January felt like a long, drawn out month for me. Many times I did not know if I could keep up with all the enthusiasm I had during the holidays, but everytime I look at my vision board that I created with my free vision board kit, remember why I set those short-term goals. I set them because I wanted to put more energy into things I love, and things that will get me to where I love. I remind myself of the intentions I set and that helped me get back on track.
Quick Goal Check In.
I wanted to check in with my readers. How is your first week of February going?
Are you keeping up with your goals?
Are there areas in your daily routine that you’re struggling with?
Reminder that you have all year to work on yourself and set new intentions. I’d love to hear from you!
Vision Board with Me! How to Create and Use a Vision Board to Manifest Your Best New Year Yet!
Happy New Year! In the past two years I have been making vision boards to visualize all my dreams and goals for the year as a constant reminder of the expectations for myself. I didn’t know that when I first decided to make one in 2018, I would manifesting my dreams into reality. I am here to share with you all how I create a vision board that works!
Start off With A Plan
Before cutting and pasting random magazine clippings, create your vision board with intention. Use my free vision board kit to get started! Write down your goals for the year in categories, and where you will find images and texts to place on your vision board. Go to your local dollar store to get all your supplies and solid color (or white) Bristol board.
Look for Specific Pictures Online
I love going on Pinterest to find photos because the search algorithm is very specific. Search for key words that you wrote on your first page of the vision board kit and see what pops up. You want a good balance between visual photos, artwork, key words and quotes. Resize them in a word document so your not wasting too much paper printing larger than needed visuals.
Create Your Own Clippings
I sometimes open up the word document and type out my own positive affirmations or key words that I want to be or achieve. Being specific with your goals with words so you can easily understand your vision board a year after is key to manifesting exactly what you want. Don’t forget to type out the year in big numbers too!
Organize Your Vision Board into Sections
This step is very important to clearly understanding your goals everyday just by looking at your vision board. Try to group similar goals in the same area. In my vision board kit, I’ve organized my goals into four main groups: career development, fitness and health, family friends and loved ones, and self-care/mental well-being (including spirituality). That helps the board to not look to overwhelming. Also, do not feel the need to finish the board all in one night. Take breaks if needed, or have a second look at the layout the next day before gluing it down.
Hang It Up Somewhere You’ll See Everyday!
I like to put my vision board right next to my door so every morning when I leave I see it. It also makes for great decor in your room or home office space.
Reminder
You do not need to accomplish everything on your vision board on the first week of the new year.
The difference between new years revolutions and setting yearly goals, is that your goals are a process. Your job is to plan how you will accomplish those goals, and you have all year to work on it!
It’s all about your mindset.
Think of everything that is on your vision board as goals you have already accomplished. Say present tense verbs like I HAVE or I AM rather than “I want” when you look at your vision board everyday. Your mind is a powerful entity and once you start believing you have it, you will get it!
Schedule smaller goals inbetween.
Create smaller, more obtainable goals to get to your big goals on your vision board first. This helps with creating good habits and a routine, so you’ll be ready when the blessing comes around. This could be adding content to your portfolio as soon as it’s done everytime, or updating your website regularly, so that when am opportunity pops up you will already have everything up on your website ready.
Celebrate the wins, and stay positive during small losses.
You win some and you lose some. You may not get everything you desire right away, but it is all about timing. Trust the process that when the right opportunity does not come, you now have better feedback for something better. Take it as a lesson to grow and become a stronger, better you. Sometimes it is not about what you get in life at that moment, but how you react. Have gratitude for all of the blessings that have already passed through your life and what is to come.
Sincerely,
Arienne J
Are you thinking of making a vision board or already started? Let me know in the comments!
and there were a few ideas I had that I didn’t feel motivated enough to complete. However I found that the goals that were on my 2020 vision board that I saw everyday, reminded me that I deserve to be my best. Those goals were more likely to get completed that any other. Vision boards are great in visually seeing your goals everyday to keep you motivated to complete short-term and long-term tasks. Organize all your new years’ goals in one place and create a PLAN to achieve them. So no matter what happens in 2021, you can build good habits everyday to keep a positive attitude that you DESERVE get it done. You DESERVE to be that elevated person.
What Will Be in the Vision Board Kit:
Reflection between this current year and the new year
Guiding you through finding content for the board: such as positive statements, photographs and illustration reflection
Vision Board kit/template is owned and created by Arienne Johnson. Even though this is a free product, this may not be reproduced or sold anywhere outside of ariennevisuals.ca.
When I graduated university a few years ago, I was freelancing and applying to several creative agencies. When applying for web and graphic design jobs, one of the job applications had an assessment question that still stuck with me today: what is your creative process?
I never actually thought about my process. What I do from start to finish that is consistent in every project. I also did not think it was as necessary to know as I do now, but having a clear process made the work become WAY easier throughout my years of designing.
What is a Process?
According to Merriam-Webster, “to subject to or handle through an established usually routine set of procedures.” A process is a procedure of creation, from conception to final result. Several people have processes in their everyday routines. Having a process is human nature but we never stop to think what our current process is, and how we can actively perfect it to increase our productivity.
My Personal Creative Process
Research
This is where I gather all the information and expectations of the project needed. This includes asking the client or project manager what is the final goal. I then research elements of the project I am least familiar with, and I look at how other creators’ (or people in the field) projects, to see how they went about completing similar projects.
2. Idea Conception
This is one step I rarely skip: getting inspired. I search creative designs and concepts to get an idea of what is it there and to help spark ideas before starting. I have a list of websites and apps that give creative inspiration, feel free to check them out!
3. Creation I start to create. Sometimes I start one with one idea, than another idea sparks. Depending on the timeline of the project sometimes I have multiple versions.
4. Feedback and Revise Getting feedback with a draft is so important for my piece of mind. I like to show my progress so I know I am going in the right direction to my stakeholders. We can get so anxious in showing a draft version of our work, and end up completing it without micro-revisions. Criticism is good if it is constructive and clearly communicated, and can help the end result to look even better.
Reflection Once the project is done, it’s always nice for me to reflect back for next time. This is how I (try to) grow as a person and become better. In a way, this is personal feedback from myself, and is an underrated step. I also like to upload my work online (when I get the chance) and add onto my list of skills if I learned something new.
Create Your Stress-Free, Efficient Process Today!
What is your creative process right now? What step in my creative process so you think can be added to yours? I’d love to hear in the comments below.
Holidays are around the corner and so was post cyber monday deals. I encouraged a lot of my readers to start different forms of entertainment that do not require staring at a screen this winter. One of those things was journaling. Journaling has proven to release stress and is a great way to express yourself without judgment or approval. Journaling is an art form.
I personally love creating junk journals with random stickers and clippings. My first junk journal was gifted to me by my cousin who hand made one and passed it on to me, and I was really grateful for the sincere gift of writing creativity.
To help kick off your journal or to get a gift for a friend, here are some fun journal items and accessories you can get off of SheIn.
Fun items to Kick Off Yours or Your Friend’s Journal
Hello World! Many developers know that term to test the waters of the website or application they are creating. This first blog post is to introduce myself, show you my design journey and test the water of blogging.
Where Did I Learn to Design?
My first introduction to photoshop and photo manipulation was actually in elementary school. We had computer classes that my library teacher was obligated to teach, and compared to the other children I had very little experience to mac computers, Adobe programs (if they were even owned by Adobe at the time) or typing at the speed of my other peers. Even though I knew I was interested in media at a young age, I was not interested in that class.
Soon after, many school boards cut computer classes out of their curriculum, so I did not jump back into using design or photo manipulation until my high school communication technology class. My teacher Mr. Hughes was super chill, and comm tech was by far my favourite class because I could finally express myself without the limitation or pressure of a grade. I also discovered I can be a creative without being a traditional artist, because lord knows I cannot draw. At that time I became interested in film, TV, design, and digital media.
I went to university for media studies and during the summer breaks I took a few freelance design jobs and an internship. THAT is where I really learned how to learn to design – by doing it. There is so much you can learn while being on the job and being the only graphic designer in an organization.
Was University as a Creative Worth It?
Going to the University of Guelph-Humber; a small school known for collaborative hands-on programs, was by far my best school decision because I received a college diploma and bachelor’s degree together. Sitting in a lecture was not my favourite way to spend my four years but still I love to learn; and having that critical lecture knowledge on top of the hands-on computer labs, studio time and projects really put me ahead.
I can admit, university is not necessary for me field unless you love going further with your knowledge and want to eventually teach. It is just a piece a paper that presumably makes your resume look better than designers who are self-learners. However there is an accountability aspect in post-secondary learning that forces you to learn a lot of information and skills in a short amount of time, that most people would not learn on their own. I always say, if you were to waste your time you might as well waste it in school, because the same four years you take working part-time while teaching yourself how to use Adobe Illustrator from YouTube, you could learn from a professional and have a project to back it up.
What am I Up to Now?
I am working at a shipping and trucking company as an in-house graphic designer, as well as a customer service rep and telephone order taker. I am currently expanding my knowledge in user interface design and hoping to specialize in product/digital design. I recently made a Dribbble account so feel free to follow my digital portfolio there!
Arienne Visuals 