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Despite it being Q1, to me the last three months of the astrological year (January-March) are meant for reflection and envisioning. The collective energy of Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces asks us to root ourselves in structure while thinking outside of the box, and dreaming of a new season. As you know I avoid many “new year” traditions, but I strongly believe this is the perfect time to vision board. To me vision boarding is more than just “manifesting” new material things or an attempt to girl boss my way to the top (which was how I once was). I approach vision boards more as mood boards now, evoking feelings, memories, or things I want to see around me. My 4 rules for vision boarding are:

1. They have to be living
2. You have to see yourself
3. Be specific
4. Evoke emotion

For my complete rundown on the art of vision boards check out last year’s blog post:

The Art of Vision Boards

Reflecting on last year:

I love assigning a chapter in life a word, and last year it was JOY! On my vision board was lots of dancing, travel, and images that symbolized childlike joy. When I think back on the last 12 months, I’ve experienced so much joy and in so many different ways.

• traveling all summer with friends and solo traveling
• so much fun and laughter with friends
• countless adventures with my family
• seeing my siblings get engaged!
• watching the seasons change the countless times I drove the country roads back and forth from my aunts to my moms
• being my cousin’s maid of honor
• walking and dancing in the park
• all my little things
• making my nephews halloween costume
• running babblings
• creating a home wherever I go
• the many times I took pictures of my desk that looked like my pinterest pins without doing it on purpose
• & more!

One of the big visions I had last year was going back to school. I was just thinking about how this time last year all I wanted was to go back to school and run babblings. And that’s exactly what I’m doing today. It’s not exactly as I pictured and there’s still farther I want to go, but that’s the great thing about letting life guide you, the universe will provide what you ask for but it won’t always be in the way you pictured.

And sometimes your dream isn’t ready yet. Some of my vision boarding last year was focused on a new home and romantic relationships. This is why I don’t think vision boards should always be limited to a set of time. I’ve gotten parts or glimpses of what I want in the last year, but now seeing where life has taken me, I understand why the timing is different than what I wanted. Sometimes I think we understand what we want or where we’re going but not how long it will take. Which isn’t a bad thing. Just because it’s not happening right now doesn’t mean it won’t. You can check out all of last years boards in the post I linked above. Home & relationship boards are still in the rotation.

Looking ahead:

This chapter is all about FREEDOM! I’ve shed so much the last few years emotionally, mentally, and materially. What no one tells you is how freeing it is to get rid of all the strings tying you to one version of your life. When the puppet is cut lose, you start again and decide exactly what you want. Going back to school 10 years after I graduated high school feels bizarre. But also now that I’ve worked through all the messiness of your early 20s, I can create a new world for myself from scratch.

Last week I talked about Trump’s new world order, well here’s mine!

I’d love to know in the comments what your envisioning for this next chapter and what routines/rituals help you achieve them. See you next week for a podcast about WHY THE CHILDREN (& adults) CAN’T READ!

xoxo,

Ali Ann