Ever since I made my 2022 vision board, designing my dream life became an amazing growth experience.

If you have never heard of a vision board before, it’s a board that has pictures and words of your dreams and goals. It’s a board that physically shows off your visions and plans for the future.

For example, you might dream about a new car. Maybe you’re tired of driving a beat-up car that is over 20 years old. (I totally relate to this by the way.)  

What you can do is print out a photo of the car you want and just glue it onto your board. You can even write down the name and model of your desired car too.

Afterwards, you will most likely manifest your dream car. What’s interesting is that you might start seeing your dream car on social media. Or you’ll come across people who have that specific car. 

The same thing will occur if you want a new job or a different career. 

Even if you’ve been unemployed for a long time or you’re bored of your current career, you can print out a photo of your dream job and pin it on.

I’ve done this before with my first vision board. In one section of my board, I created a section specifically about career. 

I thought it would be cool to be an amazing ambitious young woman who wears fancy suits and has a fun corporate job. So I cut out images of women who wear business suits from magazines, Starbucks coffee drinks, and photos of corporate offices. I added all of these onto my vision board.

Shortly after I pasted my images, an opportunity presented itself to me. I eventually started my career by landing a full-time office job. I also wore a nice blazer to work and often got Starbucks frappuccinos too.

The point is, a vision board represents your dreams, and it serves as physical inspiration to help you make those dreams a reality.

There is one thing that is absolutely crucial to understand, in regards to the power of vision boards. 

Writing things down and creating visuals are powerful techniques to make outcomes and opportunities happen. However, through my experience, it is more important to have unwavering faith and to take action.

Although I landed an amazing job, I had to go through a series of interviews. I improved my communication skills in order to increase my chances of obtaining the position. It was a very competitive field, and there were dozens of people who also wanted their shot.

But I got exactly what I wanted because I always believed in myself. I was also willing to put in the time and effort in order to make my dream happen.

My 2022 vision board

So here is my 2022 vision board. If you watched my last video or read my previous blog post, you’ll see that this board you are looking at right now is different from the vision board I made last time.

This vision board features goals that are personal to me. Every year, I create a set of goals because I like having some kind of purpose. I also get bored easily, so I try to challenge myself and see what I am capable of.

Let’s start with the top left quadrant of my vision board.

I used an image of a woman at a spa and wrote down “Have a self-care day” every week. I work almost everyday, and my friends have called me a workaholic numerous times. 

So I thought it would be best to take at least one day every week just to relax and have a break from my work. I also used this cute graphic of “Self love” just to reaffirm how important it is to set aside time for yourself.

As much as I love getting things done, I know that whenever I overwork my body and let it go unchecked, I become more susceptible to burnout. And it disrupts my entire flow.

Resting hard is just as important (if not more important) as working hard.

Another thing I want to do is to go on more outdoor dates. 

Ever since the pandemic happened, I’m not as comfortable eating at restaurants like I used to. Or going out to crowded areas in general. And it’s not even because I’m afraid of the disease.

I prefer to have peaceful experiences. I hate driving through busy traffic during the weekends. Whenever I go to bowling alleys or mini golf courses, I want to play at my own pace and not rush through the games due to long lines of people.

One of my friends also traveled through a forest and got the chance to see a waterfall for the first time. I was amazed when he showed me the photos and videos of the breathtaking experience.

That is why I used images of couples having fun near a waterfall, as well as the snow. Not as many people will go to those places, and they are interesting date ideas.

In the second section, I focus solely on health because taking care of your mind and body is always important.

As I got older, I realized it increasingly became more difficult to pull all-nighters. I hate feeling exhausted and cranky whenever I do not get enough sleep. This is why I do my best to sleep properly and maintain a consistent schedule.

Prioritizing my sleep cycle also makes it easier for me to wake up early in the mornings. Although I’m not a huge fan of it, being up during this time helps me get my work done right away. So it has its perks.

I know some people work best at night or in the afternoons. It’s a good idea to experiment and see which times you are the most productive.

Another thing I am prioritizing this year is to drink more water. I used to be chronically dehydrated, however, I am gradually improving.

To be honest, I was unaware of my dehydration for years until a doctor told me about it. The doctor advised me to drink at least 4 bottles of water (or 8 cups) everyday.

Even just trying to meet this quota everyday has already made a positive impact on my health. I rarely have headaches now. And my body is a lot more alert and active than ever before.

Reducing my sugar intake is another goal I’m improving on. I like sweets, and I am guilty of drinking large frappuccinos.

I lessen my consumption of sugar by refusing to purchase lots of junk food. Whenever I get groceries now, I make sure to get lots of fruits and vegetables. Sometimes I will buy a small bag of cookies or candies if I’m really craving them.

I also plan to do a physical later this year. Some people don’t like going to the doctor. But I feel like it’s best to get at least one annual checkup every year.

Your health does not always stay the same. It can either improve or worsen depending on what type of lifestyle you have.

There are times when health is unfortunately determined by genetics. However, I still feel like physical and mental health is primarily influenced by lifestyle.

So for example, by not exercising regularly, it can make someone more prone to physical afflictions. As well as causing someone to be more vulnerable to mental health issues such as depression.

Doctors have told me this themselves. I’ve seen it happen to some of my friends too.

When you really think about it, it does make sense logically. If you’re sitting at home all day, doing the same thing over and over again, of course life will eventually look bleak and shitty.

I am doing well in my daily exercises. I love yoga, and that is why I have a picture of a woman stretching on the beach on my vision board. Imagining that experience is so surreal to me.

I can envision the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, the soft sand sinking underneath my feet, and how beautiful the sun feels upon my skin.  

But I rarely go to the beach during this time. For now, I’ll just fangirl about this dream by watching yoga videos.

One last thing I want to do, which indirectly relates to health, is to cook more often. 

I am tired of eating takeout. After a while, everything kinda tastes the same to me.

I also just want to become a better cook. So I’ve been experimenting with new recipes and having my family try them out.

Cooking food at home is considered to be better for your health. Although it depends on what kind of dishes you make.

This section is mainly about my career.

So for one goal, I plan to upload a new blog post and video every Friday. I am gradually improving my consistency, even though it was much more difficult than I anticipated.

I still have to keep my head up high and keep going. I love what I do. And it would be cool for others to feel empowered by my work, or they learn something new for their life journeys.

I would also like to read at least 10 books this year. I set this goal because it’s been a while since I last touched an actual book.

Technically I still read everyday. But I usually check out blogs and comics.

Right now, I’m rereading this book called Wendy Darling Volume 1 Stars by Colleen Oakes. It is a twisted retelling of the classic Peter Pan story. 

This is random, but I kinda have a thing for evil Peter Pan. He is one of my favorite characters from the TV show Once upon a time. Peter Pan in that series is so malicious and clever that he makes the Evil Queen seem innocent.

I’m not going to spoil anything significant, but you’ll see exactly what I mean if you read the book and watch the show. It’s up to you.

In another photo, I wrote down “Save money” because saving money can save your life.

Unexpected bills pop up at times. And these charges are crippling to many people. I do understand what it is like to live from paycheck to paycheck.

To combat this, I always set aside extra money for these situations. So if the laundry dryer malfunctions, I’ll have more than enough to get a new one. Or if my car breaks down and I’m stranded on the road, I can afford to pay for a towing service. Or if I have to go to the ER, then the money I saved up will either cover the bill completely or lessen it greatly.

It’s not difficult to manage money. As for most people who claim they cannot save money, I feel like they’re just making excuses. Many people have different priorities.

I’ve seen people who buy the newest iphone every year, and they complain about how they cannot afford to get a $10 meal with friends. Or how people will buy $40 takeout everyday, and they complain about a $150 grocery bill.  

From my experience, I noticed that many people like to blame someone else for their financial hardships. They complain about the government, corporations, rich people, the stock market, or even their significant other. I can somewhat understand the legitimate concerns because it feels like life isn’t fair, and the whole world is conspiring against you.

At the end of the day, it’s really up to you to hold yourself accountable and take charge of your finances.

Red Silver Hearts

So in my 2022 vision board, I have a photo of a book I’ve been working on. Which is called Red Silver Hearts. 

Red Silver Hearts is a fanfiction about Steven Stone and May from Pokemon. I’ll tell you guys about the story a bit. So May has always wanted to be a Pokemon trainer, but in my story, people usually have to go to school and graduate so that they can receive their first Pokemon. 

May is not good at school, but she has a lot of potential. She took time off from the academy and went back to her hometown. And then when she was outside, she got attacked by some Taillow. This is where Steven comes in and saves her. 

She’s immediately smitten by this handsome stranger. And they go on adventures together.

I really need to work on this story more often. 

You can also click on the button below if you’d like to read Red Silver Hearts.

Speaking of Pokemon, I made goals to complete both the Sinnoh and the Galar Pokedex. And by complete, I mean I’m gonna catch all Pokemon. Not just see all Pokemon. There’s a difference between the two.

I have Sword and Shining Pearl. In Sword, I’m pretty close to finishing my Pokedex. I caught at least 340 pokemon, so I have like 60 pokemon to go. In Shining pearl, I probably caught half of the Pokemon. So like 70 out of 150.

I also have the new Pokemon Legends Arceus game. I’ll work on that Pokedex after I complete the first two. It seems like it will be a fun goal to achieve for 2023.

Let’s move on to the bottom left section of my board. 

One goal of mine is to create art everyday. Art has always been my first love when it comes to passions. 

I have been doing an excellent job at being consistent with my art goal. I’m practicing to become a better painter, especially with watercolors and acrylics. I draw in my sketchbook and try out new techniques. I also like to make digital art.

I’m almost done making a new book cover for Red Silver Hearts. 

The image you saw earlier was artwork that someone else made. I want to give credit to whoever made it, but I wasn’t able to find the original artist online. I think I found that image either on Pinterest or Google. It’s been a while since I first discovered it. Feel free to comment down below if you find out who the original artist is.

Anyways, after I finish the book cover, I will replace the image since I prefer to use my own images.

Within the same section, I have a goal of going on trips with my family. We don’t really go out that much. It is probably because we usually focus on other priorities.

Since the pandemic gradually seems to be improving, a trip down to the beach or the snow would be fun. Or any place where there aren’t many people around.

Besides family, I wish to hang out with my friends too. Pretty self-explanatory. My friends and I already spend time together in person and talk everyday.

For my 2022 vision board, I was originally planning to use photos of my friends. But I decided to use photos from the TV show Gossip Girl instead.

I’m a huge fan of Blair Waldorf. She is my favorite character from that show. I admire how she’s the Queen Bee, along with her conservative style and sassy attitude. 

Blair is either shopping with her friends or having fancy brunch dates with them. She just reminds me a lot about myself.

Last but not least, I have a constant desire to take care of animals because I love animals in general. There are so many things I want to do for them in the future, but that is for another time. 

Anyways, thank you for reading my blog post! I hope you enjoyed it!

If you make your own board after watching my video, I’d love to see what it looks like. If you have Instagram, you can upload a post of what your board looks like. You can reach out to me in the comments on Instagram and let me know that you made your own board. I’ll go over and check out what you made.

Comment down below if you plan on making your own board. What are some things that you want to put on your vision board?

If you want to join the Nikkaflora fam for this journey, subscribe to my email list and social media below. You’ll stay updated and receive additional content. Let’s create, appreciate, and f*** hate!

💜 Nicole 💜