5 Ways to Brew Your Personal Vision in 2023

A new year and a new cheer.

There is much said about the New Year, which often feels invigorating, inspiring, inviting…but also can feel quite the opposite. Whichever side of the coin you are falling on this January, a little help from vision-setting can go a long way. 

What is personal vision? 

Think of it as your personal brand — what you stand for. Like fashion or any major brands, your vision can and should change over time as you evolve. The academic definition of personal vision is the image of what kind of person one wishes to be: what a person hopes to accomplish in their work and life sphere (Boyatzis and Akrivou, 2006). 

What’s your vision for 2023, and why is it important?

Your vision should be something that is manageable and can serve as your anchor (or North Star) for the year. Future thinking stimulates hope, which in turn stimulates motivation. We all crave a fresh start; what’s not to love about that?

So brew your favorite hot drink and devote some time to reflection. Here are five steps to boost your vision-setting this year:

Percolate: Boost Big

We tend to reel dreams in by default. Envision something that would really shake heaven and earth for you this year. Write this statement down somewhere visible; come back to it. Let the dream steep.

Steam: Tap Into Your Values

What values are represented in this aspiration of yours? Explore core values and pick up to five — no more — then take time to reflect on why these particular values matter at this time. What is one thing you are learning from naming these values?

Stir: Make a Vision Board

Collect the information you’ve gathered from steps 1 and 2, and make a vision board. (New to this activity? Here are four easy steps to vision boarding.) Your board should encompass everything you would love to see transpire this year and that you are eager to experience. Take out magazines, crafts, your favorite pens — use your best tools to create something you want to look at every day.

Sip: Time to Roadmap

This is the part that really makes a difference: move beyond the photos and actually start planning a roadmap for yourself. How are you going to get where you want to go? For example: if your vision is to elevate your role into a more senior position this year, what do you need to do each week or each day to bring you closer to that milestone? Visualize the steps along the way and write them down so that your mind understands this is a real plan, not imagined. This is also called manifesting: bringing your thoughts to reality through your beliefs and, most importantly, your actions — big or small as they may be.

Savour: Pick Your Landmarks

Choose a temporal landmark: a moment in time to separate past from future action that typically spurs motivation (e.g. new year’s resolutions). Determine who/what will hold you accountable, whether that be a friend or yourself. Put actions and deadlines in your phone; place physical reminders where you will see them every day. Keep your vision brewing. 

Like coffee, everyone has a unique perspective on what’s best. And often a new blend is best enjoyed with friends — see this as an invitation to share your brew with others, and watch your vision come to life.

Happy New Year,

Dr. Helen