Friends, itâs that time of year again. 2024 is halfway done, which means Iâm doing my annual mid-year check-in. This is an annual practice that helps me make sure Iâm staying on track with the goals I set in January, reassess the ones that no longer feel aligned, and potentially add a few new ones to the mix. I love this process, and I liken it to checking my bank account. If Iâm not staying up to date, itâs easy for me to feel disconnected and off trackâand basically ensures that I wonât hit my goals.Â
“Where attention goes, energy flows.”
How to Create a Mid-Year Vision Board
Isnât that nearly always the case with anything we give our attention to? From experience, anytime I spend my energy on a goal or an idea, shifts begin to happen. Recently, I started to journal in the mornings and evenings thanks to my friend Gustavoâs six-month meditation journal, Grounded Practice. Itâs a simple and easy way to start the day focused on where I want my attention to flow. It also reminds me of where I want to be in the future and whatâs important in the present moment. This act of reflecting and connecting with my intentions allows me to start my day productive, grounded, and calm.
My journaling practice piqued my curiosity on what it might look like to visually identify my goals and dreams for the rest of the year. This then led me to the Vision Board Kit that Camille created for Casa Zuma. While I’ve been hesitant to start one in the past, I know first-hand the power of putting an intention out in the world. I had nothing to lose, so I got to it.
Hereâs how I approached my mid-year check in and added a few goals thanks to my new vision board.
Celebrate Your Wins
First things first: a celebration for what I’ve achieved so far. Even if I didnât hit an exact goal at this point, but made some progress, thatâs worthy of a celebration. At the beginning of the year, I knew I needed to make some lifestyle changes. While some of these didnât kick in until the spring, like my move to no drinking in April, this has been a win in that I continue to listen to my body. Now, I’m proud to say that Iâm well over 100+ days without alcohol.
Take Stock of Your Progress
At the beginning of the year, I set some financial benchmarks and Iâm tracking in the right direction. With that, Iâm celebrating all the changes and shifts Iâve made to get to this point and that continues to keep me accountable and on track. Taking stock of where Iâm at gives me an opportunity to shift behaviors if needed. In the case of financial goals, I start to look at my budget for meals and entertainment, travel, and my âfun fund.â Do I need to pump the breaks in any direction? Add more to savings? P.S. one of my favorite hacks is when I travel for work, I take any funds that I wouldâve spent on groceries, gas, etc., and put it straight into my savings. It adds up!
Identify What Goals You No Longer Need
Iâm sure weâve all done this. At some point, we’ve set a goal or intention and we realize itâs no longer of interest or something we desire. A beautiful part about being an adult is changing our mind and investing in people, things, thoughts, and goals that make us happy and get us to where we need to go. In my case, I had set a few travel and relationship-based goals in January and they no longer apply to me. Now, I’ve replaced them with other things that Iâd love to see, do, and achieve.
Ask: Whatâs missing?
This is where I have the most fun with vision boarding. I took a look at my goals and realized that I had set intentions across finances, health, family, friends, home, travel, and even my nervous system. But one thing was missing: I didnât leave much room for play. Heck, Iâve got an entire savings account dedicated to fun and travel and realized I wasnât really tapping into it. I had been so laser-focused on saving money that I wasnât allowing myself much room for play.
I used the prompts included in the vision board kit and started to think about the places both locally and outside of Austin that inspire me and/or Iâd like to visit. This is a great practice if youâre like me and can tend to get a little overly frugal at times. While I have the bulk of my travel planned for the year, I’m leaving room energetically and financially for new places.
Reflect: Whatâs inspiring?
Do you have any big goals or dreams or something that youâre really inspired by right now? Maybe itâs a home renovation to evoke a sense of calm and cozy in your place. Maybe itâs a dream job at a company that has been high on your list. For me, in the most immediate sense, Saturday Night Live celebrates its 50th season in 2025 and I am setting my bar high on going to a taping. Now, if I go in 2024, great, still a win, but Iâve wanted to attend a taping since I was in highschool and Iâm finally putting my energy into making it happen. So SNL is front and center of my board and Iâm stoked about it!
This is a fun time to consider: what is one thing that would absolutely light you up this year?
Check in: How do I want to feel?
I thought a lot about this question: how do I want to feel on December 31, 2024? For me, the answer was calm and present. Slowing down continues to be a theme for me and to my surprise, not drinking has really helped with that. I love knowing how I want to feel so I can in turn make decisions that support those goals. I imagine myself not sprinting toward any kind of end-of-year finish line, saying yes to the things that bring me joy and peace and a heck no to everything else. As a result, the words light, calm, and rested adorn my board.
Your Mid-Year Vision Board: Next Steps
To ensure Iâm tracking toward my goals and consistently refining if needed, Iâve set a reminder to check in on the 15th of each month and gauge where Iâm at. Just as I sit down with my morning coffee or matcha to journal, Iâll use this time to take a few deep breaths and check in with the goals Iâve set. I make adjustments, celebrate wins, and identify new inspiring ways of moving forward and continuing to grow.
You can get your own Vision Board Kit right here!
