You know when you daydream about what your life would look like when you get sober? Or maybe you’re already sober but that dream life hasn’t happened for you? Well, I’m going to help you make it a reality by showing you the science of why a sober board works and how you can make one.
Here’s the thing- if you can imagine it, you can manifest it. That’s according to neuroscience. So all those times you think you’re wasting your days away by romanticizing the future, well, you can now put those fantasies to good use.
As a holistic recovery coach and energy healer who sobered up on my own over six years ago without a support system, I’m here to help you rewrite your story one breath at a time. For today, we’re going to demystify the wildly popular (and woo woo) vision board and how it can help you.
What we’re going to cover:
- Science of why a sober board works
- What is a sober board?
- How to make a sober board
- How to make your sober board work for you
Science of why a sober board works
The brain does not know the difference between imagination and reality.
You create a network of neurons
When we visualize what we want, we’re conditioning our brain to create a network of neurons, the Reticular Activating System (RAS). (SOURCE) The more we do this, the more powerful that network becomes- to the point that there’s no distinction between not having and having.
Perceptual Filtering
Our subconscious mind processes about 11 million bits of information per second while our conscious mind processes between 40 to 50 bits of information per second. (SOURCE) That’s because our brain is filtering what’s unnecessary and absorbing only what we think is important. So when we make a goal important (through visualization), our mind becomes more focused on reaching those goals.
What is a sober board?
A sober board is the same concept as a vision board. It’s a visual representation of what you want to attract with a combination of pictures and inspirational quotes.
Sometimes people think a vision board is just for superficial desires. But it isn’t. At least not for me. And I’m sure when you put some thought into what you really want, you’ll find that it’s about a lifestyle, a mindset, feelings. Of course, we’ll all have tangible things on a sober board, but we’ll also have pictures that speak to us, words that tug at our heart strings, lyrics from songs and poems we love. Things that inspire us.
HOW TO MAKE A SOBER BOARD
What you’ll need for a sober board:
- Canva (if you’re going digital)
- Foam board, poster board, or cardboard (if you’re making a physical board)
- Printer (if you’re making a physical board)
GET INSPIRATION
Pinterest is amazing. You can create a private or public board and start saving pictures there. Even if something catches your eye but it isn’t what you want to manifest, save it. Sometimes pictures can speak to us on a visceral level and awaken long lost feelings.
Once you have your pics, download them onto your phone and crop them. It’s easier to crop them before uploading them onto Canva. I’ve tried it without cropping and it gets really annoying when you’re trying to make the adjustments.
PUTTING IT TOGETHER:
DIGITAL BOARD
This is for the digital board. If you’re making a physical one, click HERE.
If you’re going the digital route, I highly recommend using Canva. They have a bunch of collage templates specifically for phone wallpapers. Or you can create a collage from scratch using a blank phone wallpaper template. Whichever works for you.
Canva Pro is free for the first month. You can sign up HERE. FYI- this is not an affiliate link.
Once you’re signed up, you can search by “phone wallpapers.” A whole bunch of options will appear and from there, you can make your own or pick one you like.
When you have your template, upload your photos and arrange them in any way you like. Play around with the sizing of the pictures. There’s also a transparency button so you can add some interesting contrast. You can also play around with the shadows option to give it some depth.
When you’re done, download it. Save it as your phone wallpaper and screensaver so you can always see it.
PHYSICAL BOARD
Now that you’ve got your inspo, you’re going to want to print out your pictures. Make sure to print out different sizes and/or add borders so you can get some dimension onto your board.
Play around with the arrangement before you glue the pictures or tape them. When you have something you like, stick the pictures on the board.
All you have to do now is hang it up!
How to make your sober board work for you
REAFFIRM & REINFORCE
Don’t just make your sober board and be done with it. Save it as your phone wallpaper, put it on your desk, or hang it on a wall. You want as much visual access as possible. The more you see it, the stronger the neural responses in your brain become.
BE FLEXIBLE
Things change. Life changes. We change. What you want today may not be important to you six months from now. That’s ok. As we grow, so do our goals and ambitions. So, if you find your values changing, shift with them.
PUT IN THE WORK
Meet your goals halfway. Dedicate what you can each day towards your dreams. Even if you only have 10 minutes to spare. The little sacrifices you make today for your future self is what’s going to bring you to the life you want to live. halfway for this to work.
Now that you have the science of why a sober board works and how to make one, what are you going to manifest? Leave a comment below. If you know anyone that will benefit from this, please be sure to share it with them.
I’ll see ya soon…in the meantime, love yourself so much that even a Hallmark Christmas movie would be jealous.
