Jan Fowler

is author of the best-selling book, “Hot Chocolate for Seniors”(winner of national & international awards); winner of Gold Halo Award from the So. California Motion Picture Council for Outstanding Literary Achievement; winner of First Place Excellence in Journalism Award (SPJ –Southern CA); Town & Gown “Phenomenal Woman” Award; former television host & KSPA radio host of “Senior Living at its Best with Jan Fowler”; speaker, contributing author for “Savvy Women Revving Up for Success”; founder of Starburst Inspirations, Inc. 501(c) (3) nonprofit which supports Redlands Drug Court. www.janfowler.com. Jan welcomes feedback and comments about her columns and invites you to leave her a message on her website.

 “The Power of a Vision Board”

By Jan Fowler

The invitation is open.  You are cordially invited to join the millions of us who’ve decided we’re not going to sit around just waiting for our arteries to harden.  Instead, we’re out there taking a chance on meeting someone new and finding love after 60.

One of the secrets is to cast enough nets and keep fishing the waters.

It really doesn’t matter whether you’re in your 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90-plus and this may come as a great surprise to you, but estrogen and testosterone may be driving forces until we’re 100!  Now how could I possibly know that?  Because I witnessed it firsthand in skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation hospitals back in the days when I was a licensed speech pathologist working with recovering stroke patients, those with Parkinson’s Disease, swallowing disorders, etc.

Many of my patients remained flirtatious with patients of the opposite sex from their wheelchairs. But those of us on staff never thought that this was unusual.  In fact, we had witnessed it so often, to us, it seemed perfectly natural.

Believe me, miraculous matches really do happen, but it helps to take a moment to reverse the end with the beginning by first picturing the final outcome of your desire.  In other words, begin by envisioning yourself experiencing the joyous thrill of sharing fun, love, and laughter with someone who is a perfect match for you.  And think big about the outcome of your future.

To hasten your desired outcome, I suggest you create a vision board featuring lots of photos of you enjoying yourself with someone special at dreamy destinations of your choice and represented by pictures torn from newspapers or magazines.

A vision board is a collage of pictures, graphics or small memorabilia that depict a person’s dreams or wishes.  Naturally, you would want to tailor your vision board to your own specific tastes, whatever they may be.  For example, a small handful of seashells would be my choice because I love sandy beaches.

Someone else might picture themselves enjoying a romantic candle-lit dinner at the restaurant of their choice, packing for a cruise, laughing while getting splashed in a kayak or canoe or stepping off a plane at a glamorous destination.  Another person might tear out a pic of a biker crossing an exciting finish line.

It is to your benefit to display your vision board out somewhere so that you’re forced to walk past it many times throughout the day and be reminded of the exciting changes which you expect to appear in your life.  It doesn’t hurt to use your imagination big time as you linger to touch a beach towel or sniff a bottle of suntan lotion.

And while there is no magic in a vision board itself, focusing on a picture of you dancing might lead you to seek out a singles cruise or dinner dances where you might meet someone new and wonderful.

The Internet is filled with many tips for creating an effective way to manifest your dreams and wishes.  The images and words can be cut out from magazine pages, drawn, written, or printed out.  The collage represents your goals or dreams, making it easier for you to visualize and manifest them in your life.

Vision boards act as affirmations of our wishes and help us visualize our dreams come true.

Stay Tuned for Next Time:  One easy way of inviting someone you’ve just met to give you a call.

Jan Fowler is the recipient of the Golden Halo Award for Outstanding Literary Achievement from the Southern California Motion Picture Council.  This column is an excerpt from a forthcoming book.