SEL for Grown Ups

Vision boards for the new year and beyond

I feel like there’s so much noise around the new year, and I worry a bit that in writing this post, I’m contributing to it. There’s so many different ways to celebrate the new year — there were years I stayed up way past midnight, in heels and glitter, teetering (loudly) with friends through the streets of Hoboken. These days, I’m thrilled with an everything shower, a glass of champagne on the couch, and a 10pm bedtime. Similarly, there are infinite ways to approach the upcoming year. I’m not a fan of resolutions. I find they’re too rigid and intense, especially during winter, when we’re meant to be resting and recharging. Over the past few years, I’ve leaned into vision boards and intentions. It’s a gentler approach to reflecting on the past and planing for next steps. They can guide or correct our course, rather than feel punishing when we miss the mark.

2026 visions and intentions

I also don’t subscribe to the idea that there’s something magical about January 1st. In my work as a school counselor, I run collage programs for staff and students at my school¹, and creating those boards can be meaningful at any time of year. When I was doing my counseling internship in a middle school², I had an incredible supervisor who has turned into a dear friend. She let me lead an SEL (social emotional learning) group for 7th grade girls, focused on identity and building connections with others. It was one of the most memorable things I did that year, and I’ve since brought it into my own work as a high school counselor. We based the group loosely on this video about SoulCollage. The magic of the group is never in the outcome (though the end product is always amazing), but usually in the journey. As we sort through images and words, making piles and messes on the table, we chat about what it’s like to be _______ (a 7th grader, a 10th grader, a 37 year old mom [kidding, I do not actually subject them to this]).

One of my favorite parts of the experience is the choosing of images. I think it’s really important not to go into the experience with specific images in mind — you really want to look at each image and pay attention to what it stirs up in you. The images you feel most called to, or the ones that you keep returning to, are the ones you need most.

Ariane Anusbigian³ suggested I do a post on this (thank you, friend!) so I wanted to share two ways to go about creating a meaningful vision board for your new year. Again, I don’t recommend going into the project with specific images in mind, or things you’re searching for. The process can reveal so much more to you if you open yourself up to seeing and reflecting on images as you see them. If you have kids at home, this can be such a great way to build connections with them. Having a parallel activity to do with their hands can really open them up to conversation.

Option 1: Physical Media!

This one is great in a group setting — with friends or with your kids. Sometimes I pre-select images and put them into folders based on colors or themes (nature, books, words⁴, seasons, etc.). I like to put everything out on the table, put on some music and make a pot of tea. After watching the video, I try not to give any additional instructions, because there’s no right way to do this. A big part of gathering the images is about trusting what you’re noticing in yourself.

• Collect a bunch of magazines and scissors (Pro tip: I’ve had luck stopping into bookstores at the end of the month and asking if they’re willing to donate magazines they’re tossing, and I’ve also used my local Buy Nothing Facebook group to gather materials.) We get the Sunday NY Times delivered each week, and I’ve found the NYT magazines have a lot of great images and graphics that make for a diverse collection.

• I like to use a sturdy canvas board and ModgePodge, but even a piece of card stock will work

• Watch this Soul Collage video — it gives some great guidance on the choosing of images

• Put on a great playlist (I like this one for January) or a YouTube ambiance video

• Play with your images before gluing anything down — move them around, see where they fit and pay attention to what you notice.

• Decide where to display your board! Put it somewhere you can see it daily (most of mine are in my office at school).

• Some things to chat about:

  • Tell me about this part.

  • What feelings come up when you look at this image?

  • What story do these colors tell us? How do the colors make us feel?

  • Which image surprised you the most?

Option 2: Digital!

Pinterest has gotten weird? But I still love it for so many things, and last year I learned about the Collage option on the app. I love using this to make vision boards because a) it doesn’t require a lot of space or materials and b) I can carry it with me all the time — it’s currently my phone background.

• Start a new board for your collage. Mine is just called 2026.

• Start scrolling and pinning — here’s where the algorithm can be your friend (or your frenemy). The more you click, the more it learns what you’re looking for. The only actual “search” I did for an image was for a writing desk. All of the other images on this board were in my feed. I spent a few days collecting images and pinning.

• Create a new collage. From there, you can add images from any of your Pinterest boards, or even from your camera roll.

• You can add an entire image, or clip objects, and play with the layering. This is my favorite part :)

• Download your collage and set it as your phone background. I kept mine for most of last year, until squishy new baby photos took over.

A note about digital images — I’ve seen a lot of discourse on the crediting of images found on Pinterest and I absolutely get it. I also think Pinterest has made it harder in the last few years to track down an original source. I’m linking my full Pinterest board here, as a Works Cited of sorts. If anyone’s found a better way to more appropriately track down and credit owners of images, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Looking at my vision board, I’ve realized some of the themes for my intentions going into the new year:
The general: more fun, more time outside with my kids, more community and connection, more reading, writing, rest, and movement.
The specific: more whole foods, more saving money, more NA drinks*, more crossword puzzles, more wearing clothes I love, more trips to the city because it’s only an hour by train.

Bri Grosvenor asked me if I had a word for the year, and I realized I do — it’s discipline. I want to be disciplined in how I use my time (s/o to my new Brick), how I spend my money, how I take care of myself. It might be counterintuitive, but I also want to find more discipline in how I approach having fun. I want to play more, in my own hobbies and in my time with my family. I want to make these things a priority, not just an afterthought if I get through all the laundry.

I’m sure I’ll have more to say about this in the new year. For now, I’m so glad to have shown up here for the last five months. I can’t wait to write more in 2026. Wishing you a very happy New Year, and hoping that your NYE celebrations include buffalo chicken dip (a staple in our house). I also hope you get the vision board session of your dreams — either with community, or on your own while someone watches your kids.

Let’s Chat!

I’m so interested and curious — what’s on your vision board for 2026? What are you leaning into (and away from)?

1. Collage with a Counselor has become my calling card, and it’s one of the most fun things I do in my job

2. BTW, I am a middle school apologist. Yes, there’s drama, but middle schoolers are truth tellers and it’s so cool to see them try out who they’re going to be.

3. Ariane posted a video vision board on her Instagram, which I loved!

4. Soul Collage discourages using words, but I don’t always like following that rule. Words matter, and sometimes they’re what we need, so do what feels right for you.