Beginning in May of my senior year of high school, I’ve created “mood boards” on my Pinterest account that captured the feelings, interests, aesthetics, and overall vibes of each particular month. I know that some people make playlists or journal their feelings each month, which is a great way to capture your life in a moment! However, I think Pinterest boards showcase a more broad overview of your life through images in a way that playlists or words cannot. Here is how I make my Pinterest boards and how you can too!
First, I start by searching quotes that capture how I feel at the moment. This month, with school starting, I was feeling particularly motivated by my future career goals and wanted to remember what I am working for. So, I searched things like “empowered women quotes,” “Rory Gilmore study quotes” (I am a Gilmore Girls fanatic so I had to), and “school inspiration.” I read through all of the results and pinned whatever resonated with me.
Obviously, a month is a fairly long time and the quotes or aesthetics you pick may not encapsulate your feelings for the entirety of the month. One day you might choose something super positive and the next you’re pinning sad song lyrics. Your board can be as consistent or contradictory as your emotions are! At the end of the day, it is a reflection of your thoughts, and most of the time, we are constantly changing.
Next, I like to pin ideas that line up with my “health and beauty” ideals. This month I have been really craving change in my life (shoutout to Corona for making me have to hang out in my childhood bedroom). This need for change is definitely being portrayed in my mood board. For example, I have been seriously considering getting curtain bangs, piercing my nose, or getting another tattoo. Inspo pics for all of those things are scattered throughout my board. Though I am not always looking for a drastic change, health and beauty are usually a huge element of my board.
Finally, I like to choose photos that resonate with whatever my aesthetic for the time period may be. With the cool weather finding its way to Massachusetts and my love for Halloween exponentially growing, the fall vibes on this month’s board are astronomical. From pictures of foliage, to costume ideas, to literally just pictures of sweaters (I am beyond excited to break mine out), it is obvious that my aesthetic for this month is New England Autumn.
These mood boards are important to me because depending on how in-depth you make them, you can literally watch the progression of your mental health. When I look at things that I was pinning back in January compared to now, it is evident the toll that certain events in my life were taking on me. From drama with friends/boys to the effects of the pandemic, you can see reminisce of it all. I was choosing media that was perpetuating my sadness instead of finding inspiration to be my best self.
On a lighter note, it is also just fun to see what was piquing your interest at different times. Maybe a few months from now when I am looking back on my September board, I will be thanking the universe that I only pinned nose piercing pictures and did not actually follow through with getting one LOL!
If you need any inspiration, search my name, Kately Martin, on Pinterest and take a look at my boards! I hope you enjoy taking a look into my brain and that you can delve into your own feelings through mood boards!