2020 VISION
It’s a brand-new year ladies and gentlemen, a brand-new year.
Now we’ve finished wishing for everyone else’s year to be ‘happy’, it’s time to switch it back on ourselves for the moment and figure out how we can take the right steps to ensure our own year is a positive one…
This time last year I hosted a vision board workshop and as much as I enjoyed the experience of empowering others to fill their future selves with goals, motivation and hope, I realised the reason I decided to host the workshop in the first place was because I too needed a piece of the pie. Only thing was, I was so busy facilitating the workshop that sadly I didn’t get a chance to create my own vision board – classic example of not following our own example.
This year my approach to the new year was slightly different and so instead of hosting another, I made the decision to attend a vision board workshop and focus on me and just me. What’s more I genuinely forgot to take my phone along (which is a big thing for me as I usually document pretty much everything through photos/video and social media) and so for the first twenty minutes or so I was experiencing ever so slight withdrawal, however soon realised that this was a sign and was meant to be – I had no distractions for the next three hours, whilst I focused on my year ahead, my wellbeing and my goals for the future – pure liberation!
For those who have never come across a vision board, it is basically a way of goal setting and documenting your visions for the year ahead and these can be both personally and in business. It’s your board so it can contain whatever resonates with you, for example you may want to travel more in 2020, self-develop in a particular area or renovate your home. You could have a material goal, such as that dream car or to de-clutter, re-vamp your image and replace your entire wardrobe.
A workshop like this allows you time to shut off from the real world for a few hours and become immersed in your own creative thoughts and aspirations, plus you may even gain inspiration from others around you also in attendance – or not.
I (unusually because I am a natural networker) kept myself to myself on this occasion and felt compelled to really focus on what I wanted out of the coming year; both personally and professionally. Cue me flying through the pages of business, travel, life and home magazines, ripping out photos/imagery like there is no tomorrow and cutting and sticking like I was back at art college on a goal setting mission.
Before I knew it, I had a pretty impressive A3 sized board filled with colourful images and positive affirmations! It seems that my goals without even really realising it prior to attending the workshop are to fill my 2020 with more travel, healthier food, country hikes and creativity.
Of course I set myself regular challenges in business and have exciting new plans for several aspects of my existing businesses, but what I found came through the strongest on my board that day was the focus on my own self-development relating to my business, networking and event training and consultancy, writing and speaking. The brand of Fiona Duncan-Steer – my journey in business, culture, health, creativity and wellbeing, all summed up on that little bit of paper. Pretty mind-blowing really, but I’ve put it out there now and now I am accountable, so I’ll make damn sure I tick each and every one off my list and you can too.
You don’t necessarily need a workshop to create a vision board if you have the self-motivation to get it done, however attending a pre-organised and structured workshop will keep you on track, allow you the chance to step away from your routine/usual surroundings and most certainly inspire a new way of thinking, if just for a few hours out of your busy life. What have you got to lose?
Look out 2020 here we come!
Fiona Duncan-Steer
For more information on vision board workshops, 121/small group sessions and business/networking/event consultancy contact Fiona www.fionaduncansteer.co.uk www.rsvipnetwork.co.uk