How to Use a Vision Board to Actually Get What You Want
Understanding and applying what I am about to share can be the difference between a vision board that collects dust and one that becomes your lived reality. I know this because it has happened for me. Outside of my military deployment, I had never traveled outside the United States. After creating my board with intention, I manifested trips abroad not once but twice. For eight months, I looked at an engagement ring pinned to that board. Today, I wear one on my finger and am happily engaged to the love of my life.
The question is not whether vision boards work. The real question is how to use them in a way that truly aligns your mind, your actions, and your future. That is where the work of Dr. Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and former medical doctor, offers powerful perspective.
From Skeptic to Believer
Dr. Swart once dismissed vision boards as wishful thinking. The shift came when her life changed in two big ways: she left her medical career and went through a divorce. In the middle of these transitions, she found herself in need of something new to believe in. She decided to try a vision board. On her very first board she placed images of an engagement ring, a yoga room, and photos of a nature preserve. That same year, she met her future husband on a plane, and later married him. She came to understand that the board itself was not magic, but that it primed her to notice opportunities and adjust her behavior in alignment with her deepest desires.
Mindset and Alignment
In her interview on This Morning, the host asked her an important question: if you change your mindset, do you also need to change your actions? Swart explained that it is both. You must shift your mindset, but you also have to notice how you behave. Are your choices aligned with what you say you want? If not, it is time to adjust. This is why she calls her vision boards “action boards.” They are not about sitting back and waiting. They are about creating a daily reminder to live in alignment with your vision.
Gratitude and the Brain
Looking at your board every day is part of the practice, but the deeper shift comes from gratitude. When you see the images of what you want, allow yourself to feel true gratitude as though it has already arrived. This places your brain in what Swart calls the “love-trust” state, a mindset that strengthens resilience and receptivity.
She also recommends beginning your mornings this way. Before you even open your eyes, focus on gratitude and self-love. She describes this as “love bombing yourself,” training your brain to expect good things and to notice possibilities throughout the day. Over time, your choices naturally begin to reflect the life you are calling in.
The Six Themes of Manifestation
Swart also outlines six themes that shape manifestation:
- Abundance – Believing it is safe to take risks and expand.
- Manifestation – Defining clearly what you want and moving toward it.
- Magnetic Desire – Allowing yourself to truly want it.
- Patience – Trusting the process and timing.
- Harmony – Living in balance with yourself and others.
- Universal Connection – Remembering that support exists beyond you.
These themes are less about lofty ideas and more about creating the mental and emotional conditions that allow you to align with your goals.
Putting It Into Practice
To create an “action board” that works, try these steps:
- Choose images that reflect what you deeply want. Not just what looks pretty, but what resonates with your heart.
- Look at your board daily. Feel gratitude as if those things are already here.
- Begin with gratitude in the morning. Before opening your eyes, love bomb yourself with thoughts of worthiness and joy.
- Notice your behavior. Are your actions aligned with your vision? Adjust gently where they are not.
- Stay open. The path may surprise you, but your awareness helps you recognize opportunities when they arrive.
A Next Step
If you want to dive deeper into this practice, Dr. Swart shares her journey and insights in her book The Source. It explores how tools like vision boards can help you reimagine possibility and live in alignment with what you truly desire. Find it on Amazon.
