Vision Quest

This is a sign that now sits in my front hall.  I had to have it and it screamed out to me from the front window of a gorgeous little boutique shop in Coatesville.  I was coming back from the milk run a few months ago and the message rang out loud and clear.

Sometimes we plan, but we forget to believe….or perhaps we believe, but forget the hard work that goes into manifesting our dreams.  Or maybe, we still haven’t figured out what we’re looking for (if you put your hands up for that one, you’re definitely in the majority!!).

By now, the phenomenon of The Secret is old hat,  yet the publication of the book ( an appearance on Oprah certainly didn’t hurt!) created a world wide frenzy of  manifesting  with people madly writing out cheques for obscene amounts of money, writing out life affirmations, and creating Vision Boards peppered with goals of wealth, success, and fame.

I have always loved the idea of visuals.  Nothing gets me fired up quite like a colorful display of images and words linked together, fueling the soul to create.  I have written several affirmations in my life which have mostly come true.  What I find amazing is that things I have written down and manifested ended up not always being what I was looking for.  In other words, I may have thought x or y was what I wanted when in reality it wasn’t quite cracked up to what I thought it would be.  For instance, when we lived in Dubai I kept dreaming of a “bigger house”, and specifically wrote down that I wanted a large 5 bedroom house.  This is exactly what I got, and while I love our home, at the time of making that a strong vision in my mind, I forgot that it didn’t come with a cleaner (yes, that would be the one I left behind in Dubai!!! lol).  To be fair, it’s not a huge house and it’s not hard to clean BUT I soon realized after moving in that we could have bought a smaller house and been just as happy.

So, I guess my point is that when you are making that “ask” and putting it out to the Universe, it’s always good to be specific and really know that this is what you want.  You know the saying….”Beware what you wish for”……..

It’s always good to reassess what growth, riches, and experiences you would like in your life at any given time.  Creating a Vision Board is a great tool to bring these ideas together and to evoke the feeling that they will soon become a reality.  There are many different uses of a vision board including brainstorming for writing, gaining inspiration as a blogger, or setting long term goals.

Recently, I was lucky enough to be invited to a Vision Board making workshop where we got together, grabbed some magazines and were able to create our own boards in a group setting.  Tessa, from Harmonia (who we are blessed to have living around the corner from us!) set up this afternoon workshop and provided guidance for those who were new to the concept and a safe haven (away from little people!) for us to cut and paste to our heart’s desire.

At several points in the session there were questions of “how to” or “how does this work” and I think the beauty of it is that there really is no RIGHT or WRONG answer here.  Cut what inspires you, whether it be a word, a picture or a color.  Choose what appeals to you and paste it wherever you please.  You may not understand or know why you are posting a certain image or word but it might just be the catalyst you needed to get you on track in making your dreams become a reality.

Most of all, it is a great way to unwind and relax in the company of others and soak up a bit of creativity.  I thoroughly enjoyed creating my board and look forward to seeing where it takes me!

It’s amazing how everyone’s unique style emerges and how our visions are all so different.

One of the greatest things about doing this activity is that it is a environmentally friendly and economical activity as you are recycling old newspapers or magazines and a piece of poster board only costs a few dollars.

There are a few important things to consider when making a vision board that were emphasized in our workshop and these included;

Have Fun.  It’s all about the feeling behind the dream.  Good vibrations help create positive thoughts!

Be grateful for what you already have.  GRATITUDE…..a word that has been used over and over again yet cannot possibly be emphasized enough.  Being grateful puts you in a state of abundance (and isn’t that what we all desire?).

ABUNDANCE….such a good word, eh?  Just like saying it……abundance…..I am abundant, I feel abundant, I have abundance in my life.  AWESOME.

Create your dreams with a genuine desire and not a desperate need.  When your dream becomes needy, the tables can turn and the opposite of what you desire to attract can become your reality (Dreamweaver saaaaaayyyyys……NO!).

I am loving my board at the moment and mainly used words as this is what I am currently inspired by. I love rich colors, and used them to evoke feelings of positivity and energy when I look at it.

One of the girls at the workshop made a brave leap into creating a board as this was something she had always wanted to do but never got around to it (like most of us!) .  She had a lot of space left on her board and I loved that she had the idea that she would add  to it as she saw things that inspired her.  It was a start with the potential of becoming something so much bigger when she decided it was time and I love that she was strong in her conviction that she hadn’t figured out everything that she wanted, but was willing to give it time.   Beautiful, that!!!

Boys and girls, it’s time to break out those magazines, steal your children’s glue sticks, buy yourself some poster board, and start your Vision Quest!!  I’d love to hear from readers about whether or not this is something they have done, or wanted to do.  If you’ve got a great story about something you’ve previously manifested from a visual or written affirmation then I’d love to hear your story. Leave a comment!!

LAVENDER LAUNDRY FRESHENER

On another note, I found this great little tip for freshening up clothing in the dryer (and cannot seem to find the link where I originally found it to give that person credit!!).

Grab a fabric pouch (something light and breathable like linen, cotton, or organza) and place a tablespoon of dried lavender flowers and 2 drops of lavender essential oil inside the bag.  Fasten the bag and throw it into your dryer (I mainly use my dryer to finish off clothes that are still slightly damp and would otherwise go moldy in this lovely damp weather we have in Auckland over winter!).  Not only will your clothes be really soft, but they will smell incredible, and all without all the nasty chemicals (and cost!) of using commercial softeners.  I bought my lavender flowers from Lotus Oils here in New Zealand so I’m sure you will be able to do a Google search to find some in your area.

“Keep your dreams alive.  Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication.  Remember all things are possible for those who believe”-Gail Devers 

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