How To Set Realistic Goals and Creating a Vision Board to Match

Here’s how we’re going to create simple goal setting without any rules. Because we’re not looking at the SMART, WOOP or PACT method. I honestly didn’t know all of these existed until I looked it up. But what we’re going to focus on instead is 2 steps and then journaling it out.

I believe there are good reasons to use the above methods when starting out. But you’ve been at this goal setting and wanting to create lasting change for a while now. So what if we have a bit more structured fun instead?

So we’re going to fill out a Wheel of Life, do some visualization, write down your goals, ideas and feelings, and then create a vision board.

But let’s start with getting clear on your goals first!

Wheel of Life

The first thing we need to do is check in on your life. How are things looking, honestly?

I’ve attached a copy of a Wheel of Life I’ll be referencing that you can download and use yourself. But the goal here is to be really honest with how you’re feeling about things, and how nourished you feel about it.

Not good or ok, but nourished. You know when you do or eat something that not only tastes great but makes you feel great too, like you’re doing something good for yourself? That’s the goal here.

You’ll notice that the topics aren’t just about health, but your career, relationships, finances, hobbies, etc. All of these things affect how you live your life and, yes, approach the healthy goals you’re setting.

Be sure to honestly fill this out because it’s going to not only help you now with setting goals, but also give you something to focus and be aware of. You may not have even thought that a certain area of your life was really draining you until you’ve filled this out.

So step one to success and healing will always be acknowledging it.
And then we can move onto taking action.

Visualization

Now that you’re clear on where your life is at currently around certain areas, what do you WANT life to look like?
Looking at each area in that circle, how do you want it to improve?
What specific goals do you have for each?

And from those goals, what would it FEEL like to have them in your life and be living with them?
How does it feel to be confident in your body, to be safe with money, to have friends who truly get you, to have a career you enjoy, to have hobbies that bring you joy, to feel truly stress free and like you have a say in your life?
What does she look like with all of this? Does she walk differently, talk about herself and life differently, choose different things, have a different coffee order, what is she like?

And from that, from those goals and those feelings, it’s time to create a Vision Board!

How to Create a Vision Board

My all time favorite way to create a vision board is by scrolling on Pinterest.

So create a new board with your 2027 Vision Board, 2027 Goals, My Future Self, whatever you want to call it. And in each area of your Wheel of Life, based on the goals you have for that area and the feeling you want to have from accomplishing that goal, I want you to look up the vibe of that. Get creative and start scrolling!

Does financial freedom mean you have a wod of cash, or does it mean a cozy night in ordering food?
Does being strong mean entering a competition or race of some kind, or going on long walks and hikes through different national parks?
Does stronger friendships mean yearly girls trips, or cozy coffee dates to talk about life?
Does healthy eating mean extravagant or simple home cooked meals each night, or weekly meal prep with a clean fridge?

The goal is to find images that give you the feeling of what accomplishing and living with the positive outcome of that goal is like. Save any and all images that speak to you.

Once you’ve gone through them all, you can start saving the images that REALLY speak to you to your phone or computer.
If you don’t have Pinterest, you can also do this with Google or Dupe Photos can give you the aesthetic you’re looking for as well.

The 3 Types of Vision Boards You Should Have

Now it’s time to create your Vision Board for the year! The goal is to pick your favorite pictures that you feel REALLY connect with the life you want to be living.

In order to create your options, I recommend either Canva for laptop and phone backgrounds. You can also make a collage on Pinterest if you don’t want to download the pictures onto Canva.
I don’t know if you’ll be able to make a laptop background on Pinterest, but it’s up to you.

The goal with the multiple background collages and physical one, is that you’re going to see these goals, this future dream life daily.
You’re going to remember what it was like when you first visualized that dream life. And over time, you’re going to be making choices to experience that in real life.

Of course, I would love for you to join me in the Year of Health and Hobbies where we’re going to take actionable steps each month in order to create it too. But looking at these pictures each day, even subconsciously will help you find ways to bring this to life.

Laptop Background

Whether you have a paid subscription to Canva or not, you can easily make a collage.
Paid will give you different templates to start with if you’d like, but just start dropping all the pictures you want to use, quotes, colors, everything.

From there, just have fun! Start adding everything in, make some bigger or smaller, adjust and move things around so it feels nice.
I also recommend adding a couple of things that you already have in your life to your vision board too.
For example, I added a picture of my partner and I. We can always work on our relationship, but I’m so happy and grateful to have him in my life, I want that reminder that this relationship is what I wanted and now I have it.

So add things you’re already grateful for in your life as well. This will prove to yourself that good things do happen, goals to get accomplished, whether they’re big or small.

If you want, you can add the year, title it “Dream Life” or whatever word you want to embody for the year.
Once you’re ready, you can download it and save it as your background.

I also started doing a monthly laptop background because I found a fun template on Canva. I update it each month with new reminders, calendar, and anything else. If you want to change it up, it’s also a great option!

Congrats, one done!

Phone Screen Background

This one is going to be similar to the above collage, but just smaller. I recommend only focusing on your top 4-5 goals for the year and putting those pictures as your phone background.

Since the screen is smaller, we want to be picky with what images we choose so as not to make them too hard to see. I still would choose 1-2 pictures of good things already in your life, or goals you’ve already achieved.
Again, to prove and remind yourself that it’s possible.

You can choose a specific design or just put them however it feels best for you.
Once you’re down, download that picture, send it to your phone, and decide if you want it on the lock screen, main background or both.

Choice is yours. Now on to the fun final board!

Physical Vision Board

This is going to be a new addition to my vision boards this year. And I want to make a fun night out of it! Whether it’s with my partner, sister, mom or friends, I think this could be a fun date night/girls night activity!
Pop some bubbly, grab the snacks, print out pictures on your printer or Walgreens and go to town!

I’m planning on printing them out at Walgreens so they’re actual pictures (like the texture if you get what I’m saying) compared to my printer. Just personal preference, but otherwise I would use the same printer I use for my Fitness Crafts and it works great!
But after printing out my pictures that I used for the first two backgrounds we made, plus extra is I want, I’m going to decide how big I want it.

Normally you would get a poster board and just go to town, but I want to do it a little different. So I’m going to choose a frame size, either from the Dollar Tree or Target, and base my vision board off of that.
Because I’d like to hang it up! I want to protect it and see what happens as the years go. So make this one big.

The first two vision board backgrounds were more focused on what you want in the next year. Of course they might take longer than a year and that’s totally fine.
But this one, I want you to focus on what do you want LIFE to look like?
Is it bigger than what could be accomplished in a year?
Is it crazy to think but you still want it?

I want this one to be a big dream that you’re shooting for. And just like with anything, it could change. But what’s the big dream life plan? Make that your physical vision board.

Make it a party with others, or make it an intimate thing for yourself. Still grab the fun drinks and snacks, put on a playlist or a movie that inspires you, and start creating your collage. 

Imagine what it would be like to live this life.
Imagine how it would feel to have these things and experiences be a part of your life.
Imagine what walking through life as this person would be like.

And then when you go to hang up this picture in the frame, feel those feelings every time you look at it.

The goal with vision boards is to be physical representations of the future you want to create. To hold those dreams and feelings of the future in something you look at every day.
Then those big dreams don’t seem so far away.
Those big plans seem tangible.
Those big questions start to be asked.
And one day you look up and realize some of those things are starting to take shape. Maybe not exactly as you had pictured, but they’re happening. And then you’re inspired to keep going, and keep going, and keep going.

And that’s how your goals and dreams are going to come true this year!