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This week, my planner shows a quote from Genevieve Berhrend: “Visualising is the great secret of success.”
With the arrival of a new year comes new resolutions and dreams (aka visualisations).
Like many of you, Scott and I are looking ahead to a time when we can start dreaming of new adventures and destinations again.
Although we all still have to wait a little longer before jetting off to new places, there’s no reason why you can’t start dreaming and visualising now. For both this year and beyond.
That’s where a travel vision board comes in.
It’s a place where you can make a note of your wildest travel dreams (and your more realistic travel goals) and be reminded of all the adventures you want to have one day.
A place where you can build your very own travel bucket list – and make it happen.
Keep reading to find out how to create a travel vision board… and why they’re perfect for heralding a new year.
What is a travel vision board?
A vision board (sometimes also called a dream board) is a collection of images, pictures, affirmations and inspiring quotes to help you manifest and realise your dreams and desires.
And a travel vision board is just that – but obviously for your travel dreams, wishes and bucket list.
All kinds of people have endorsed vision boards including Oprah Winfrey. But they’ve gained huge popularity over the years particularly since the bestselling book “The Secret” was published.
This book explains the idea of manifestation or the law of attraction. Tell the universe what you want, and so the book says, the thing you want will come to you.
It’s not always easy and our negative thoughts have the power to change the path we’re on or manifest other things. Unwanted things.
But the idea is that the universe wants to move heaven and earth to give you what you want. And when you can visualise what you want, the universe becomes that much more powerful to help you realise your dreams.
“The law of attraction is forming your entire life experience and it is doing that through your thoughts. When you are visualising, you are emitting a powerful frequency out into the Universe,” explains Rhonda Byrne in The Secret.
The power of travel vision boards
All kinds of people visualise their dreams and ambitions.
Top-performing CEOs regularly talk to themselves in the mirror about their dreams and achievements.
Athletes frequently visualise themselves winning races and competitions.
So why shouldn’t you visualise all the places you want to travel to and all the things you want to do?
This is where a vision board comes in – or in this case – a travel vision board.
By spending time creating a vision board and displaying it in a prominent position within your home, you’ll find it easier to visualise your travel goals and desires.
Lots of people think vision boards hold a certain power while others think they result in people spending too long dreaming and not enough time actually going after what they want.
I think there’s truth on both sides.
While I’ve created plenty of travel vision boards over the years to help me focus and hone in on what I want and where I want to go, making one would have been pointless if I hadn’t also gone after those dreams and made them happen.
Maybe then you can think of your travel vision board as a “travel action board” instead?
Either way, if this sounds like something you want to create this year, keep reading for tips and ideas to help you manifest all your biggest travel dreams and wishes via a travel vision board.
What should you put on your travel vision board?
Your vision (or action!) board is yours. So what you put on it is completely up to you.
You also have the choice between making a physical board to hang up in your home or a digital vision board.
We’ll go through ideas and tutorials for each. But either way, you’ll need to collect things that help you to visualise what it is that you want, such as:
- Magazine or brochure cut outs of dream destinations and activities. Use a combination of words and pictures.
- Travel quotes and affirmations that inspire you.
- Inspiring stock photos or free photos from online of places you want to visit or things you want to do. Pixabay, Unsplash and Burst by Shopify are all good websites to use.
- Icons and symbols to show you what you want like planes, passports or suitcases.
Or maybe you’ve already been somewhere and want to visit again one day, so you have your own photos or even mementoes from a previous trip you can use?
How to create a travel vision board
If you want to make a physical travel vision board, then here’s how to do it. The section afterwards has advice for creating digital travel vision boards.
Travel vision board supplies
- Large art canvas or piece of thick card
- Your collection of images, quotes, cut outs, etc
- Glue stick and scissors
- Acrylic paint in different colours (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Plan your travel vision board.
Will you use it just for travel-related dreams and ambitions? Or will you create something that reflects different parts of your life alongside your travel goals?
When I made my first vision board a few years ago, I had two sections related to travel (for must-visit destinations and specific adventures I wanted to have one day like scuba diving). But I also included sections for health and fitness, relationships and careers.
The choice is yours, though, so go with what you’ll find most inspiring.
Step 2: Collect your sources of inspiration.
Whether you’re using magazine or brochure cut outs, images printed from online, travel quotes written down or printed out, start by gathering everything you want to find a home for on your vision board.
You might have more than you can fit. But that’s okay as you’re going to prioritise if they can’t all fit on the board.
OPTIONAL:
If you want to paint your canvas or card then do so now. As I had different sections to my board, I used a few different colours of paint to separate it all out. But you don’t have to do this. You might find that your images and words stand out better if they’re on a white or cream background.
Step 3: Arrange your cut outs and glue them to your canvas or card.
Without glue for now, start arranging your cut outs. This is the artistic bit where you’ll want to display your pictures and affirmations in a way that makes sense to you.
But the most important thing is for everything to be clear and to stand out so nothing’s forgotten or missed when you look at your board.
Once you’re happy, glue everything down.
You’re now ready to hang your travel dream board where you’ll see it every day such as your kitchen, office, bedroom, hallway, or even on a wall you walk past on your way to the bathroom.
Top Tip:
Have you considered getting some friends or family together (when it’s safe to do so) and creating vision boards together? Some people call it a vision board party, but this could also make a fun stay at home date idea for you and your other half.
How to create a digital travel vision board
Of course, you don’t have to create a physical travel vision board for them to work.
Pinterest is like the social media of vision boards, so that’s always a good place to start.
Or you could even get artistic with a free tool like Canva, where you can create a collage of images to use as your laptop background or screensaver. They even have templates you can use.
Just as long as you still display your vision board in a prominent place where you’ll see it regularly, it’ll work just as well as a physical vision board.
FAQs about travel vision boards
Has your vision board worked?
Yes. And no.
The same year I created my vision board, I met Scott – and he’s everything I’d written down in the love and relationships section of my board: funny, loving, kind, thoughtful, honest, intelligent, romantic, loyal, adventurous, I could go on.
We’re also married now, which was another word I included on it.
And while I’ve also ticked off a lot of the goals and dreams I had back when I created my vision board, I was also in a very different time of my life.
I was interested in studying for a Masters in English so I could go on to teach. This was years before I knew I wanted to be a travel blogger.
I also don’t think I paid enough attention to the health and fitness section of my vision board. While I developed better habits, I chickened out of running a half-marathon (even though I’d signed up for one and had been training for it).
I think this is where action needs to happen, not just visualisation.
Although I do believe in vision boards and the law of attraction and manifestation, I do think we need to take an element of responsibility for our own destinies and actually go after our dreams.
After all, I certainly wouldn’t have travelled as much as I have had it not been for actually booking hotels and plane tickets.
Likewise, the half-marathon wasn’t going to happen if I didn’t turn up on the day.
Visualisation should breed action.
Should you keep your vision board private?
Only you know the answer to this. Do you feel uncomfortable sharing it? Then don’t.
Just as long as you’re looking at your board regularly and using it to visualise what you want then that’s what matters.
What is the best vision board app and how do I make a free vision board online?
My two go-to tools for digital vision boards are Canva and Pinterest because they’re free, easy to use, and you can design some colourful and powerful boards with them.
Final thoughts on travel vision boards
If you’re reading this, then the chances are pretty high that you’re interested in creating a travel vision board.
But if you’re new to the concept, the last thing I have to say is to believe.
That’s one of the most fundamental “rules” when it comes to visualisation and the law of attraction.
You have to truly believe you’ll achieve whatever it is you want. Otherwise, you won’t be able to visualise your dreams fully.
“In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” – Lewis Carroll
Looking for ideas on what to put on your travel vision board? Check out this fun travel bucket list or these inspiring travel quotes.
Did you find this DIY travel vision board tutorial helpful? Why not bookmark it now, so you can make your very own vision board later!
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