The New Year remains the perfect occasion to make new decisions, to say goodbye to the past and embrace the future.

&ldquo;I blinked, then blinked again, and blinked again &ndash; so that each time, this wretched present receded.&rdquo; That&rsquo;s how the protagonist in the book I just read manipulated time to transform reality into the past in the blink of an eye.
And strangely enough, my past year has also flown by in the blink of an eye. Just recently, we were huddled under the table, eating grapes and whispering wishes for a fulfilling 2025. And yet, in just a short time, we'll be repeating those familiar rituals &ndash; just to make sure that the world's number one year begins with good and joyful starts.

But how can we be sure everything will turn out exactly as we want?

I've tried quite a few "methods" for the new year. One was crawling under a table and eating 12 grapes in 36 seconds, right when the clock struck midnight. I found it difficult and funny, but strangely, we did it every year.
By the end of this year, I can only say: most of the wishes I made that day have come true except for the fact that I'm still single. That's why there aren't any TikTok clips showing off the results. But is wishing for a partner really that important? I think so, because 90% of the recap videos of the New Year's grape-eating ritual feature happy couples together.

Another, more structured method is a vision board. Just so you know, I set three images for my goal of "escaping singlehood by 2025," but fate completely overlooked that detail. However, almost everything else on my vision board came true, and I even got some extra good things beyond my wildest dreams.
But why do we have to wait until the new year to do these things? I wondered this just as I was about to publish my collection of ways to create a vision board and make it a reality.
Perhaps it's similar to my opening statement &ndash; time, after all, is a social construct. It doesn't inherently possess any meaning until we deliberately assign it a milestone. This means that you can absolutely live without celebrating the New Year.
But for me, the new year is still the best excuse to make new decisions, to say goodbye to the old year (the past) and welcome new things (the future). If you can't do those things, personally, I don't think it's a big deal; it's just that your life will be more easily influenced by circumstances and events, like a flag flying in the wind &ndash; it will be blown whichever way it blows.

For me, a vision board is a collection of the most visual and easily understandable images of my hopes, ambitions, and desires. And a very important principle is that the more specific things are, the higher the chances of them becoming a reality.
From a scientific perspective, a vision board helps the brain focus on goals through deliberate visualisation. It activates a neural network called the RAS (Reticular Activating System), which helps us pay more attention to opportunities that align with our established "vision." When you see your desires every day, the brain tends to drive behaviour to fill those gaps. This sounds quite similar to a to-do list, but on a longer-term scale, with a year to complete.

Everyone has dreams (whether short-term or long-term). I dream of buying a Birkin bag in 20 years, of attending a CORTIS fan meeting, and of marrying a man who is well-matched in family traditions.
Thousands of desires flash through our minds, but they will remain there if we don't write them down and try to visualize their feasibility. The process of creating a vision board myself sparked a sense of excitement and determination towards achieving "achievable" goals in the next year.
As for me, besides honestly saying that my 2025 vision board is almost completely finished, I have no more convincing advice to tell you than: try making a vision board for 2026. This feeling is only truly complete and realistic when you experience it yourself. Who knows, maybe a year from now, you'll have the same feeling I have now?

Oh, and the process isn't complicated at all. Personally, I just choose images I find on Pinterest, the more specific and closer to my wishes for 2026 the better. Then, I add a few motivational words, for when I feel discouraged or doubt myself.
Finally, place the vision board where you're forced to see it every day: on your computer screen, phone screen, or print it out and place it on your desk or desk calendar. That's it.
(I won't tell you that a vision board is just a more practical way of saying "manifest.")

Ready for 2026? Grapes, Manifesting & Vision Boards

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