can allow more freeing and inspiring thoughts to enter.  Find a way to meditate that works for you in terms of comfort, mantra and breath focus.   Walking meditation is great for those who prefer not to sit still, and being in nature is almost guaranteed to relax you and allow you to take a breath.  Even sitting and petting your animal can bring you into the present moment.  Get out of your head and allow inspiration to come to you.

Read Motivating Books of Watch Uplifting Movies
For some people, a distraction is needed to get into a more present state.  You may enjoy a self-growth approach or prefer to read about or watch other people's stories.  If something speaks to you, whether it's the author, characters, images or referrals from other people, check it out.

Get Away For a Few Days

Sometimes taking a step back from our current reality can be helpful to gain perspective.  A day or two in a new environment away from work and other responsibilities can help to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit.  When you have a chance to slow down, priorities often become clearer.  The trivial things in life fall away and we are left with the awareness of what really matters.  If you can't get away, try to take a few days off of work and explore different areas of the city or try things that you don't normally do.

Spend Time In Nature
Find a place that has natural beauty and spend as much time as possible in that setting.  If you feel like being active, hiking or canoeing are good options.  Sketching, reading or just sitting in nature also gives a sense of calm.  The fresh air and change of scenery can do wonders for energy levels and reduce anxiety, which results in clarity of thought.

Figure Out When It Is That You Feel Inspired
Is there a friend that you have great conversations with that leave you excited about life?  Do you thrive in social settings or when you're in a quiet place by yourself?  Do certain places or events trigger an optimistic attitude that anything is possible?  Spend a s much time as possible in or creating these experiences.  The excitement and / or peace that you feel is really your inner voice speaking up and telling you that you're on the right track.

Come up with ways that you personally become inspired.  Keeping a list is helpful when you're in a place where you know you need to change your head space but aren't quite sure how to do it.

MY LIST

LIVE LIFE WITHOUT REGRETS

What will you regret not doing in your life?  Sometimes the fears that we have can stop us from pursuing our dreams.  Is there anything that you can think of that you would regret doing or not doing in your life?

When you look back over your life, will there be experiences that you wish you would have had or risks you would have taken?  Most people regret what they didn't do, not what they did.

Create a list of experiences that you do not have now but would like to have in your life.  Experiences can be doing, having, seeing or becoming.

Once you have your list, determine the experience that you would regret the most not having.  Think about what it would feel like to have that experience.

Come up with 2 steps that you can take today that will allow you to create this experience.

Life is short - it's important to enjoy it, to contribute to others, to feel inspired and to feel like you're living on purpose.