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
Imagination IS reality
The brain does not know the difference between imagination and reality.
(SOURCE)
Kinda crazy, huh? We’re quite literally living in a matrix. So the more you visualize what you want, the more you’re actually training your brain to chase your dreams.
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) And the more we do this (it ties in with the above paragraph), the more powerful that network becomes- to the point that there’s no distinction between not having and having. The more you reaffirm your new reality (look at your sober board as often as you can), you’re building the momentum to pursue your goals.
Perceptual Filtering
Our subconscious mind processes about 11 million bits of information per second but our conscious mind can only process between 40 to 50 bits of information per second. (SOURCE) That’s because our brain is filtering out the unnecessary and absorbing 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
Put your sober board in a place where you can see it everyday. If you’re making a digital one, save it as your screensaver and wallpaper. If you’re making a physical board, hang it on a wall you always see.
BE FLEXIBLE
As we grow and evolve, our values change. So what you may want today may not be what you want tomorrow. You can always take the pictures off the board and add new ones.
Give yourself the compassion to allow for your desires to change.
PUT IN THE WORK
I’m sure you already know but I do have to be clear- this isn’t about putting everything you want on a board and then sitting on your laurels while waiting for it to happen. I’ve done it plenty of times so there is absolutely no judgment. We have to meet the Universe 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? Let me know in the comments 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.
