You can use whatever material you want, as there’s no rule to making visual representations of your goals and dreams. But for us, we think the old-school method of cutting out pictures from a magazine is still among the best. Why?
Well, here are 11 benefits of using magazine pictures for vision boards.
11 Benefits of Using Magazine Pictures for Vision Board
If the thought of collecting magazines, flipping through hundreds of pages, and finding images to put on your collage of dreams seems tasking, you might be tempted to make a digital vision board instead. However, as convenient, fast, and accessible digital boards may be, we still believe in the magic of using actual magazine pictures.
Here are 11 reasons why using magazine pictures is still one of the best ways to manifest your dreams into reality:
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BROADENS YOUR MIND
We have ideas about what we want our dream life to look like. It’s often influenced by the environment and society we live in. If we live in a place that values material things, such as having a Ferrari or Porsche and a penthouse, our goals might look the same. If we grow up in an environment where living on a homestead is the ultimate goal, then our dream life might be like having a ranch and living sustainably.
When you start looking for images for your dream board, you will gravitate to images that limit your imagination. If you make a digital board, you’d most likely use keywords such as “homestead,” “ranch,” or “million-dollar penthouse.”
However, when you use multiple magazines, you are exposed to different kinds of images, ideas, and lifestyles, and it can help broaden your mind. When looking at magazine pictures that go outside of your bubble, your dreams might look slightly different from what you’re used to having.
Using different magazines can make your dreams bigger and better, and it can give you ideas about a life you may never even thought was possible.
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CHOOSE IMAGES THAT SPEAK TO YOU
Intentionally looking for images for specific ideas you have in mind is limiting. Your ideas may be rigid, but when flipping through magazines, it’s the other way around. You can have an immediate emotional connection to an image you didn’t even look for.
The idea behind the Law of Attraction states that everything in the world is energy. And when wanting to attract the life that you want, you must emit the energy of your desires.
When looking at pictures in a magazine, you may resonate with certain images because of the energy they emit. You might not understand why an image of a baby speaks to you, but you cut it out anyway. Later on, you’ll realize that you’re pregnant. This is because everything is energy, and certain images and objects match the energy you’re emitting without you even knowing it.
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TANGIBLE AND HANDS-ON
Whenever you do things with your hands, you are using different senses. You use your sense of sight, touch, hearing, and so on. But you also use physical energy and your thoughts, and it takes you a considerable amount of time.
When making a plan for your goals or dreams, you need to give it time. And when you’re collecting magazines, flipping through the pages, choosing pictures, and cutting them out, you exert a lot of time and effort.
This act alone is helping you achieve your dreams. The more attention and focus you give to your vision board, the more effective it will be because you are imparting these positive thoughts into your brain.
The more you think about your goals, the more you’ll be inspired and motivated to achieve them.
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YOU CAN START IMMEDIATELY
If you have magazines lying around, you can start working on your vision board immediately. You don’t have to buy magazines from a store, you don’t have to download software or apps, and you don’t have to learn how to use collage-making software.
Simply cut out pictures, and start making your board.
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EFFECTIVE VISUALIZATION AID
Magazine pictures on an actual board mounted on a wall is an effective visualization aid. By placing your board in a spot where you get to see it frequently, you don’t have to make an effort to see it, versus a digital vision board where you have to open your phone.
Visualization aids are effective in motivating you to go after your goals. Dr. David Hamilton, Ph.D., wrote an article entitled: “Visualization Alters the Brain and Body.” In the said article, Dr. Hamilton states that the brain cannot distinguish between something that’s real and something you’re just imagining.”
He further shares an experiment conducted by Harvard scientists. The study involved brain scans and imagery of two groups of subjects. The scientists taught the first group a simple combination of piano notes, while they told the second group to imagine playing these notes. Both groups were told to “practice 2 hours every day for 5 days.”
At the end of the experiment, the scientists discovered that the brain scans of both groups were exactly the same. The study concluded that whether you practice in real life or simply imagine it, it has the same effects on the brain.
So whether you’re simply imagining you have $10,000 in your bank account or you have it in real life, your brain thinks it’s real. And when you believe it to be real, you are emitting the energy of having this exact amount of money.
And remember that energy is key in the Law of Attraction. Emitting the very same energy will help you attract the very same thing you want to have in your life.
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LESSENS DECISION FATIGUE
When you have billions of images at your disposal, such as using Pinterest to make your dream board, it can result in Decision Fatigue. It can be hard to choose the exact images you want to put on your board because there are just too many options.
Whereas when using magazine pictures for a vision board, you are only dealing with a limited resource of images. And when you use a board, you are giving yourself a predetermined space to fill, so you have a structured blueprint for how many pictures you can only use.
Using magazine pictures will lessen the stress of making your dream board.
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FUN AND TACTILE
Putting together pictures, playing with colors, using glue, adding embellishments, and simply making a tactile project can help squeeze out your creative juices. Studies also show that crafting has been shown to improve mood, boost self-confidence, and reduce overall stress.
Additionally, crafting has also been shown to improve mental agility and reduce cognitive decline. Aside from being an effective method to manifest your dreams, vision boards using magazine clippings are also a great way to improve your mental health, making you feel happier.
And again, the act itself is a great way to emit positive energy, boosting your chances of attracting your dream life.
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PERFECT FOR VISION BOARD PARTIES
The National Vision Board Day is every 2nd Saturday of January, and what a perfect time to host a vision board party with family and friends. If you want to create your very own kits for your party, there’s nothing better than using pictures from a magazine.
Collect different kinds of magazines for different categories, and enjoy flipping through the pages with the people in your life who matter most.
Get to discover new goals and dreams, amazing ideas, and cute pictures to use for your boards. Magazines are perfect materials for any vision board party, where everyone can sit down, share their dreams, and visualize their dream lives together.
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LOW COST
Using magazines for your board is inexpensive. You don’t have to buy the latest issues as there are lots of back issues being sold by magazine stands, supermarkets, and even Goodwill sells them by a quarter each. You can also visit public libraries that may give them out for free, or you can ask friends if they want to get rid of any piled-up magazines they have at home.
But best of all, you can use magazines lying around the house so making your board won’t have to cost a thing if you already have craft supplies.
Even if you don’t have an internet connection or an electronic device, you can make a vision board with magazine pictures.
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MORE THAN JUST MAGAZINE PICTURES
Magazines aren’t limited to pictures only. You can also use the text on titles of articles, cute print ads, and quotes, or bring together different words to make affirmations. Aside from images and words, you can also make use of cute images such as clip art and cartoons found in magazines to make your board even more aesthetically pleasing.
Using magazines is like having pictures, quotes, and clip art all from one source.
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ANYONE CAN USE IT
Many boomers find it hard to use apps or certain software, and if you’re not technologically savvy, you may also have issues using digital vision boards, collage-making apps, and computer-aided software.
Cutting out magazine pictures can be done by anyone, including kids and the elderly, which makes it an accessible material. Everyone deserves to make their dreams come true, and using magazine pictures makes it possible for everyone at every age to make a vision board from scratch.
There are more benefits to using a magazine for vision boards but these are the best reasons to get started. There are also magazine kits designed for vision boards, such as The Vision Cloud’s Vision Board Magazine Kit, which contains a magazine with over 500 images of 9 different categories for different kinds of vision board themes.
The magazine is just like any other magazine, with pictures, quotes, and affirmations. We’ve also written a brief on this kit, which you can find here.
