Whether you are in a new relationship or have been together for years, it is crucial to talk about your future. The future involves both what each of your dreams are individually, as well as what you expect and want within your relationship and for your family. It can be scary to talk about serious topics and planning for months ahead within a relationship that still feels rather new to you. It can be a vulnerable moment for both of you, as talking about future dreams and goals and diving deeper into who you are and what you each want out of life can be daunting. It can have yourself wondering, “If we don’t want the same thing, what does that mean for the future of our relationship? Does that mean we have to break up?” The answer to that question is not always so black-and-white, and that again can make us nervous to bring up these topics and questions with our partner, but it is important in any relationship and for yourself individually to set these visions for yourself and talk about them so you can make them happen.
There are some key things to remember when focusing on the future and planning with your partner. One is having open communication, being open to talking about your individual dreams, aspirations, and expectations. Engaging in heartfelt conversations about your long-term goals, career plans, and personal values. By communicating what each of your visions are for yourself, it can be easier to work together to achieve them.
It’s also important to set mutual goals, as well as supporting each other’s individual growth. Setting goals that resonate with both partners so that you can both feel you are getting what you want and need. Whether it’s planning for a family, advancing your careers, or wanting to go on new adventures, make sure you establish and communicate goals that contribute to your shared vision. With that being said, make sure you are cheering one another on for your individual achievements and aspirations as well. A strong relationship allows for personal development and for both partners to thrive as individuals and as a couple.
Financial stability is also a key component of building a future together. Collaborate on a budget, savings plan, and investment strategies that align with your shared goals. Discussing financial priorities early on can help to navigate challenges in the future and continue to create a strong foundation.
Combining your individual interests and finding different hobbies to do together can make planning for the future a little more fun. A future shouldn’t only involve practical and logical components but also fun experiences and lots of moments that bring you joy. Try different and new hobbies and interests you both enjoy, whatever they may be, and see what you and your partner can do to create a more fulfilling relationship.
Last, but not least, it’s important to be able to adapt to change. Life is dynamic and is constantly changing, so we need to be able to change along with it. A resilient relationship can be built on the ability to adapt to change together. Trying to embrace challenges as opportunities to grow rather than hindrances, and face them as a team. It can make tackling the future together a bit easier when we have the ability to navigate the twists and turns of life with our partner.
Now that we’ve talked through some of the essential ingredients to focus on when planning and talking through your future with your partner, let’s get to the fun part: actually creating a vision board together. A vision board is essentially a collection of images, words, and objects that are a visual representation of your goals or “vision” for the future. This can be done physically or can be a digital creation, whatever you are most comfortable with. There is no right or wrong way to create a vision board, but the overall theme and goal should be choosing images or words that inspire you or make you feel like you are manifesting your dreams and goals. It should be a visual reminder of your intentions, whether for the year or for the next 5-years. Vision boards help you reaffirm your intentions and goals, as well as help you to clarify what those goals actually are.
Set aside time with your partner, after communicating through your future goals and plans, to spend time creating a vision board together. Yes, vision boards can be done individually and you each can do one for your individual aspirations, but when specifically focusing on your future within the relationship and as a couple, it can be important to create a board that has your shared visions.
Decide together whether you want it to be made online or physically, and gather all the materials you need; i.e., magazines, pictures, quotes, markers, glue, scissors, tape, etc. If creating it online, get ready to look through Pinterest, Instagram, Google, or even your own personal photos. Also, communicate whether you want to make this an annual activity and focus on each year or if you want to create a vision board focusing on the next few years. Then, start sifting through and finding images and objects that represent those dreams and goals you have together. Start looking individually and pick out ones that stand out to you and set them aside. Once you both have your individual pictures, quotes, and objects, start choosing some together, deciding which ones you are actually going to use, and start arranging them in a way that makes sense for both of you. Play around with how things look, as this may require even more communication while creating the vision board to ensure each of you feel like it is representative of your goals and dreams together. Once you’ve arranged it in the way you both are good with, secure everything into place, and place it somewhere that is often seen and accessible to each of you.
Part of the impact of a vision board is having it visually available for you, so that each of you can see it and continue to focus on your goals every day. Whether you hang it in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or have it as a background on your phone or computer, make sure it is somewhere where both of you have the opportunity to see it every day, at least once a day.
Not only is this a fun activity that you can do with your partner, it can lead to important and productive conversations that are necessary when building and creating a relationship and future together.
Written by,
Emily Blair, ALMFT