How to Paint Your Future to Create a Better Life with Vitiligo

Do you know who you want to be? If you’re like me, you’re still trying to figure it out. I know that the future me – the better version of myself, even with vitiligo – is out there. But I’ve also learned that I can’t get somewhere if I don’t know where I’m going. And that’s why I spend time painting my future.

I’m not an artist by any means – especially not a painter. But I do believe that you can paint your future. And creating that vision for my life in digital or print form has not only inspired me, but given me direction to go out and be that girl that I want to be.

Here are four exercises that have helped me envision the person I want to be:

Build a vision board on Pinterest

If you’re socially savvy, try building a vision board on Pinterest. Search for the things that you want to see in your future. Add quotes that inspire you, clothes you want to wear or accessories that might fill your home. Perhaps you’ll pin a pair of shorts that you’ve always wanted to wear in public but haven’t had the courage to. Or maybe your future has pictures of girls laughing, because you don’t let yourself laugh enough.

Use old magazines to create a collage

Perhaps you’re a little more old school like me – I always love to create vision boards that I can hold in my own hands. Rummage through old stacks of magazines and rip out words and pictures that speak to you. Tape them to a notebook, glue them to a poster board, or even get a cork board and pin them up. Cut out the words that describe the best version of you and the pictures that reflect your values. Piece by piece, you’ll watch a handful of ripped pages become a beautiful vision of your future.

Pick up a journal and write down your thoughts

You can also journal – perhaps words are visual enough for you. Get a journal and pour your thoughts onto the pages. Write down your hopes and dreams. List the things you’ll do, the places you’ll see and the people you’ll spend time with. Fill the sheets with as many details of your future as you can imagine. Try writing your big-picture goals at the top of each page and then write about how you’ll get there.

Spend time in meditation

Find a quiet spot that you can visit regularly and spend just five minutes thinking about your future. Close your eyes, try to drown out the distractions, and start envisioning what your life could look like. Think about what you need to overcome and how you need to grow. Imagine the ways you could be the girl that you’ve always wanted to be. When you’re done, open your eyes and go be that girl.