All Smiles

A fun way to put yourself in a good mood is by creating a mood board, sometimes called a vision board. What’s that? “It’s a collage of anything that inspires you, makes you happy, or speaks to you,” says Susie Moore, an author and life coach. Moore often guides people through the process at mood-board-making sessions. At the end of a session, each person has built a collection that puts him or her in a positive frame of mind.

To create your own mood board, you’ll need a corkboard and pushpins. Poster board or cardboard, with glue or tape, work too. You’ll also need old magazines, greeting cards, and photographs. Go through them, cutting out images for your board. Use your instincts to choose what works best. “Anything that makes you feel good, use it,” Moore says. “When you see it, you’ll know.”

Here, TFK’s Shay Maunz uses Moore’s tips to create a mood board and offers tips on how you can make your own.

• One place to start is with some of your favorite things. I used photos of my favorite food, watermelon, and my favorite animal, penguins.

• You might use your mood board to set goals for things you’d like to accomplish. I want to read at least 30 books this year.

• Think about a place that makes you feel safe and happy. Maybe it’s your classroom, a playground, or a cozy corner at home. You can put photos of that place on your mood board, or choose photos that remind you of it. I used this image of West Virginia, where I grew up.

• This is also a good time to think about what might make you happy in the future. I included a photo of the beach, because I hope to go there soon.

• Not everything on your mood board has to serve a purpose or be connected to your life. Choose some images just because you like them. Every time I look at this photo, it makes me smile.