The new year is a natural pause point. Everyone stops to think, “what’s next?” With the new year already in motion, it’s the perfect time to set goals in a low pressure, creative way.
Mood Board vs Vision Board: What’s the Difference?
A mood board is a visual depiction of feelings, goals, and the vibe you want to set. Many get confused between a mood board and a vision board, so here’s some clarity: a mood board focuses on feelings and aesthetics, like how you want life to feel, while a vision board focuses more on goals and outcomes, the things you want to achieve. Most people end up making a hybrid without realising, which is exactly what I did too.
Finding Images and Materials That Feel Right
Some aesthetic images plus a few scattered goals is honestly the best combo. It doesn’t create too much pressure to fulfill aims and puts feelings and vibes first. A lot of people like to print out pictures and make messy overlapped boards with textured materials like seashells, lace, dried flowers/leaves, stickers, washi tape, buttons, beads, etc. Most people (my friends and I) just scavenge for things in our house no-one needs, usually recycling stuff that’s about to be thrown away. You can also purchase things from art stores or anywhere cheap really.
Digital vs. Physical Mood Boards
If your board is digital, you can use multiple fonts, doodles, and even lower opacity so picture layers peak through. If it’s physical, you can handwrite, paint, use tape, and add textures. At the end of the day, more is better. It makes the board feel more alive. For instance:
Tip: Always collect more than you need, whether it be digital or physical; trust me, you’ll need it if you don’t have it.
Personal Touches That Make It Yours
Adding a tiny mirror to your boards is a brilliant idea; it signifies what goals you accomplish and the improvements you make to your life, are all because of your hard work. It also teaches self-love, which I feel is a depleting concept in today’s time.
One of my favourite ideas that I implemented last year was a photo frame that holds the essence of me. I’m more of a Canva Collage girly than a stick and paste one, so I bought a plain photo frame, painted it burgundy, and added cute miniatures like seashells, buttons, some leftover necklace charms, and a mini typewriter I found at a store. Essentially, I decorated it with things that were “me” and printed out my mood board to put it in the frame.
I couldn’t find a clearer, less dark picture (it broke recently so I don’t have it anymore, but I love the concept and will be remaking it).
Image Credit: Dhritti Jain
How to Choose and Write Goals?
Easy. Focus on direction instead of perfection. Where do you want to be a year from now? Don’t make unrealistic goals for yourself (those end up being demotivating when you realise you won’t be able to reach them in a year).
One misconception I absolutely abhor is that vision/mood board goals have to be completed in a year. I think it’s 10x better to have stepping stones. There’s a high chance you won’t be able to complete some goals in a year, so break it down in steps; have it on your board yearly, like hiking checkpoints till you reach the peak.
Write in Your Voice
No sweet “I manifest…”, but rather some blunt words. Forced positivity gets us nowhere and sugarcoating only attracts ants. A simple understanding: if it sounds like a Pinterest affirmation, it probably doesn’t belong on your board.
If you don’t know where to start, here are some phrases you can include on your board:
- Show up
- Do the work
- Discipline > Perfection
Let Your Mood Board Evolve With You
I’ve made boards every year since I was a kid and one thing I’ve learned is that it doesn’t need to be “perfect,” it needs to be you. It doesn’t need to impress anyone else; it just has to feel honest. Choose images that make you feel, and words that sound like your thoughts, not just trends and aesthetics. But most importantly, keep your board in a place where you can view it daily; to remind you of your goals and give a tiny bit of motivation every day.
The best boards aren’t about becoming someone new; they’re about slowly coming back to yourself.
