20/20 vision board

For my Brand Social Media class, I was asked to create a vision board. I’m glad it was an assignment, otherwise I’m not sure I would have done it. “Vision Board” has been written on my post-its and journals and planners since I was in high school, but I never get around to making one because I’ve been scared to discover how far off I am from the person I want to become.

It turns out that through this exercise, I discovered that I already possess the ideals and traits that I want to include in my future and my brand. I just need to hone in on them and let them shine through. My quirks aren’t something to hide, but something to embrace to help me become the best version of myself.

I chose this quote box backdrop not only because it was visually appealing, but because I saw a blank canvas I wanted to paint on. I believe that words have the power to bring art to life, to create art out of life. This backdrop was the perfect illustration for that, especially as a canvas in this vision board.

In my social media posts, I have adopted a certain stylistic feature in formatting my captions. They all begin with dots and end with dots. The number of dots is a symbol for how many life-changing concerts I’ve been to. I wanted to include the current number of dots at the top and bottom of my canvas, reminding me that I have more life-changing experiences to look forward to, and I want to keep that reminder in my life and media.

I own five different pairs of heart-shaped sunglasses, and they only make up a fraction of my growing collection. Sunglasses are not just a fashion accessory, but a protective device for your eyes. Our eyes are so much more than a feature on our face; they are our gateway to viewing the world. Sometimes we need to shield our eyes and protect them from what they might see. What we allow our eyes to see have consequences for our lives, both good and bad. I included these sunglasses not only because I love heart-shaped, love themed spectacles, but because this ideal of what we allow our eyes to see is very important to me. I choose when I can to view things that will have a positive impact on my life, and I hope I can do better in the future.

The heart-producing snap of the fingers is something I look forward to. I want everything I produce to be a product of love and happiness. There are enough sad and painful things in the world, and I certainly don’t want to add to that in the content I create or share. I want people to think of me and my online presence as a happy place, somewhere to receive joy. I want my conversations and updates to be like the snap of fingers granting a sense of happiness, even for a moment.

My best friend brings out the best in me. He challenges me to grow everyday, and he always makes me laugh and smile. I knew I needed to include a photo of us because our friendship has helped to make me who I am today, and I can only hope that it will continue to make me a better person as time continues. The photo of us acts as both a symbol of happiness and kindness.

During my undergraduate years, I had the pleasure of being a member of Alpha Gamma Delta International Fraternity. This experience impacted my life, showing me what it means to be a woman and to empower others. One of Alpha Gamma Delta’s taglines is Inspire the Women, Impact the World. This tagline means so much to me. Women empowerment is more than marches or pink buttons. Women empowerment is inspiring women and reminding them that they have the power to change the world. I want to remind myself of this everyday, and I want to remind other women that they are capable of anything.

The Proverbs 16:24 verse is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. “Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body”. There is so much power in kindness. An act of kindness can influence so many people in so many ways just like honey can transform a cup of tea. I value kindness to the utmost degree, as well as my relationship with Jesus. I included this verse because of these values as well as my love for honey that I hope continues as my life does.

When I was an RA, I always had a pot of tea going. Tea helped provide comfort not only to me, but to my residents. There is something about holding a warm mug or cup of tea. Each element within a glass helps to promote discussion or self-discovery. I know that might seem crazy, but a cup of tea can serve as security to someone, and it always makes my day a little better. I included to teacup because I want to continue on my journey of self-discovery, and I want to provide security to those who need it.

A flower seemed fitting for this board. Not only does it tie the board together nicely, but it also represents how there is always potential for growth. A beautiful flower blooms from a seed. One can look at a seed and think that is all it will ever be, but that seed has the potential to become something beautiful beyond its surface. A flower does more than serve as a beautiful arrangement, but provides pollen for bees, and brings color to a rapidly dulling environment. I hope to bloom and grow each day, and be someone’s colorful reminder of joy.

The Earth is so important. Every action we take is an action that helps or hurts our Earth. I know that I have a tendency to slip up when it comes to taking care of the environment, so I included the globe as a reminder of how important our planet is. The globe also shows that there is a world beyond the United States and the people I know. There is influence in every post, all across the globe. You might not think that tweet or photo made any sort of impact, but someone across the pond could think otherwise.

I want to be a social media guru. Anything and everything there is to know about social media, I want to know it. I have the “SOCIAL MEDIA AHEAD” caution sign because I am heading towards all things Social Media. Right now my passion for Social Media either interests people or scares them off, so the street sign was the perfect symbol for who I am today and where I am heading in my career.

Being physically active is very important to me. I believe that every day there should be a motivation to “get up and move”. While gyms are a positive and healthy way to be fit and active, you’re enclosed by walls. Currently I work out at a gym and while it’s nice to put headphones in and run on the treadmill or lift weights, I never feel as satisfied with my workout as I do when going for a walk or riding a bicycle. I want to challenge myself to be more active in my surroundings and environment, and that’s why I included that bicycle.

twenty one pilots have changed my life in more ways than I can count. They have aided in my passion for mental health awareness, and removing the stigma associated with it. Three of the four dots in my stylistic feature I mentioned earlier are from my twenty one pilots concerts, and I wanted to showcase that in the vision board with a photo from one of their tours. The hand symbol is representative of the band, and often interpreted as “stay alive”.

In their recent album, twenty one pilots included a song called Neon Gravestones. The song talks about how suicide shouldn’t be glorified but prevented. I included Neon Gravestones lyrics because not only do they speak to me, but also to my passion for mental health awareness. I want to be a voice for the voiceless and make every action of mine count towards helping someone who is struggling. Everyone deserves to be loved, and to be reminded that they are loved.

Love is very important. It is a driving factor in the actions of many, as well as a feeling of safety. I want everything I do to be done in love. That idea is an overarching concept throughout the vision board, so I decided to put a physical representation of that idea through the three hearts.

I’ve had to remove myself from situations because they just weren’t meant for me. Walking away from things is hard, but I am learning to love the sound. I need to constantly remind myself that not everything is meant for me, and I want to live to that ideal in my future. The square-bead saying serves as motivation to not be afraid of removing myself from a toxic equation.

People on twitter and tiktok know me as “hecking heck”. The name is not only a fun catchphrase to use in times of joy and frustration, but a depiction of life itself. “hecking heck to cheers-ing a drink with friends”, “hecking heck to having jury duty”. The catchphrase and name serves to show that there is good and bad in life, and sometimes you just have to say “hecking heck”. I want to keep building this name for myself while reminding people that life is good.

Yellow is my favorite color. I think that yellow produces such positivity and reminds us of light and all things good in the world. I want to adopt a “yellow aesthetic” in my social media presence, while being “yellow” in my everyday life. I want to remind people of light through my actions and my social media posts.

Thanks for making it this far and coming on this journey of self-discovery with me!