Wouldn’t it be sweet if we woke up one day and everything we’ve ever wanted is ours? That would be the life, right? However, did you know that only 8% of the world’s population is living the life of their dreams? That’s only 8 in every 100 people, which means the majority of the world’s population live their lives never fulfilling their dreams.
Ben Chai, an expert strategist, believes there are ways you can become part of this 8%, and the number one thing you need to do is to have goals and categorize them.
In this article, we’ll present to you 9 dream vision board categories for your dream life. These categories are based on a survey conducted to determine what people really want in life.
HOW WE CAME UP WITH THESE 9 CATEGORIES
What do you want in life? Is it money, cars, or traveling the world? Global career and leadership coach Kathy Caprino aimed to answer these questions.
In a survey she conducted with over 1,600 respondents, she discovered 9 different things people desire the most in life. These categories are based on a series of questions the respondents answered, with the key question being:
“If you could say in one word what you want more of in life, what would that be?”
The results were astounding, with respondents answering everything from confidence and freedom to happiness and joy.
We also believe these 9 categories lead to a dream life, and that is why we present to you the results of the survey, in the hopes of using them on your vision board will help you achieve the life of your dreams.
For most people, a dream life is elusive and impossible. But with vision boards, you can take that first step to become part of the much-coveted 8%.
9 DREAM VISION BOARD CATEGORIES FOR YOUR DREAM LIFE
Here are the 9 dream vision board categories we believe can help you achieve your dream life:
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HAPPINESS
The survey revealed happiness is the number one thing people want in life. People say this is the hardest goal to achieve. One of the reasons why it’s elusive for most people is that they don’t know what makes them happy in the first place.
People tend to look outwards in search of happiness, but Caprino states because of this, happiness is always out of our control. When we seek happiness outside ourselves, it becomes a moving target, with no possibility of ever acquiring it.
Caprino states that happiness can be achieved within yourself. Sometimes, being happy with what you have now can be the answer, and not the job promotion, not the relationship, and not the new house.
Happiness is a state of mind. To create a happiness vision board, ask yourself what activities bring you joy. Is it engaging in a hobby like baking or woodworking? Maybe going to the beach brings you happiness?
Look for images that depict the things that bring a smile to your face and put them on your board. Yes, you can put cars and houses, but you should also look for images that depict the emotion of happiness, as well as activities.
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MONEY
Caprino studied people who had millions in their accounts and people who struggled to get by. She discovered that no amount of money made people satisfied. Even millionaires were never happy with the money they had in the bank.
This means it’s important to know the exact amount of money that can make you happy. Think of this number and once you have it, be grateful and feel the satisfaction, rather than giving in to the desire of wanting more.
If you want to live a life of financial freedom, think of an amount you believe will give you financial independence and place that on your vision board.
We’ve also created a great blog where we talk about how to be financially free, which you can find here.
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FREEDOM
Freedom to do whatever you want is another desire in life. The freedom to choose what to do, whether to work or travel, wake up late every day, or follow your true passion is something that most people desire.
However, most people are also deeply scared of taking the leap to achieve freedom. Most people are so comfortable in their current lives that they are willing to forego running after their dreams, so they get stuck in the rat race.
For your freedom vision board, think of the things you’ve always wanted to do. Feel the emotions of having true freedom to live your life, and put that on your board.
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PEACE
A study published in the journal Frontiers of Psychology revealed that the desire for peace and life satisfaction increases with age. If you are below 60, you may not appreciate the desire for peace, but it’s one of the very things older people desire in life.
Life is so full of chaos, especially when you’re juggling your professional and personal life that your stress levels are so high you get depressed or suffer from a preventable illness.
For your peace vision board, choose images that evoke a sense of peace, such as meditating, doing yoga, hiking in nature, or living in a beautiful home.
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BALANCE
Balance in work and life is something that most people desire. They may not want complete freedom since they also find fulfillment in their careers, but they also don’t want to be exhausted from suffering from burnout.
Finding the balance between work and life is a dream life for many. For your vision board, create a collage of images that depict happiness at work and in leisure time. Use an equal number of pictures for each to create a vision of balance.
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FULFILLMENT
Fulfillment is defined as satisfaction and happiness as a result of reaching our highest potential. It is the feeling of having something good and useful for society by doing our best. This can be hard to achieve, as this is the highest need in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
According to the theory, self-actualization is only achieved once you’ve fulfilled all of your other needs of stability, security, love, and belongingness.
However, just because it’s challenging, doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Make your fulfillment vision board by choosing images you believe can contribute to your desire for fulfillment. This can include volunteering, creating a charity, joining a non-profit organization, or simply making a change in other people’s lives.
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CONFIDENCE
It’s natural for people to have a “negativity bias.” We may be very good at something but when one comment says we are not good enough or that they aren’t happy with what we did, we often tend to lose our confidence.
In fact, 72% of women executives suffer from Imposter Syndrome. Confidence is elusive and the ability to stay confident despite failures and adversities is something that most people desire.
Create a confidence vision board by cutting out images of strong people that have achieved success despite obstacles and adversities in life.
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STABILITY
Stability in a job, relationship, career, or business is one of the major needs of man according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, but also in the survey. However, Caprino states that most people’s idea of stability is similar to their idea of happiness – which is outside yourself.
Caprino then says that there will never be stability if you believe these are based on things that we can’t control. You may have a stable job but in just one instant, it can all go away with a lawsuit or a major drop in the stock market. You may have a great marriage, but one instance of betrayal can break it down in one second.
The only thing you can be sure of that can remain stable is you. You will never be able to control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to it.
Your spouse may leave you but if you have a stable mindset, it won’t cause you to have a mental breakdown. If you lose your job or money, you know you can always look for another job or get back on your feet.
For your stability vision board, look for people who’ve lost everything in life only to come out stronger. These people may have had their lives ruined at one point, but their stable mindset kept them standing up fall after fall.
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PASSION
And lastly, people desire passion in their life. It could be passion in their job, relationships, or daily life. Passion is what makes people feel alive. Finding something that makes you want to wake up and start your day is something that a lot of people lack. But the trick to finding this passion is creating meaning in everything you do.
When you go to your job, think of how you’re affecting the lives of your customers. Are you making a difference?
For your passion vision board, choose images that make you feel like you have a purpose in this world. When you know you can make a difference by doing something, you now have a reason to wake up and do things every single day of your life.
These 9 categories can help you build your dream life but if completing each one of them seems overwhelming, you can always begin with just one. Eventually, as you achieve your vision board goals, you can continue making more.
A vision board kit with hundreds of pictures can help you create these vision boards. The Vision Cloud’s Vison Board Magazine Kitis a great option with over 500 images and words you can use for your vision boards containing these 9 categories.
This kit includes everything you need to make a vision board, but best of all, the kit is reusable. The mounting putty that comes with the kit allows you to attach, remove, and re-attach images on the board, while the magazine with pictures has enough images and words to complete your dream life vision board/s.
Becoming part of the elusive 8% will not come easy, but if you have the goals and motivation to create your dream life, it can be done. Start building your dream life today with vision boards that work as a tool to help you get you there.
