96. Kickstart Your Year With a Vision Board for Your Program

Carol: Hey, counselor friends. Happy National School Counseling Week.

For this week's episode, I didn't want to talk all about National School Counseling Week because, let's face it, I just talked about some ideas of how you could celebrate in episode 94 just a couple episodes ago.

So if you want to take a listen to that, go back and listen to episode 94. But today I really thought it would be fun to talk about our vision for our counseling program.

Because let's face it, school Counseling Week is all about sharing our vision and the work that we do with our stakeholders. It's all about that advocacy piece.

So this is kind of like a prequel to all that work. And so today we are talking about putting together a vision board for your school counseling program.

So get ready to join me and I can't wait to chat with you. Today.

Carol: You'Re listening to the Counselor Chat podcast, a show for school counselors looking for easy to implement strategies, how to tips, collaboration, and a little spark of joy. I'm Carol Miller, your host.

I'm a full time school counselor and the face behind counseling essentials. I'm all about creating simplified systems, data driven practices, and using creative approaches to engage students. If you're looking for a little inspiration to help you make a big impact on student growth and success, you're in the right place because we're better together.

Ready to chat. Let's dive in.

Carol: Hi everyone, it's Carol. Welcome back to another episode of Counselor Chat.

If you are brand new here, welcome to the podcast. I think this podcast is really all about where we dive into all the things school counseling and really how we can create the program of our dreams without really losing our mind.

Well, today we are talking about an exciting way to kickstart the year and by doing so with intention.

And that's creating a vision board for your school counseling program.

Yes, you heard that right. We're turning all those Pinterest inspired dreams into actionable plans.

Now, if you're thinking, come on, a vision board, Isn't that just for manifesting dream vacations or for winning the lottery?

Well, stick with me because vision boards aren't just for personal goals. They're really a fantastic tool for focusing your energy on aligning your work with your program's mission. Plus, they're fun to make.

So for this episode, I want you to grab some coffee, markers, or maybe even a digital app and let's dive in. Are you ready?

So before we dive into or anything related to how we actually start building our vision board, let's talk a Little bit about why vision boards work.

First, according to psychology expert Dr. John Norcross, visualizing your goals really can increase motivation and it helps you to stay focused.

And it's not just woo woo fluff. I mean, there's neuroscience behind this. And when you see your goals every day, your brain, it starts working towards them automatically.

It's called the reticular activating system. And it's why vision boards are really like having a GPS for your goals.

Think of it this way. If you're trying to drive somewhere without directions, you'll end up circling the same block over and over, wondering why everything looks familiar. A vision board is your map to get you where you want to go.

So in this world of education, were all about being intentional.

And vision boards, they allow you to set clear priorities for your program.

And bonus, they're an amazing way to advocate for your role. Imagine showing your admin a visual representation of your goals. Pretty powerful, right?

So let's get practical. What actually goes on a vision board for your counseling program?

So I really sat down and I thought about this and I came up with this little checklist to kind of get you started.

First of all, you really need to have your mission statement.

So start with your program's mission. What are you trying to achieve?

Write it in bold letters and put it smack dab in the middle of your board.

This, my friends, is your North Star.

You also want to make sure you include your key goals. Think about the big rocks for the year. Are you focusing on improving attendance? Expanding sel lessons? Starting a new small group?

Maybe you even want to try a career fair.

Make sure these goals are front and center.

Then add some student centered themes. What themes or skills are you trying to highlight this year? Is it kindness?

Resilience?

Leadership?

Add some visuals, maybe some quotes that inspire those themes.

And include your metrics for success.

Yeah, we're going there. You have to have the data.

So what does success look like?

Is it fewer behavior referrals? Is it higher parent engagement?

You have to include the numbers or the visuals that remind you to track the progress. Because once again, it's about being intentional.

Last but not least, you need to add some inspiration and some encouragement.

Now this is your chance to really have fun. Add the quotes, add the images or the words that really make you feel motivated.

Personal favorite of mine is progress, not perfection.

And that's basically my life mantra.

Now, if your board looks like it's auditioning for an art gallery, good for you. But even it's, it's a collage of Post it notes and maybe some magazine clippings.

That's okay too because remember, this is about function, not just aesthetics.

So now we know what to include in our vision board. Let's really talk about how to make the vision board come to life. And there are two main options. We can have a physical board or a digital board.

So if you're planning on a physical board, grab a piece of poster board, get some magazines, the markers, the scissors and the glue. My friends, get crafty, cut out the pictures, print off the inspiring graphics, get your hands a little messy.

And bonus, this is a really great team building activity if you do it with your counseling team.

And then you can realize, wow, we are really all working on this goal together.

Now, for those of you who aren't all about the glue sticks, it's fine because you can do a digital vision board. Maybe you're more tech savvy tools like Canva or Google Slides or Pinterest, they are your best friends.

And digital boards, let's face it, they're really easy to update and then be they can be saved as your desktop background or they can be printed out.

Now here's a little tip too.

Set a timer because it's really easy to fall into the perfectionist rabbit hole. Give yourself an hour max to really create your board. And remember, progress over perfection.

My friends, let's not forget the snacks. Because vision board making without snacks is like grief counseling without tissues. It's just plane wrong.

To create this beautiful board, we actually have to put the vision board into action. I mean, it just isn't there for decoration. It's there to motivate us, to make us want to work towards these goals.

It's there because it serves as the intention.

So my friends, this is where the magic happens, where we turn our vision into action.

Because a vision board, it's only useful if you actually use it. And here's how to do that. You have to display it prominently. Hang your board where you're going to see it daily in your office, on your desk.

Maybe if you're doing a digital one, you even save it on your phone or on your computer desktop as a digital wallpaper.

This keeps your goals top of mind.

You also have to review it monthly. So set aside time each month to check in. Are you on track?

What needs adjusting? This is your accountability moment. And if you're doing this with the team, to have that poster and to bring it into your team meeting, it's a really great review.

And you also really want to share that vision board with others.

Share it with your admin teachers, maybe even your students.

It's a powerful advocacy tool that really demonstrates your intentionality as well as your priorities.

Now, leadership guru Michael Hyatt, he recommends identifying one next step for each goal. So what's the next action you can take to move closer to your vision? You need to break your goals into small, actionable steps.

That's really key.

But all in all, you have to remember, friends, flexibility is your friend. Life happens. I mean, things come up every day. It's just like you. We can go in and with the best laid plan, know what we want to get done in the day.

And then there's that expression. I can't say it because there might be children listening to this, but it's. It hits the fan.

You know where I'm going with that.

And it does. Things just happen. So flexibility, it's your friend. Your vision board isn't set in stone. It's a living document that evolves with your program's needs.

Now, here's some final thoughts to recap. A vision board, it's a really powerful tool to align your goals, to focus your energy and advocate for your program.

It's part inspiration, part, part accountability and 100% worth your time.

Plus, it's fun.

And when we're doing this job, we have to have some fun.

So grab your supplies, channel your inner artist, and start mapping out the best year yet.

And my friends, if you create a vision board, I'd really love to see it. Tag me on social media, ounselingessentials on Instagram or Facebook. I'd really love to see it.

And I want to be able to share your creations too.

Now remember, you don't need to have it all figured out today.

Even the Mona Lisa started as a blank canvas.

What you need to do is just pick up that marker and start.

So thanks for joining me on this episode of Counselor Chat.

If you have a friend who needs a little creativity in their life that wants a little something that maybe needs a little inspiration, that maybe has had some of the fun sucked out of them because they're running around doing all the crazy stuff all the time, share this episode with them.

Maybe it'll inspire them to create their own vision board, have some fun, and to really set their program with intention.

So until next time, take care of yourself, Keep doing all the amazing things that you are doing every day, and start with the vision board because we all make a difference, really, just one vision at a time.

So until next week, have a great week. Bye for now.

Carol: Thanks for listening to today's episode of Counselor Chat. All of the links I talked about can be found in the show notes and at counselingessentials.org

podcast. Be sure to hit, follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast player. And if you would be so kind to leave a review, I'd really appreciate it. Want to connect?

Send me a DM on Facebook or Instagram at counselingessentials. Until next time. Can't wait till we chat.

Carol: Bye for now.