Creating Digital Vision Boards with Canva

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I’ve created vision boards for many years. I make a new one every January, from poster board, magazine cutouts and glue, and hang it in my creative studio. Looking at it daily inspires me and guides me toward my goals and desires.

Recently my friend Rose shared about creating digital vision boards. I loved her idea and immediately created one on the free app, Canva. That digital version is now the wallpaper on my iphone. I’ve shared it on social media as well.

Today another idea popped into my head. Why not create a digital board for my current, unfolding opportunities? These are mostly short term plans and goals that are in development. I enjoyed making that second board so much that I decided to share the step by step process of creating digital vision boards with Canva, with you.

Why Create a Short Term Goals Board

Here are my reasons for creating another digital vision board.

Making any kind of vision board sends a message out into the universe that I am open to receive and to create. It’s an invitation for muse to play and co-create with me. For that reason it is important to achieve clarity on goals and desires so that the message I am sending out is clear.

The board hanging in my studio focuses on writing, blogging, travel and the continuation of my healing journey. My first digital board, pictured below, affirms those goals in a simplified format. That board also contains my word for 2020, curiosity, my symbol the key and a reference to my song for the year.

I’m already seeing powerful shifts around my goals and desires for this year, which is another excellent reason for making a short term goals board. I want to keep several time sensitive opportunities in my awareness. Creating new boards around fresh opportunities and goals is a great way to generate that top of the mind awareness.

The process is simple, fun and offers an artistic outlet. I’m all for playing as a high form of creative expression.

I believe that the energy we put out there attracts like energy. As I play and create and release my intentions, desires and goals, similar energy flows back to me. Manifesting is working with that energy to create what you desire. Creating digital vision boards with Canva puts that energy out there.

The Step by Step Process for Creating Digital Vision Boards with Canva

I’ve been using Canva for a little over a year. This amazing design site offers a free version, which is all I’ve ever used. I initially experienced a time of a learning, as I explored this new creative app. However, I love Canva now and use it daily to make pins and graphics for my blogs and media posts.

Check out Canva online or download the app. And then let’s create!

Choose a Design Template

For digital vision boards, use the instagram story template. There are many pre-made templates to choose from. However, for our purposes, choose the blank instagram story template.

Tap the background to begin editing. We want to start with a colored background. I use teal, blue and green colors with Cindy Goes Beyond. I started the process by adding a soft teal color. You can save colors that you use often. Don’t worry about that today. Snap a screenshot, if you want, capturing the color code for future reference.

Add Text

After selecting a color, add main text. Click the + symbol in the lower right corner. That brings up options such as text, images, videos, illustrations and shapes.

There are many fonts to choose from. I use the same fonts in my digitals, just as I do colors, for branding consistency. My favorite fonts are aileron and playlist script. Type the text first, then select size, font and color.

I added the title to my board, changed the font to playlist script, changed the color of the words from black to a darker greenish blue and increased the size of the letters.

Adding Pictures

For me, this is the fun part, adding visual representations of my desires. One of the desires going on this board is visiting the Christmas Market in Edinburgh, Scotland in December. I clicked on the + symbol then chose illustrations.

I typed Christmas into the search bar. Scrolling through free Christmas drawings, I felt drawn to an old fashioned sleigh and a wreath. I added those to my digital board. Reduce the size of the image or make it larger. Change the colors. Move them around. See the squares with the arrows, up at the top edge of the screen? Those buttons allow layering the images. I placed the wreath behind the sleigh.

In the other corner I added a castle, to represent Edinburgh Castle and added the words, “Edinburgh, Scotland, Christmas Market, December 2020”.

A cool feature on Canva is adding frames, into which you can add your own photos. Click the + symbol, click on illustrations, then type the word frames in the search bar. A variety of frames pop up.

I chose one that looks like a computer and added an actual photo of a travel writing opportunity I’m currently working on. Canva offers the option of choosing from your own photos stored on the computer or phone. Accompanying illustrations and words describing the opportunity complete that section.

Continue Adding Words and Visual Representations

I added two more frames, one for a writer’s fellowship I’m applying for and one that holds a mock up of the book I am writing. I made that book cover on Canva as well. To create space, I easily moved the title words lower on the page.

I found the words “live your dream” and added them, changing the colors to better match my theme. At first I added July 2020 to the writer’s fellowship opportunity, then realized the words are printed on the photo in the frame.

On the photo below you can see that I typed the word writing into the illustrations search bar, looking for a pen to add to my board. I found one.

The Completed Board

It took me approximately 30 minutes to create this digital vision board. Adding specific words is important. Those details solidify goals and give depth to dreams. I identified the opportunities and included the dates that I know.

Finally, I added the tag lines from my blogs. The words, living life beyond the edges and healthy at every age, guide me daily. They provide perspective and insight and challenge me to live the words I use to encourage others. They also shape the posts that I write.

To save a completed piece, touch the down arrow in the upper right corner. The work is saved on your device. Then touch the horizontal arrow in the upper left corner. Your work is saved on the Canva site or app. It is easy to edit the digital at any time.

Taking Action

It’s crucial as well to take action. I can look at these opportunities on my digital board multiple times a day, however to birth them or something like them, I must take action steps. For two of these opportunities, there are deadlines to meet and packages to put together and writing to do.

Whether those opportunities bear fruit or not, the practice of acting on what I am given brings more such opportunities to me. This isn’t weird woowoo stuff. It’s energy. It’s positive re-enforcement.

Image taking your small daughter to her first ballet. She responds well, enjoys the ballet, enrolls in a class, practices at home. You’d do all you could to encourage her desires and dreams by offering her more ballet opportunities.

If your wee girl didn’t like the ballet, appeared bored and disturbed people around her, you’d decide she wasn’t quite ready for this opportunity. Perhaps later, when she showed interest in something else, you’d offer encouragement in that area to see how she responded.

That’s a simple illustration, however life is like that. Energy is like that. What we put out there, we get back. What we move toward, moves toward us. When we fail to act on inspiration, it goes elsewhere. The question is, what are you putting out there and what are you moving toward and what is inspiration offering to you?

A vision board sends a strong signal out into the world and beyond. And a digital vision board reminds you of your desires, as you look at your phone or social media sites multiple times a day. What a great tool.

Are you ready to create a digital vision board?

If you have questions, ask them in the comments!

 

Want to make a vision board to hang in your home or office? Click the photo below to check out this kit.

 

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