L'ART DE VIVRE: The DREAM JAR System

Wow. A little over two weeks and a new year, and I'd already forgotten how intimidating a blank page (or a blank screen in this case) can be.

I believe a Happy New Year to all of you is in order! A happy, healthy, joyful, busy, blissful, good crazy, eventful year.

I know it is a cliché but every year around this time, I try to squeeze in some time for myself, and reflect about the past twelve months gone by and draft some serious resolutions for the new year.

A couple of years ago, amidst all The Secret hype I was introduced to Vision Boards. These basically consist of creating and putting up a board with pictures and magazine cutouts of all the things you wish, the goals you want to accomplish, and the dreams you have for this year. The idea behind it is that putting up a board with your dreams and wishes on it will keep your goals constantly in mind. Taking a constant glance at your vision Board and visualizing your dreams is a good way to focus on the things you want, and actually go and make them happen. If you actually see an image of what you want, it'll be easier for you to consciously -or not- set out to make it happen, as you've already pictured it. It is basically a way to graphically illustrate and constantly remind yourself of what you want. I know...just please bare with me...

In january 2011, I created my first vision board. Yes people, long before Pinterest, there were Vision Boards. Except I just didn't have an actual board at the time so I created a sort of Vision Booklet that I got at my local scrapbooking store. It pretty much consisted of:

a) Fitness images - Every year I vow to work hard for not a slimmer body, but a healthier body. (Although let's not kid ourselves, I wouldn't complain if I could get my increasingly closer to a size 8 butt in a size 4, but at this point that would just be an added bonus)

b) Places I'd like to visit and pictures of idyllic beaches, cities I'd like to go to, and holidays I'd like to take.

c)Skills I'd like learn and other hobbies I'd like to take up such as photography, writing or cooking. A language I'd like to master, books I'd like to read, etc. This blog was first conceived on a vision board.

d) Cutouts of words that summarize and illustrate what I want my year to be i.e. calmer, easier, happier, healthier, feel good, smile, love etc.

I think after all my gibberish you get the idea by now. I usually begin my board in january but will add images (never remove) throughout the year. You should keep it handy or somewhere you can easily spot it and glance at it once in a while, not to check your progress and rate or evaluate your year, but to keep your eyes on the prize, stay motivated and remember what you set yourself to work for. These past two years (2012 & 2013) for some reason (it might have to do with some renovating I did in my workspace) I shoved my vision boards under a pile of papers and only found them until I set myself to write this post.

Here's the incredible part. Looking back, even without having taken a glance a it during the entire year, I realized I've visited 90% of the places I'd collaged, I've worked on my photography and on my writing, I've worked on my language skills, I've read most of the books I'd included and basically I've come pretty close to living and achieving my wishes and dreams I'd illustrated in words or images (except for the fitness part I have sadly yet to master). Here's a teeny example. In my 2013 booklet/scrapbook I'd created a whole page dedicated to Paris. I collaged pictures of the eiffel tower and other spots of the city, metro tickets, a tiny eiffel tower key chain, a Parisian building, and I'd written the phrase J'habite à Paris. Okay, so maybe I didn't and still don't live in Paris, but I got to rent a beautiful property and spend my summer in the city with my husband and the kids, an unforgettable experience I've written before on LADV. I'd pictured this months before we even decided to do this, and it wasn't even me who suggested we do it! I could go on with examples like this.

I highly recommend doing a Vision board, or Dream Board, or Wish Board, or Goal Board; or whatever you choose you name it. It is a fun, entertaining activity. Work on it 10 minutes every night during the first days of the new year and keep it visible. Come back to it every once in a while. I will warn you though, creating a vision board will not magically make your dreams come true, but seeing what you want and where you want to be, everyday, will increase the likelihood of you setting out to making it happen; everyday.

I am currently writing this under a pile of old magazines, ready to begin my 2014 Vision Board. This year however, I came across on Pinterest, the Vision Boards of our time; the idea of a Dream Jar and instantly fell in love with it. Once again, you can name it whatever you choose. The idea behind it is pretty much the same as the Vision Board. You'll need a Mason Jar, or any kind of Jar for that matter, pen and paper (post-its are perfect, if you're feeling really crafty you can use some string to tie around each piece of paper or you can even use wood sticks to give it a twist).

Write whatever you want to achieve, dream, wish for and live in 2014. It can range from career goals to relationship milestones, to parenting achievements, to fears you'd like to conquer, to spiritual and physical transformations, to something as lavish and superficial as your next big fashion splurge. It is of utmost importance to be as specific as you can.

You can roll each dream up, deposit them in the jar and wait to watch them happen or... at the beginning of each month, retrieve from the jar one or more dreams and set yourself to work on them. Channel all your energies, love, passion and efforts into achieving that dream, maybe not that same month, but keep it pinned somewhere visible so you won't forget it. Carry it around in your wallet, glue it to your nightstand, or just carry it in your mind and heart. If constant in your work, and maybe with a little bit of luck, by the end of the year you'll have a jar of fulfilled dreams.

The jar system has great and endless possibilities. Create your own system that best suits you. You can create a Gratitude Jar and write down all the good things that come your way as they happen and all you are thankful for. At the end of the year you can retrieve them all from the jar, and revisit your year, revisiting and focusing and all the good things, big or small, the year has left you with.

A Dream Jar is a very personal project, however you can have a Family Dream Jar and it would make a great activity to do with the kids. Help them think of all their little or biggest dreams and make this a new year's tradition for everyone!

Browse Pinterest for great ideas such as the ones shown below.