The Fibro Diva Report
Fibromyalgia and Vision Boards
May 20, 2022
Sabrina Dudley-Johnson
FibroDiva/Fibrocop
Have you ever heard people talking about Vision Boards? Ever wonder what they are and if they might be a viable tool to add to your Fibromyalgia Management Tool kit?
In March of 2021, Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., wrote an article on Vision Boards for Psychology Today. Dr. Davis stated vision boards are a "creative way to think through your goals." She continues, "a vision board is usually a collage of images that represent goals
and dreams. It can include cut-out pictures from magazines and newspapers, and words that help inspire you to manifest your dreams and get you where you want to go." [1]
Several years ago, I attended the Chronic Pain Bootcamp at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC, now known as the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab), run by Dr. Norman Harden. It was a grueling program. We met 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. A component of the program was Art Therapy. One day we made vision boards. We were free to visually journal about anything as long as we could intellectually draw a correlation back to a Fibromyalgia-related goal. My board included a picture of a house because at the time I had two minor children, was going through a divorce and fighting for my disability pension, all financial related issues which threatened my ability to keep a roof over our heads. I also had pictures of shoes and boots because I felt that the two battles in which I was engaged were the results of others walking all over me and I wanted to take back control of both my destiny and my dignity.
If you've read the blog "Thoughts in from the fog" or any other articles on The Fibro Diva Report, you know by now that I like talking about myself, but enough of that let's return to Vision Boards and Fibromyalgia management ...
Vision boards are great tools for:
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identifying your goals surrounding career/schooling, lifestyle/purpose, obtaining material possessions, and defining success as it pertains to you
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setting and reminding yourself of, thoughts, ideas, and affirmations that can help you move towards attaining your vision
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setting and remembering your daily, short term, and long-term steps required to achieve your vision [2]
Grab a stack of old magazines and/or newspapers or print out some inspirational images from the internet. Don't forget a sheet of poster board, a foam board, or even a mirror to use as your base. Pour yourself a glass or cup or your favorite beverage. Snuggle up in your special, safe spot and start thinking about some realistic Fibro-related goals. Then start clipping away. Once you have a nice collection of images, think of some words or phrases that you could repeat to yourself every day to move you toward your goals. Write them down on separate sheets of paper or post it notes. Now start attaching your images and words/phrases to your board. Doesn't matter what sequence you use, just get them up there.
Look at your vision board once a day, twice a week, whatever frequency you need to keep you motivated.
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Endnotes:
[1] What Is a Vision Board and Why Make One?
Tchiki Davis, Ph.D.
Psychology Today
March 01, 2021
[2] 5 Steps to Setting Pain Management and Wellness Goals
Sasha DeBeausset
Pain Resource
November 30, 2022