Hello and thank you for being part of the UNderdogstuff community. Let's keep going on this journey together!
We know, we know, it’s the new year and you are frantically searching through your place right now looking for poster boards, scissors, old magazines (side note, why are real-life magazines sooooo expensive?), glue, glitter (don’t underestimate the magic of vision board glitter), and a bunch of other supplies. And the pandemic and politics got you stuck in the house and you aren't going to Target today. No supplies, no problem. We're gonna remix this vision board thing, right now.
For the past few years UNderdogstuff, in partnership with good people and organizations, has hosted an annual in-person Vision Events in West Philly, Harlem, Newark, or Lower Manhattan. It’s been a time to Reflect, Connect, and Create.
Here are three exercises we’ve done during those in-person vision events that you can do at home today. No arts & crafts supplies are needed.
Take a moment to think about, on a scale of 1 to 10, what areas of your life have been working and what areas haven’t as you exited last year and entered this year with the “How Are U Doing?” worksheet. There are two blank spaces for you to personalize additional areas of your life.
Next up, we get to connect to ourselves and each other with the “Mission” worksheet. Fill in the boxes on the first page. Then take your favorite answer from each column to fill in the second page. And magically you’ll have the rough makings of your mission statement for the new year. Plus, throw in your word or words of the year. I think my word is going to be “Building.”
Now it’s time to create a new year soundtrack with the “Playlist” worksheet. Begin with a playlist of about five songs. Pick songs that will raise your energy level and remind you of your mission, important goals, and/or things you reflected on earlier.
Then create a name for your playlist and a nickname for yourself. You can refresh your Playlist as your priorities and goals change. And for us underdog music junkies already bothered by the five-song limit, you can create an additional playlist called “The B-Side” for all other songs.
Well, what ya waiting for!? Music helps with creativity so turn on some of your favorite music right now and start brainstorming the songs that have meaning to you, will motivate you, and inspire you daily this year.
When you’re done creating your soundtrack, you’ll have the mobile motivation that is only a press of the play button away. What will be your new year theme music? Really, what will it be? Because every one of us underdogs needs theme music.
You can use these three worksheets as pre-work inspiration for what you’ll eventually put on your vision board. You can or get the worksheets as printable pdf documents by clicking here.
Ready. Set. Go!
Written by Gregory Nesmith, Philly native, social entrepreneur, community advocate, award-winning marketer, and passionate about all things UNderdogstuff.
UNderdogstuff is a social impact venture working toward every underdog having access to opportunities to build wealth. The journey starts in Philly. Additionally, Venture Lab at Wharton accelerator program VIP-Xa Fall 2020 Cohort.