How to Create a Vision for Your Life (and the Year Ahead)

There is something about the beginning of a new year that invites us to pause, step back, and ask ourselves bigger questions about the lives we are creating. If you clicked on this post, I have a feeling you’re ready to face the year ahead with intention, open to growth, clarity, and possibilities.

I am a firm believer in setting goals, but only once I am clear about the address I want my life to move forward. For me, the most powerful work happens before setting goals: when I take the time to define my vision for the year ahead.

That’s why I begin each year with a reflection practice focused on my future self: the version of myself I’m growing into and the life I want to feel aligned with. If you would like guidance as you go through this process, the Future Self Worksheet will guide you step by step through these same questions and help you turn abstract ideas into clarity.

Today we’ll focus on the first (and most important) part of the process: creating a vision for your life.

Why I write my vision every year

There is no shortage of content on manifestations and vision boards. While visualization is powerful, I have found that it often falls short of helping us articulate because We want what we want and how we will live it every day.

I am an Enneagram 3. I like clarity. I like the intention. And I like a roadmap.

This is the truth I have learned about time: visualization, plus a tactical plan to get the job doneIt is the secret to achieving true momentum towards creating the life of our dreams.

When I take the time to define my vision, before setting goals or creating a vision board, I can move through the year with more focus, confidence, and calm. It becomes something I can revisit again and again, especially when I need a reset.

“You only need to know the direction, not the destination. The direction is enough to make the next decision.” —James Claro

How to create a vision of the life you want to live

Companies create vision statements to guide decisions and keep teams aligned. I believe we deserve the same level of intention in our own lives.

Creating a personal vision isn’t about rigid plans: it’s about clarifying how you want feel, liveand appear in the next year.

Below are the nine steps I follow to define my vision each year.

If you would like support as you progress through these reflections, the Future Self Worksheet offers guided prompts to help you articulate what is coming up.

1. Write your 2026 mantra

If your vision is the long version, your mantra is the short version.

Think of it as a phrase you can turn to when you need grounding, something you can post where you’ll see it daily. You don’t need to land on it right away. It is often revealed after working through the rest of the process.

Here are examples of mantras I’ve written over the years to help get your creative juices flowing:

• Less distraction, more commitment.
• Slow down, stop rushing.
• Raise your energy.
• Enjoy today.
• Be here now.
• Simplify.
• Have more fun.

2. What is your dream life like?

Close your eyes and imagine a day in the life of your dreams: not the highlights, but the rhythm of a normal day. Don’t limit yourself to what seems realistic at the moment. Let your imagination fly. To help free myself from the mentality that the “dream life” equals status or material possessions, I like to focus more on what a real life is. day In my dreams you see life, answering these questions:

• Where are you?
• Who are you with?
• How do you feel?
• What does “success” look like to you?

I always find that this exercise opens new paths for me. It helps me be clear about what I want to say. in fact because instead of what I believe ought because.

3. How do you want to feel this year?

Instead of focusing solely on results, I love to anchor my vision in emotions. Choose up to five feelings you want to experience more this year and revisit them often. Just asking, “How can I feel more of this today?” It can change the tone of your entire day.

Some examples could be:

Grounded + centered: Present, calm, stable, rooted, peaceful

Expansive + Growth Oriented: Curious, Open, Inspiring, Creative, Brave

Energized + Motivated: Energized, focused, motivated, capable, committed

Cheerful + Light: Cheerful, Playful, Light, Grateful, Delighted

Confident + Self-assured: Confident, secure, self-assured, empowered, aligned

Connected + Supported: Connected, loved, supported, seen, belonging

Hopeful + Looking to the future: Confident, optimistic, hopeful, encouraged, resilient

4. When are you happiest?

This simple question often leads to great ideas. How often do we go on autopilot and forget to ask ourselves if we are incorporating the things that make us happy into our daily lives? When do you feel most yourself? A little soul-searching may reveal that you’re happiest when you’re cooking, walking with a friend, trying a new sport, traveling, or getting lost in a good book. Whatever it is, the goal is to intentionally dedicate more time to it. that in your life this year.

5. Where do you want to go this year?

Instead of making last-minute travel decisions, try dreaming proactively.

What if you named the places that call to you and then took an honest look at your calendar and budget to see what’s possible? Even if not all trips happen this year, naming them plants a seed. I usually aim to take one “big trip” a year and a couple of shorter trips to places in the US. You may not get to all of them in one year, but I’m sure that if you take this approach, that “dream place” willpower be in your future.

6. Who do you want to prioritize?

Relationships when they prosper lean towards parenthood. For several years, I kept a note in my Evernote called “My List.” That’s about 10 names of people in my life (outside of my family) who are top priorities. These are the people I want to invest in, spend time with, and cultivate our relationship with in a meaningful way this year. We all know how busy life gets, and keeping this list somewhere I can easily access helps me remember to check in and stay connected all year long.

In this step, simply make a list of friends, coworkers, family, etc. who you want to prioritize this year. Keep it short enough so you can really invest in each of them.

7. What do you want to read this year?

I like to choose a small, meaningful reading list, often tied to goals of personal growth or pure enjoyment. One book per season is a good starting point.

8. What do you want to learn?

Learning keeps life expansive. Instead of overloading yourself, choose one something you’d love to explore this year: something you find nourishing, not performative.

9. Bring your vision to life visually

Once your vision is clear, creating a visual anchor can be incredibly powerful.

This is where a vision board comes into play, not as a starting point, but as a way to express the vision you have already defined. Whether digital or tactile, the images and words you choose should reflect how you want your life to feel.

If you love practical rituals, Casa Zuma’s vision board kit is designed to help you translate your vision into something tangible: beautiful enough to live in your space, meaningful enough to revisit daily.

And if you crave guidance, reflection, and community as you do this work, the Vision Board Workshop offers a supportive space to design your vision with intention, whether you join us virtually or in person.

you did it

Creating a vision for your life is a powerful act and one you can return to again and again all year long. Celebrate this moment of clarity. You have taken a significant step toward designing a life that feels aligned, intentional, and deeply yours.

If you want to review this process with structure, the Future Self Worksheet is always there to guide you back to what’s most important.