Defining Beautiful with Images and Words
Earlier this month I joined Under Armour’s What’s Beautiful competition as a Fitfluential Ambassador. Since then, I have declared my goal. I’m completing the challenges. I started a team. I joined other teams. I’ve met and chatted with other participants. What I haven’t done is define what’s beautiful to me.
Have you ever created a vision board? With the realease of the book, The Secret, vision boards became increasingly more popular. Maybe the popularity increased more so with the endorsement of Oprah? Anyway, a vision board (also called a Treasure Map or a Visual Explorer or Creativity Collage) is typically a poster board on which you paste or collage images that you’ve torn out from various magazines. It’s simple.
After doing a little reading, I learned that the idea behind a vision board is that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, or where you want to vacation, your life changes to match those images and those desires. So, I decided I wanted to create a vision board. Or so I thought.
I gathered magazines, glue, scissors and poster board and started cutting. The whole process was relaxing while at the same time energizing. I noticed I started thinking about wanting to go for a run or maybe a workout. With each cut out word or image motivation increased. That was when it hit me. I didn’t create a vision board.
I created a vision of my definition of What’s Beautiful!
My board was covered with ideas, words and images that inspire me. Words and images that I admire and respect. See the image of the lady at the bottom doing Russian Twists? The words below her Just. Five. More? The look of determination on her face. THAT is beautiful!
A final thought. A bonus to creating a Vision of What’s Beautiful!
This is my daughter. She exemplifies my definition of beautiful. She is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! Being a competitive cheerleader to her is like being a runner to me. Creating this board got her attention in ways that words alone might not have been able to. She has a tumbling goal along with the drive and determination to accomplish that goal. It won’t be easy. She will get tired. She will get frustrated. But, she will never give up! I want what she is learning now to stay with her forever. THAT is beautiful!
So, tell me, what is your definition of beautiful? What words or images would you put on your Vision of What’s Beautiful board?
There is still time to join Under Armour’s What’s Beautiful competition. Sign up for your free account, set your goal and show the world how you define #whatsbeautiful.
Jill your daughter is gorgeous!!! I have so many things ripped out of magazines that I have planned for a vision board that I just need to paste on! This post has inspired me to break those back out and work on it this weekend! Maybe I can get my daughter to help out too!! Great post!
Thanks Nancy! Start gluing! I can practically guarantee you will love it and your daughter will too. I’m ready to make another one 🙂
I love inspiration boards like this! And I’m such a visual person. Happy Friday!
STRENGTH (inside and out!)
Love your inspiration board and the ideas it has given to me. Running has opened up so many new avenues for me, despite starting later in life. The photo with your daughter is lovely, she is beautiful and so are you.
Thank you Pam. Running did the same thing for me when I started and has continued to do so years later.
Thanks for sharing your vision board with us. Love this idea and think it would be fun to do something similar with my oldest daughter. It would be toddler-style, but it’s never too early to start defining beauty and strength in a positive light!
I would definitely try it with your daughter! Creating this with my daughter was the best part 🙂
I love your vision… very inspiring. And you’re right- your daughter is beautiful! 🙂
I love the Just 5 More!
To me, beautiful is being the best person you can be on the outside and on the inside. This includes taking care of yourself AND caring for others. Nothing is more unattractive than a beautiful person who cares only of themselves.
Also, your daughter is gorgeous.
I agree Jamie. Ironically, this was a conversation with my daughter not too long ago.
Just 5 more is my favorite!
love your vision board! i haven’t done one of these in forever but seems like a great idea!
I love this, Jill! So many inspiring messages- and that picture of you and your daughter is beautiful!
I requested your team! I am so there…its been fun looking that the goals!!! indeed, so inspiring. #whatisbeautiful is awesome (funny I just logged about it too.
Hi Tina! Welcome to Team Endurance! Send me your profile link so I can follow you if I’m not already 🙂
I requested your team! I am so there…its been fun looking that the goals!!! indeed, so inspiring. #whatisbeautiful is awesome (funny I just logged about it too. I love the pics and the tweets. So awesome. I even uploaded my FIRST video!!
Love your #whatsbeautiful vision board! And your daughter is gorgeous…she looks just like you!!!
Oh I love this Jill and I love your vision board. I’ve been wanting/meaning to make a vision board since the beginning of the year…and now it’s June 🙂 There are so many inspiring messages on your board and you’ve inspired me to finally get to it! And your daughter is beautiful and so awesome to have an amazing mom as a role model.
Thank you for your kind words Christine. Start cutting and gluing!! I can practically guarantee you will love it 🙂
LOVE this – I made a board similar to this a while back and loved looking at it… eventually all the bits and pieces started to peel off and I had to scrap it – I should make another!
Thanks Kayla. I look at my board often throughout the day 🙂
I will definitely make another one!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this!!
Beautiful to me is being happy!! I am working on this! 🙂
You’re right Jennifer! Happiness lights up a room!
You and your daughter are definitely what’s beautiful! LOVE this idea/post! Incredible idea! Strong and beautiful is what I see when I see you, your goals and what you’ve conquered!
Strong and beautiful? Wow! Thank you Marissa 🙂
What an awesome idea!
You and your daughter are *gorgeous*!!!
Such a cool idea!!
Your daughter looks like you and both of you are beautiful!!!
What a beautiful picture of you both!!! To me, I think the words Confidence means beautiful! It doesn’t matter how a person looks, but if they believe in themselves and have confidence, that makes a person shine beautifully! I also think Inner beauty, kindness towards others shows off a lot of beauty in a person!
Agreed Kristy. It is amazing how much of a difference having confidence can make. Inner beauty is a conversation I recently had with my daughter. Vision boards should be taught in parenting 101 LOL
Such a great idea, love it 🙂 What a great picture of you and daughter!
Cool idea! ‘Be Strong’ would definitely be on my image board. To me beautiful is finding your strength and not giving up.
Not giving up is HUGE!!
I think the idea of a vision board is absolutely wonderful and you have inspired me to create one. I think some of the things I would put on it would be words like strength, motivate, create, go hard, goals, and many more words and phrases to help keep me motivated and remind me of what’s beautiful. Thanks for sharing your board!
Thanks Rosi. Let me know if you decide to share your board. I would love to see it!
Love the idea of a vision board! I have a marathon inspiration board on pinterest but an IRL board is a great idea! Determination and strength are two words that I’d definitely put on mine. Love the pic of you and your daughter! She’s a strong lady just like her mom!
Thank you Angela. If I had a blushing emoticon I would use it 🙂
I have similar boards on pinterest that I love but a real life board is beyond compare.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! I can’t say how much I love this post AND the lady you picked out in your collage – LOVE!!!!!
I did a vision board only once in my life & not again.. it kinda got me depressed at the time because life can go in different directions & it was just not gonna happen what I put there.. but that was ages ago when I was young & a different person.
I like this description though: a vision board (also called a Treasure Map or a Visual Explorer or Creativity Collage) – Something about the words Visions Board turn me off – I am not sure why BUT I LOVE Treasure Map, Visual Explorer & Creativity Collage(this less than the other two).. now those first 2 may make me do it! 😉
Thanks Jody! My board didn’t quite seem to fit the definition of a true vision board so I’m my version of a vision board with a twist 🙂
Your board would be amazing to see!
both of you are gorgeous! I started a vision board but never finished it. Great idea and I think I’m going to work on adding more to my board. It definitely helps to see your vision on a board.
Hi Lisa. I would love to see your finished board! Happy birthday!
I tried to comment on your smoothie/birthday post but captcha wouldn’t let me 🙁
Jill, I’m still a new reader to your blog, but from what I’ve read so far, you are absolutely extraordinary. What you just wrote about your daughter just shows the beauty in you <3
Hi Jessie and welcome to Fitness, Health and Happiness. I hope you will return and maybe think about joining Fitness Friday! I’m off to check out your Believe in yourself post.
Thank you so much for your kind words 🙂
LOVE it!!!
What’s beautiful to me is people who have muscles, people who overcome obstacles, people who don’t give up, people who TRY, people who encourage others… there are so many different “beautifuls” out there!