I created my first dream board in 2020 when I was sitting around with nothing to do. And honestly, looking back, almost everything I put on it came true (or is in the path of coming true!).
- I started a business that paid the amount I wanted it to pay me
- I got closer to saving up money for our dream house
- I manifested more cozy Southern vibes from the Magnolia Journal I cut it from (literally — we moved from NJ to Greenville, SC!)
A dream board is one of my favorite tools to manifest your dreams. It’s like this cute little magic window into your future, helping you literally see everything you want to achieve.
Dream boards work by using the power of visualization. Your subconscious doesn’t know the difference between seeing something in real life and seeing a dream board — so the more you show it something, the more it’s going to fill any gap it can to get you more of it.
This aligns with the Law of Attraction (which I first learned from Jack Canfield), which states that the more you think about something, the more you manifest it (yes, even things that are negative).
My favorite part about finding the best dream board ideas is that you get to use your creative skills to make your dream board, so it’s fun too!
We’ll look at ideas for both physical and digital dream boards. So whether you like cutting and pasting or clicking and dragging, there’s something here for you. 😊
Dream Board Ideas: What is a Dream Board?
A dream board, also called a vision board, is a collection of images and words that represent your goals and dreams.
Creating and using a dream board helps you…
- Focus on your goals
- Remember what you’re working towards
- Get a boost of motivation when you see how much you’ve already accomplished
And for creative people, dream boards are extra special. Instead of having your ideas floating around in your head, you can see them right in front of you.
This can spark new ideas and inspire you to take action. You can use dream boards for literally any career goal you have, like performing on a certain stage, being with a specific group of people, traveling to beautiful locations, having your dream studio, and so much more.
Materials Needed
Let’s talk about making a physical dream board. This is the kind you can hang on your wall and touch. Don’t worry if you prefer digital stuff, I’ll cover that below.
Board
The base of your dream board is, well, the board! You have a few options here:
A corkboard to easily pin things to it and move them around.
A foam board, which is more lightweight and easy to cut to the size you want.
Cardboard, which is more budget-friendly.
Think about the size of the board you want and where it will actually go. It should be a place you see every single day, like your bathroom mirror, the outside of your closet, the landing in your home, the inside of your bathroom door, etc.
If you’re stumped on size, a good starting size is about 24 inches by 36 inches.
Bonus: Paint your board your favorite color or cover it with pretty fabric or wrapping paper. I’m all knowing how to make dream board ideas that spark joy for you.
If you’re using a digital board, then you’ll want to create a Canva board with around a 2:3 aspect ratio so you can make this your phone background! After all, if you’re not going to put this anywhere in your home, we all know your phone is going to be your most frequently used tool that you see every day!
Pins/Tape/Staples
Pushpins are great for corkboards. They’re easy to move around and come in fun colors.
Tape works well on foam or cardboard boards. Double-sided tape is extra handy.
Staples can work too, but be careful – they’re harder to change later.
I’m also a big fan of washi tape and it can spark even more joy!
Images & Quotes
The heart of your creative dream board ideas is the images and words you choose. These should represent your dreams and make you feel excited when you see them.
When making a physical dream board I love pulling images from Magnolia Journal. I find they have really amazing images and quotes that I can use to inspire my dream board.
When you’re picking images, go with ones that give you that little heart tremble. If you see an image or quote and have an audible gasp or pause, ask yourself what it is that gives you a guttural reaction. These reactions can help us understand our biggest dreams.
I want to emphasize that there is nothing too big that you use as dream board ideas. If you want a big, beautiful home, to perform in Wembley arena, or to open your own art studio in NYC, put in the heck on there.
Try to create your board with about 20% words and 80% images.
If you’re making a digital board for dream board ideas, Pinterest is great for finding these images and quotes.
Assemble Your Board
Layout
Now that you’ve picked out your favorite images and phrases, think about how you want to lay it out. It should be something that you enjoy seeing around your home.
Think of layouts like…
- Grid: Neat and organized, great if you like structure.
- Collage: Free-flowing and creative, perfect for artistic types. Probably the most popular type when you think of and look up dream boards.
- Minimalist: Clean and simple, ideal if you prefer a less cluttered look. Maybe a few key items, with a background and color that you love. Might look like it’s part of your interior style!
The layout you choose can affect how you read and understand your board. A grid might help you focus on each item individually, while a collage could show how all your dreams connect with each other.
Organization
Organizing your content can make your dream board even more powerful. One way to do this is to group things by theme or goal. You could have all your career-related images in one corner and your personal growth stuff in another.
Color-coding is another cool trick. You could use different colored backgrounds or frames for different types of goals. Maybe blue for career goals, green for personal growth, and yellow for fun and adventure!
You can also create a hierarchy on your board, making some dreams stand out more than others. Put your biggest, most important goals in the center or make them larger than the rest. This helps you focus on what matters most to you.
Laying out and organizing your images and quotes will be super easy on Canva. Just drag and drop around your file until you find a look you love.
Enhance Your Goals
Reconnect With Your Goals
Your dream board idea is a living, growing thing — just like your dreams. Don’t be afraid to change it up as you grow and your goals shift. Maybe you achieve a goal and want to replace it with a new one, or perhaps your dreams evolve over time.
Try to look at your board with fresh eyes every month or so. Ask yourself:
- Do these goals still excite me?
- Is there anything new I want to add?
- What have I achieved? (And celebrate the heck out of it! 🥳)
Add In Affirmations
Affirmations are positive statements that help train your brain to believe in your goals. Adding affirmations to your dream board can make it even more powerful.
Here are some ideas that could go in line with what you’re using your dream board ideas for:
- I am feeling so grateful and full of love as I get ready behind the scenes of Wembley Arena for my headlining show.
- I am feeling so happy and grateful as I cut the ribbon to officially open my new art studio.
- I am feeling abundant and excited as we drive up to our new home for the first time.
You can even add in these affirmations during or after creating your dream board. You can print them out, write them down, or even just add sticky notes around your board.
Add In Mini-Goals
When you’re done creating your dream vision board ideas, try planning a “path” to your big goals using mini-goals via a project management system (or honestly, even your Notes App).
For instance, if your dream board goal ideas include being able to purchase a home to have your home studio in, your mini-goals might be:
- Get a savings account called “Home Down Payment.”
- Auto-draft $50 a week into this savings account.
- Look for additional jobs to add to savings to minimize the timeframe it takes to save up $10,000 (or however much it would cost).
Mini-goals feel a lot like gamifying your goal-setting process and actually bringing your dream board ideas into reality. As you achieve each mini-goal, you’ll feel more motivated to keep going (and it will actually help you create steps to keep going).
Follow My YouTube for More Creative Inspiration!
I could talk about manifesting creative goals for hours. But if you haven’t gotten anything from this, know that you shouldn’t limit yourself on the dreams you put on your dream boards.
If you feel like you are, ask yourself why. A lot of times, the people around us or our family members might want us to be “more practical,” but practicality is not a thing when making dream boards.
If you love talking about manifesting your dream creative goals, subscribe to my YouTube channel! I post new videos full of tips, tricks, and inspiration for all sorts of creatives (like you). 🙌
