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My vision board for 2022 I already knew obviously that I was pregnant. I was expecting my baby in the spring of 2022 and we had had a lot of pregnancy complications leading up to the end of 2021. So a lot of my vision board really centered around just having a healthy, happy baby. And there was a lot of nerves around how things would kind of go down as spring approached. Welcome to Hashtag Skenthusiast the podcast a place for listeners to hear from the experts and soak in tangible tips to get that glow from the inside out. I'm Amy, a skincare educator, practicing dermat and beauty creator who bridges the gap between the consumer and the industry. Listening to the industry's top experts on everything from the best way to spot treat a pimple to the Holy Grail hair products you didn't know you needed to the drugstore finds that are better than luxury price tags. We cover it all here. Dermatologists, beauty and wellness experts, brand founders and thought leaders share their tips and tricks for all things beauty, skincare and wellness. Think of Hashtag sky enthusiasts like the coffee chat with the beauty gurus whose brains you've always wanted to pick. You won't get this kind of insight anywhere else. Foreign welcome to another episode of Hashtag Skinthusiast. The podcast Today's episode was supposed to go live on the 31st, but bear with us, we had some technical issues so it is going live today and it is still incredibly relevant. I am someone who really enjoys goal planning and vision boarding for the new year, but I am also someone who has taken this process well into January and even February before. So if you are someone who is kind of consuming all this content around the new year and feeling behind, don't be. You still have plenty of time to get your vision down on paper or down on technology so that you can constantly have something to refer back to throughout the year to kind of help you visualize your goals. I have been creating vision boards since 2020 and have had some really beautiful moments of realization and the one that always comes to mind when I think about my vis board is in 2022, my vision board for 2022. I already knew obviously that I was pregnant. I was expecting my baby in the spring of 2022 and we had had a lot of pregnancy complications leading up to the end of 2021. So a lot of my vision board really centered around just having a healthy, happy baby and there was a lot of nerves around how things would kind of go down as spring approached and There was one picture I had found on Pinterest of this cute little baby. She was so happy and she had a little shirt on, had her arms kind of over her head. She was probably like six months old. So that was one of the photos that I had put on my vision board that year just to kind of encompass what I was hoping for when it came to the end of my pregnancy. So fast forward to maybe four months after Josie was born. We were on a short flight to Ohio and she was just doing so well. She was always a really good flyer. And we happened to have the middle seat in between my husband and I free. So we put down her blanket and kind of like laid her down there and let her babble. And I didn't realize it at the time until I looked at her laying there in her little Gap shirt that said happy with her arms over her head, her little binky tie tied to her shirt. That. That was almost the exact photo that was on my vision board. And there have been so many other moments that have been similar to this one where it really was just a nod to the process and really kept me focused on my visions for the upcoming years. Because I know this works. It's something that I've seen time and time again. And it's just a really beautiful way to make your desires known to the universe and kind of just encompass all in one graphic what you're hoping the year is going to look like for you. So I wanted to walk you through my process, starting with some of the tools. I use some of the tools you're going to need to follow along. The first being Pinterest, of course. This is how I search for images that align with the vision in my mind's eye. I also use my camera roll to pull photos for. I'm grateful for. I'll be talking more on this later. But I also pull real world snippets that you'll need to edit to reflect and direction you'd like to take. So again, I'll. I'll talk more on this later, but you also need your camera roll. I use Canva to create a virtual board. These can be sized for computer wallpapers, iPhone wallpapers, and even printed on poster if you prefer to see the images live. And I. I really want to emphasize the fact that you shouldn't underestimate the impact of having your vision board as your wallpaper on your phone or so I think a lot of people just assume that your vision board should be in person. And while I do like to have a physical vision board some years. Really what I prioritize is having my vision board on my technology. And that's because even if you're not consciously looking at the board, just subconsciously seeing it every time you open your phone or every time you open your computer really helps. And the first kind of step of the process is I start just brainstorming and brain dumping. So I'll sit down with a notebook or if you prefer, the notes app on your computer for brain dumping, you just start jotting down the most important themes for the following year. So this is kind of exactly how I approach this. So step one would be kind of reflecting and reviewing last year's vision board. So who is the person here today versus the one who created this board a year ago? What realized from last year's board? What am I still working towards from last year's board? And what no longer serves my current desires? So inevitably, every single year, there are things on my vision board that have come true, things that maybe I'm progressing on, but still haven't come fully to fruition. And inevitably, there are one or two things on my vision board that honestly, I don't even want anymore. And I think that this reflection step is really, really important just to kind of look back on how you've grown personally, how you've grown professionally, and understand how your wants and needs have changed since you were doing this exercise last year. I also really like to take a moment of gratitude for everything that did come to fruition and the redirections that might occurred, showing me my true desires. So, for instance, last year I had a lot of brand work and travel on my vision board because I was really excited to delve into some larger travel projects. However, I quickly realized that I prefer really to save those travel opportunities to kind of few and far between and only the ones that are really worth it for me, because it means having to cancel patients here in Miami, it means having to leave my family. And I just really got realigned with what my goals were in terms of traveling for work. So doesn't mean I don't travel for work or don't love traveling for work. But it's not something I'm going to be putting on my vision board moving forward because it's not necessarily something I want to do in excess or really focus on this year. So this is a great time to reflect on how you've changed as a person, how your goals and desires have evolved over the last year. And then I think it's also important to understand limiting beliefs beliefs. So if you're new to vision boarding or manifesting, understanding how the universe is always working for you is incredibly important. I've had to do a lot of inner work on this. I've read a lot of resources on kind of limiting beliefs and how much of what we don't accomplish is really because of our own cap that we put on ourselves, whether it be consciously or subconsciously. So the fact is that well being always flows. It's up to us to allow it, which can be really, really hard, especially with some of the beliefs that have been ingrained in us since we were literally infants. So it's something that I keep working on. It's something that takes a lot of time, but just constantly reminding myself that if something didn't come fully to fruition from last year, it's not because the process doesn't work, it's not because the well being isn't flowing. It's just because I have to continue to work on those inner limiting beliefs that are maybe blocking some of those things from coming my way. So step two I start brainstorming for next year. I sit down with a notebook or my notes app again and start jotting down the most important themes for the year. And every single year there are a few questions that I ask myself. So I wanted to put this together in a freebie for you guys. It's@skenthusiast.com New Year so you can go there and download this freebie quickly to your phone or to your laptop, print it out, or just keep it open so that you can kind of concept and take notes. But I'm also going to review it here. So the first thing I ask myself is my word for the year for 2025 is blank. So I brainstorm words that seem to encompass how I want to feel for the year, how I want the year to go for me. So for instance, in past years my words have been things like abundant, serendipitous, aligned, anything that gives me a sense of excitement when I view the word and really encompasses how I want the year to go. This step really always takes me the longest, and it's something I sometimes will actually add in later. So I never want to hastily choose a word. So for example, my vision board has been done for almost two weeks now, but I still don't have my word. And that's because I'm really taking my time to pick it because it's, it is an important. It's an overall theme for the whole year. So don't be discouraged if this is something that you don't nail down right away. You really want to feel goosebumps when you think of that word and know that it's perfectly aligned with the year that you want to have. So again, don't be afraid to work on your board and slap this word in later when it comes to you. Rather than instead choosing a word and then picking pictures and themes that go with the word just because it kind of goes together nicely, I would rather you work on your board and make sure that the board's imagery really encompasses how you're feeling and how you want the year to be, and then slot in the word later when it comes to you and feels like it's just right. The next question I ask myself is in 2025, I want to feel blank. How do I want to feel this year? Understanding that overall emotions you'd like to embody in the coming year can help you pick a vibe for your board. So not that your board necessarily needs to be cohesive or aesthetic or have a vibe, but I do like when my vision board tends to feel cohesive enough to spark an emotion when I look at it. So I want my year to feel calm, connected. I went for a kind of a yellow theme to pull in that calm presence, joy and happiness. And then I use words and colors here to represent what I want, how I want to walk through this year. So when I'm searching on Pinterest, if I'm searching for a specific term, I'll kind of scroll through through. Firstly, I'll I'll just save everything that reminds me of my words or my desires, and then I'll kind of go through and cherry pick the ones that I feel like overall, the vibe and even the colors encompass how I'm feeling. Next question. What are two to three big hairy audacious goals I would love to accomplish this year? I love that term big hairy audacious goal because it really encourages you to reach for the stars and add a few goals to your board that seems impossible. Now. You can approach this in a couple of different ways. I am someone who, as long as I'm seeing gains, I'm happy. I love to feel progress and feel like I'm inching towards my goal. So if I don't necessarily realize a goal from my vision board, but I, at the end of the year, have made strides towards it, that makes me really happy. So for instance, if you, for example, want to make a million dollars this year, but you make $50,000 last year, will you be happy if you make a hundred thousand or 150,000 this year because you're moving, or will that discourage you because you didn't hit that million mark that first year when that year is over. So you really have to kind of reflect on the type of personality you have because ultimately this is supposed to be a positive experience. You don't want to look back at the end of the year and actually be discouraged because you didn't necessarily hit a goal that you were hoping to hit. So you have to kind of understand how you are as a person, how your mind works. And I'm really just using money as an example here because it's really easy to quantify. But this goes for any personal or business goals. I know plenty of people who have no monetary goals on their vision board at all. In fact, my vision board this year is really not very business or monetarily oriented. Money is just an easy way for me to kind of explain the concept here. But you know, on the other hand, if you're someone who must reach a flat number, then maybe reach for a bigger but still attainable goal. So you do feel that sense of accomplishment at the end of the year and you're encouraged to keep going. So this, you have to do a little bit of inner reflection to kind of understand exactly how the sufficient board will work best for you and then change it accordingly. This episode is brought to you by. Well, me. Skinthusiast.com is your one stop shop for all things skin, hair and beauty. I have countless blog posts to educate you on all the skin concerns and most common skin questions I receive. We also have a complete skincare basics guide on our shop page as well as the Cutest in My Skin Era crewnecks. If you want to support the show, please head over to skinthusiast.com shop and don't forget to rate and review the show wherever you listen to podcasts. And as I mentioned earlier, we are only limited by ourselves and our own limiting beliefs. But this can be a tough cycle to break. So if you know you have these limiting beliefs, you sometimes have to work around them before you can burst through them completely. And again, it takes a lot of inner work to fully understand that you are limitless. And to quote Abraham Hicks, it's just as easy to manifest a million dollars as it is to manifest a single dollar. It's only our own minds that limit us. And of course, this is something I struggle with as well. We all struggle with this. But understanding how your mind works can help you kind of direct your board in that way. Don't be afraid to get specific in your current business ventures. What are some specific goals, specific salary you desire. Get creative with cutting and pasting to symbolize your name. Let me start over. Get creative with cutting and pasting to symbolize like maybe you put your name at the top of a call list or your monthly commission check at work, you edit it to the amount that you would want or your podcast at the top of the podcast charts. So don't be afraid to get creative with this imagery and kind of combine your images that reflect your desires with present images. So for example, you might take if you have a podcast, you might take your podcast art that is already in out in the world, already in existence and manipulated to say that it's a top podcast on whatever chart that you're aiming for so that you can have that imagery in your head or have a cover photo of you on a podcast that you want to be a guest on, et cetera. Don't be afraid to kind of mix and match present images with your desires. Next question I ask myself in 2025, I want to travel to blank. Now, of course, this is really only relevant if travel is a big part of your life, but you can add magical Pinterest moments to your vision board that represent places you'd like to travel. I personally like to keep it to one to two of my most anticipated trips. So for example, this year I'm manifesting a slow month in Europe with my family in the summer, and I would also really love to go on a family camping trip in the mountains. I want both of these trips to be about slowing down, connection with friends and family, being surrounded by nature. So I chose images that represent that to include in my vision board. So in past years I've always really loved doing a shorter summer trip to Europe, and it's so funny how my boards have kind of adjusted and and evolved over the years. So in previous years, my little section on my Europe trip has always been very kind of glam and exciting and fast paced in cappuccinos and the Eiffel Tower and you know, images from the airplane. But now the imagery has completely changed. Even though it's still a Euro trip that I'm manifesting, it's a lot more about slow garden mornings and time with family. So just an example how really understanding the vibe and how you want to feel is important when choosing your images. And in the past I have used like boarding passes with final destinations, as I mentioned photos of planes. This year I really felt connected to the feeling of these trips, so I wanted to lean into that with my chosen imagery. The next question what's going well that I'd like to continue and build upon in the New Year? I cannot forget to acknowledge and be grateful for those things that I'm thankful for in the present moment. So include photos of your family, your partner, yourself, a couple of your happiest moments of 2024. The the best way to guarantee more of what you love is to practice gratitude for and acknowledge what you already have. So I feel that we can't address a vision board without also being grateful for how incredible the past year has been and what has worked out for us, what we're grateful for. And just a little note, if you're feeling really down this year, you feel like this year was really tough. Those are the moments in my life when I lean into gratitude the most. Just thinking about the five to 10 things in your life that really are going so well for you. So whatever those things may be, sometimes you have to dig deep because sometimes things aren't going that great. But making sure that you're feeling grateful for what's going your way, for the blessings, and just understanding that the quickest way to more of what you want is being grateful for what you already have was a huge barrier that I had to burst through when I first started this whole process. So now that we've asked ourselves all those questions again, you can go to skenthusiast.com new year and print out that free printable Once we've asked ourselves those questions and brainstormed on all those answers, it's time to start creating your board. So I use Pinterest to search images of what I'd like to include. You can feel free to keep your search terms higher level and vague, such as motherhood or travel to see what sparks your interest. Or you can get it as granular as mountain camping trip with family or Euro family trip with a toddler. Really hone in on the images that are going to spark your mind to view these trips or view these experiences in the way that you're thinking about them. If you know your word of the year, search that word to see not only if photos come up that encompass it, but also if there are any pretty fonts or graphics of the word itself that you can include. The more you search and browse, the more will spark your interest. So really have fun with this. Drink your tea or your glass of wine and just have fun on Pinterest finding images that Spark joy, then save everything to a dedicated 2025 vision board on your Pinterest. I pin anything that sparks emotion in the beginning, so I really go heavy on the pinning. It doesn't mean I'm going to use all of it, but I just pin anything that sparks joy. Then after I've searched all the keywords that I've mentioned in the vision boarding exercise that we just spoke about, I go through the Pinterest board and keep my favorite one to three images that represent any given topic. That way I'm not overwhelming my board with too many images from one topic and I have room to kind of include all of the major things I want to include and I'll save each of these images to my desktop or tablet. The next thing you're going to want to do is open up Canva and start with a computer wallpaper size template and just upload and dump all those Pinterest images that you just saved. Then you'll go through your camera roll, review some of your favorite photos from the year, and upload any of those that spark Joy to Canva. Again, anything that you're going to want to kind of Photoshop or manipulate. As we spoke about earlier, make sure you're adding in any of those from your own personal life that you're going to be adding into the vision board. And now we just plug and play. I spend the next 30 minutes or so kind of dumping these photos onto my template, resizing them, moving them around, and it's really easy to get stuck in a perfectionist mindset here. So what I have really done over the years is tried not to get stuck on the final product like I used to spend hours making sure it was absolutely perfect, but then that would just stress me out more. So remember, the purpose is just to spark emotion, to spark joy. Don't get hung up on making your board perfect. It's really I've taken a much more relaxed approach to my board this year and last year. Feel free to sit with your board for a few days on Canva to be sure you like everything before exporting. So if there was maybe there's something that you wanted to add or some things you wanted to change around, you can do that. I like this approach better than just sitting there for hours and hours and making sure that it's perfect before I export it that same day. I'd rather just take a few days, come back and add stuff if I need need. So next I'll export the computer wallpaper and save it as my background and Then I'll resize the image in canva for phone screen. So you'll have to move and resize images once you resize this so you'll have to move and resize images once you resize the template. But at least all the images are already copied over and it just takes you a few minutes to kind of move things around and resize them for phone. So then I save it to my camera roll as my phone wallpaper and lock screen. And then of course I save the larger one as my phone background. So as the new year approaches or as I finish the end of my board, I really like to meditate and take time to visualize my board. So I view and contemplate on every photo, every graphic, every word. I play some frequency music in the background from Spotify to help invoke any emotion I want to feel when I'm viewing my ward. Thoughts are powerful, but thinking them with emotion is even more powerful. So really take the time to sit with your feelings and desires for the upcoming new year. And as we close out this podcast, I want to practice what I preach and express a moment of gratitude for all of you for my podcast community. We have been doing this podcast for a full season now, over one year, and it has just been such an incredible reminder of the power of community. I feel that the people who listen to this podcast are really like the tried and true skenthusiasts. You know, we have a larger audience and some of the other platforms. But I do feel like this and my newsletter community are like the tightest knit communities that I have have. And I can just tell by the DMS I get from listeners, the comments I get, the email replies I get to my newsletter, I know that you guys are the real ones. So thank you so much for being here. I hope that you've learned a lot from this podcast. I hope that it's opened your eyes in maybe some ways you weren't expecting. And I hope that you'll tune in for next week because it's a good one. So with that, I will talk to you next week. Skin Thus.