Hey everyone! I hope you’re all doing amazingly! Let me know what’s new with you all, down in the comments! š¤
Before we get into this post, I just want to give a shoutout to my friend Rachel, at Joyful Creations! She just began an awesome podcast and has several episodes up already! I highly recommend Rachel’s podcast; she’s well-spoken and insightful, and passionate to share about her faith and the way she lives out her faith. I’m excited to see her future episodes! (Find Rachel’s launch post on her blog here!)
Now, let’s proceed with the post! š¤
Earlier in 2021, I found myself on a quest to design the perfect inspiration board. I did a bit of research, scattered craft paper and magazine clippings across my bedroom floor, and proceeded to make the most cluttered, mishmash poster conceivable! It was so much fun, but I soon decided to go for something a little simpler!
Why are we so attracted to the “Vision Board” or “Inspiration Board” idea? We like to think that we can be inspired to do great things, just by looking at a picture. Its quick. Its easy. And, for aesthetic purposes, we like to think that it can be beautiful too. These are the assumptions, for those looking on Pinterest or at other’s vision board projects; that we too, can be productive with our vision board.
But how many times does this strategy fail? I would suggest that it fails more often than it succeeds. With the pretty pictures, pretty handwriting, cute little list of goals, and other little notes on the infamous wall-mounted rectangle, we can slowly become used to and disillusioned with what used to be our favorite project.
How can we create an inspiring vision board with quotes, goals, and beauty? The answer is, most of the time, we can’t.
We could, if quotes, goals, and beauty were the essence of our lives. But they’re not.
Our lives are not always raindrops and bokeh and waterfalls. We’re not always smiling, hair perfectly pinned up, fashionable scarf positioned just right. We don’t always feel like writing assignments, working out, or cooking supper. And forget about always being inspired to do chores!
We get uninspired. We get sad. We get disappointed when we don’t see progress, and consider giving up on our goals. We get tired. We fall down. And sometimes, it feels like too much work to get back up again.
That’s why our inspiration boards have to be more powerful than our own desires. That’s why we can’t rely solely on our inspiration boards to give us inspiration when we don’t feel like pushing the pedal to the floor.
Our inspiration has to be so powerful that it makes us do what we don’t want to, when we don’t want to, knowing that its for the best. Knowing that afterward, we will feel energized and motivated and pushed to accomplish what we predetermined to do, because it is good.
So, for the believer in inspiration, how can we craft a meaningful, truly inspiring vision board? (Which also fulfills the “beautiful” criteria?) It has a lot to do with how we see the vision board.
If we see the vision board as a crutch to help us up when we fall down, it isn’t going to be a very dependable crutch! But if, when we look at it, seeking motivation, if we remember what it signifies, perhaps we will do better.
An inspiration board signifies hope, hard work, and happiness. It signifies power, perseverance, and perfection. It signifies faith, fitness, and firm foundations. And while we may never fully embody some of these traits, they certainly form a worthy goal, and at the very root of it all lies one truth;
“An inspiration board does not inspire you to be something you’re not. It reminds you to stay true to who you are.”
So who are you? Who do you want to be?
Are you a hard worker? Are you a committed believer? Do you call yourself a child of God?
Then stay true to that. Stay true to what matters.
And then, when you fall, you will be more motivated than a simple glance at a pretty collage could accomplish. You will recognize that regardless of your feelings in the present moment, you must stay true to who you are and what you love, and the God who gave you strength to fight for the Truth.
(I hope you all enjoyed this post and found some gems to take home! Let me know what you think! Also, stay tuned for the next post; How To Craft And Design A Vision Board!)
Yah's Girl 