How To Create An Authentic Values Vision Board – 5 Simple Steps

You’ve probably heard of a vision board but have you heard of a values vision board? This type of board takes your traditional vision board a few steps further and is a much more healing experience.

As a Mindset and Productivity Coach for perfectionists, I am always preaching about the importance of living a values-driven life over a goals-driven life. It’s so much better to focus on intrinsic values instead of focusing on being perfect in external/extrinsic outcomes.

In this post, I explain what a values board is, and how to create one digitally or physically and I also throw in a couple of examples of my own. 

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What is a values vision board?

A values vision board is a personalised collage for the images, words and quotes that represent your core values and intentions for your ideal life.

Your values are your guiding beliefs and principles that summarise how you want to show up in the world and live your life. 

For example, if you’re someone who values kindness then you know that in order to be in alignment with your values you need to demonstrate kindness in your daily life. To be mean or intentionally rude would be out of alignment with your values.

A values vision board is a great way to keep your values in the forefront of your mind and motivate you to work towards being the best version of yourself. Simply put, it’s a visual manifestation of the life you want to live.

How is a values vision board different from a normal vision board?

Values vision boards and ‘normal’ vision boards are very similar but have fundamental differences in their purposes. 

A traditional vision board focuses on your goals and extrinsic achievements (e,g, getting a promotion). Whereas, a values board focuses on your core values, intrinsic qualities and the way you want to live your life according to these values (e.g. having integrity). 

• It focuses on the here and now and reminds you of how you can show up in the world RIGHT NOW. If you want to be a kinder person, you can start now instead of waiting until the future
• You decide how you want to feel and who you want to be 
• Encourages sustainable motivation because there is no endpoint. You don’t ‘achieve’ your values, you live them

Why do they work so well?

I love using values boards to help me ground myself in my mind and body. It’s so easy to get caught up in chasing goal after goal without truly stopping and thinking about how to BE the person who gets you to that goal. Values vision boards focus on that and that’s why I love them.

These boards can help you:

• Clarify what your values are and what is truly important to you 
• Act as a prompt to help you make decisions in alignment with your values 
• Build an emotional connection with your values-driven goals
• Be a form of mindfulness because it encourages you to reflect on how you show up in your daily life
• Focusing on your values board helps you remain more resilient in the face of setbacks because it’s focused on your values, not external outcomes

Is it better to create a digital or physical values board?

I know this might seem like a cop-out answer, but it depends on your personal preferences and lifestyle. Here are some things you should consider if you’re struggling to make a decision:

Physical version

• You get a hands-on tactile experience. 
• It’s quite therapeutic going through the creative process of cutting, arranging and sticking down materials. It’s mindful and fulfilling 
• Can be placed in a location that you view daily and act as a visible reminder of your values 
• Build a stronger emotional connection to your values board because of the experience of physically making it
• Can add sentimental materials to your board

Digital version

• Can be accessed from any device and any location (e.g. on phone, tablet, laptop and on holiday)
• Easier to update as your life evolves
• More resources e.g. images, fonts, design elements etc…
• Great if you’re a minimalist and want a clutter-free environment

You could always do both and get the best of both worlds. For example, you can create a physical version of your values board and take a photo of it. Then you can save it onto your laptop, phone and other digital workspaces as a reminder. 

Or you could do it the other way around. Create a digital version and then print out out so you have a physical copy.

Double the healing power, either way!

Here are some examples:

There was a time period in my life when I was going through a lot of changes (e.g. job, flat, friends and city). I called it a transitional period in my life and I knew it. 

So I created this values vision board in my A3 sketchbook to motivate me to stay true to my internal values and the things that were in my circle of influence. 

It was a fun experience and it helped me find a way to express myself creatively and reduce my anxiety over the situation. 

Also, here is an example of a digital value vision board I created HOWEVER it’s not my ‘official’ version because I didn’t want to include potential copyright images in this post. So this board has been created using free stock images on Pexels. 

1. Identify your core values

It wouldn’t be a values vision board if you didn’t spend time identifying your values. Now is the time to reflect on the things that truly matter to you and get to the route of the reason why you care.

You can use tools such as journaling, values assessments, meditations, Free Values Over Perfection Workbook or even book my Values Accelerator Coaching Session to help you.

Ask yourself the following questions: 

• What activities bring you the most joy in life?
• What qualities do you admire most in others?
• What issues or causes are you most passionate about?
• What do you spend most of your time thinking about or doing?
• If you had to teach a class on one thing, what would it be and why?
• What would you regret not doing, being, or having in your life?
• Think of a time you felt conflicted by a decision. What about the situation made you feel uneasy or compromised?

Pay attention to the recurring themes. Also, you can download the FREE Values Over Perfection workbook to help you identify your values from a list of 96!

For example, here are some common values:

• Kindness
• Integrity
• Perseverance
• Adventure
• Family
• Duty
• Courage
• Resilience
• Curiosity 
• Growth

2. Decide on the platform you’re going to use

There are so many fun ways to display your values vision board whether you decide to use a physical or digital platform.

Physical displays:

• Poster
• Bulletin board
• Art journal 
• Bullet Journal 
• Postcard 

Digital displays

• Desktop wallpaper
• Notion
• Pinterest board
• Phone lock screen/home screen
• Canva website 

I recommend you think about how and where you’ll interact with your values board daily and then make your decision on the platform from there.

You want to embed this board in your life so make sure it’s easily accessible.

3. Find images and visuals that align with your values

Remember, your values are heavily feelings-based so you want to choose visual elements that resonate with your values.

For example, when I am creating my values vision board I like to consider the following elements:

• Colours: when you visualise your ideal life and the version of you that lives 100% by their values what colours come up for you? What colours bring out positive emotions? 
• Images: what does each image mean to you? What images represent your values (e.g. what would you use to show kindness?)
• Quotes: are there any quotes that jump out to you? Who inspires you the most and what have they said that triggers an emotional reaction in you?
• Words: Do you want to write out your values on your board or do you only want to use images that represent them?

Sources to get these resources 

• Google image – check copyright usage
• Stock photo websites 
• Your own photos 
• Postcards 
• Pinterest 
• Old birthday/Christmas cards
• Tickets or receipts 
• Leaflets and magazine cutouts 
• Edited images on Photoshop or Canva

4. Create a visually appealing layout

Organise your basic structure

When it comes to actually creating your values vision board, I recommend you start by creating a basic structure for your board.

You can group your images by themes (e.g. relationships, health, hobbies) or by whatever order feels right

You might also want to consider what images look good together and which colours complement each other.

Other things to consider:

• Symmetry 
• Spacing 
• The story the images tell when put together

Mix it up

Now you have your basic structure, you should consider making your values board more dynamic and appealing to the eye. For example, mixing the images with quotes and other visuals to create variety (e.g. magazine clippings, photos etc…)

Highlight important elements

Think about your most important values and try to make those ones stand out above the others to add some depth to your board. You can use larger images, bold fonts and/or bright colours to make an impact. 

Stay authentic to your style

Your values board is FOR YOU, not anyone else so it’s important to make sure your board represents who you are. If pink is your favourite colour then feel no shame about adding loads of pink elements. If you like pastels, cartoon-style images or 90’s aesthetic use that is an inspiration. You want to make sure your values board has an emotional connection with you so the more of you, you put into it the better.

Finalise the layout

Once you’re happy with how things look, glue everything in place if it’s a physical board. For digital boards, finalise your design by saving it and setting it to your background. You might want to journal about the process of creating your values board so that you can further build on your emotional connection to it. 

5. Be mindful 

This is the 2nd most important step for getting the most out of your values board – PUT IT SOMEWHERE YOU WILL SEE IT REGULARLY.

There is no point spending hours crafting a beautiful emotionally connected values board that just collects dust in the corner of your room or is lost in a random desktop folder.

What a waste!

Bring that board out into the light and keep it somewhere you can see it regularly.

You can use it as part of a daily grounding meditation or affirmation ritual. For example, each day spend a few moments looking at your board and reflecting on how your daily actions align with your values. It’s the perfect gentle reminder to help you stay true to your core principles. You might even want to through in some affirmations to help you get through the day (e.g. I am kind, I am someone with integrity, I am adventurous).

Check in every month or quarter to review and reflect on whether your values board still aligns with your true self or if you need to make some amendments. Maybe there are new images that better reflect your values as you have grown throughout that time period. 

Finally, whenever you feel stressed out or lost, you can always return to your values board to centre yourself back into alignment.

Top tips

• Let go of perfectionism: your values board doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to resonate with you in some way. Besides, perfection doesn’t exist
• Dont overthink: just trust your intuition when you’re selecting your images and arranging them
• Put it somewhere you’ll see it: put it on your bedroom wall, next to your mirror, or as your phone background
• Repetition and emotion are essential for keeping you on track. Visualise how living in alignment with your values makes you feel. The more you emotionally connect with your board, the more powerful it becomes in guiding your actions and mindset.

What are you going to put in your values vision board?

So now you know what and how to create a values vision board and set yourself up for success. If you follow these steps, I have no doubt you will start the process of living your life in alignment with your values.

Remember to infuse mindfulness into the whole planning, creating and reflection process with your values board. 

Related Posts:

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• 7 Ways To Develop A Values-Driven Mindset (+ 10 Characteristics)
• What Is The Difference Between Values And Goals – 7 Key Differences
• Why Perfectionists NEED To Live A Values-Based Life If They Want To Be Happy
• 13 famous inspirational quotes about values in life
• Start living a values based life to be successful
• Importance of values in a relationship: Secrets of a happy life
• The Ultimate 30 Day Self-Love Challenge (FREE Printable)
• 9 Realistic Ways To Have A Guilt-Free Self-Care Day