There’s nothing like a fresh start to the new year to reflect on what you truly want for yourself. Today, I’m excited to dive into how the best-selling book FutureBoards helped me press the reset button on my life, steering me towards a future where dreams meet reality.
For those who’ve been on this journey with me, you know my love for nuggets of personal development wisdom is real—and I only spotlight the gems that I think are worth sharing. Picture this: It’s January 2021, and we’re all clawing our way back to some semblance of normalcy post-pandemic. I was sidelined with a surgery that kept me off my feet for a week, so I stocked up on books to keep my brain busy. That’s when I stumbled upon Sarah Centrella’s best-selling book #FutureBoards. Unlike any other self-help book, this one promised not just to show me how to dream but to actually live the dream.
What’s a #FutureBoard?
Imagine a vision board on steroids. Sarah describes a #FutureBoard as not just a collage of wishful images but a dynamic blueprint of your desired future. If done right, it’s a powerful manifestation tool,
and Sarah lays out the precise steps to harness that power.
A Vision Board that Delivers
With a milestone birthday behind me and Mia off to college, I was ready to reboot my life. This book was just what I needed to kick my hopefulness into high gear and encouraged me to craft intentional experiences.
Skeptical about vision boards? There’s robust research backing the power of visualization. Neuroscience tells us that repeatedly envisioning our goals can trick our brains into thinking they’re within reach.
The Process
The book is organized into three parts:
1) Build the dream: This is where you embrace the power of “what if?” discover how to overcome limiting beliefs, mental blocks and identify what brings you happiness.
2) Make your Futureboard: Sarah encourages you to identify core areas to focus your dreams (relationships, career & ambitions, mind & body, passions & joy, wealth & abundance). Then she outlines the steps to build your board.
3) Bring it to life: This is the section where she outlines ways to start making it happen and offers tips to make things actionable.
Once I collected my images on Pinterest, it felt energizing. This process not only gave me the confidence to start my blog and my mentoring services but brought a renewed sense of purpose. Sarah’s stories of overcoming doubt and procrastination spurred me to finally chase my dreams without excuses.
Remember, you are the author of your life. Don’t be afraid to edit or change the script.
My Futureboard Highlights:
- Travel experiences: Beautiful waterfalls of Costa Rica and the streets of Paris.
- Stress reduction and self-care: A rejuvenating spa trip to Arizona with my sister.
- Quality time with friends and entrepreneurs I admire.
What Happened Next
After finishing the book, I started following Sarah on Instagram. I remember thinking how cool it was that she was also based in Portland. I never thought I’d actually get to meet her but then I came across an opportunity to join her for a women’s retreat in Italy. Going to Italy had always been a dream bucket item for me, and it felt like this was the first step in realizing what she wrote about in the book.
Was I really going to do this??
Spoiler alert: Yes I was.
I DM’d her to ask a few questions about the retreat. She was so friendly and encouraging that I felt comfortable taking the plunge and signed up!
Once I signed up for the women’s retreat in Italy, I felt excitement and energy that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, I also thought, “What the heck did I just do?” I essentially signed up to travel by myself to Italy for a week-long experience with people I didn’t know!
Crafting my Futureboard and following it up with an Italian retreat wasn’t a fleeting moment. It was a catalyst for lasting change. It taught me how to dream bigger, embrace intentionality and turn ideas into action.
A Lifetime Practice
Last New Year’s Eve, we swapped resolutions for a family FutureBoard session, which was a hit, especially with Mia. It’s become a guiding star for her college adventures, with several dreams already realized.
So, here’s your cue: allow yourself to dream boldly. It’s amazing where your imagination can take you when you lean into it.
Check out Sarah’s tips on how to make the ultimate Futureboard here. For an extra connective experience, consider taking a group Futureboards workshop.
Thanks for reading! xx
