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From Goals to Reality - The Power of Visualization

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Jan 23, 2020
  • 5 min read








There is no lack of information on the process of visualization. I have known about it for a very long time. Mentors and coaches taught me techniques on how to visualize my goals or my dreams. I truly believed that I understood but I don’t think I ever quite got to the mental state on a consistent basis that allowed me to really create my perfect outcome. So I did a little research to see what the literature had t say about this long standing technique.


The premise for visualization comes right from our brains ability to imagine something before it becomes a reality. Every action, every creation, every word first exists in our imagination. When we learn to visualize we are bringing our awareness to the process to get a specific outcome. We can pursue our dreams and ultimately achieve them through visualization. Here as some different technique to try out. See if one fits into your comfort zone and start visualizing your future.


Visualization Techniques


Training the Mind Is Training the Body

This technique encompasses exercises to train your mind to be more receptive to what you are visualizing. There are a series of five exercises:


1st Exercise

Find a photograph and look at it closely. Memorize every detail. Then close your eyes and recreate the photo in as much detail as you can remember. This is not a test but the more often you do this exercise the better you will be at remembering the details.


2nd Exercise

This is a three-dimensional exercise. Take a small object, like your keys, and memorize every detail. Now close your eyes and see the object mentally. The challenge here is to start rotating it. See every detail from all the angles. If you are feeling comfortable with this then bring in some surrounding objects. Put the keys on a small table and alternate some different colored lights on it. See how the shadows change and flicker.


3rd Exercise

This exercise builds on the second one. Recreate your little object with your eyes open. See it in the real world – right in front of you. Move it around, rotate it, play with it. See how it interacts with the other objects in front of you.


4th Exercise

This time you are part of the picture. Think of a pleasant location, a beach, the mountains. Now imagine yourself in the picture. It is important to be in the scene, not just thinking of it.


Bring in your other senses. What can you hear? Are there birds singing, wind blowing, people talking? Is there a scent? What can you smell? Use as many of your senses as you can in this picture.


5th Exercise

Now this location becomes a bit more animated. Begin moving around, interacting with the things surrounding you. Pick up a seashell, a pinecone from the many fir trees, and smell the ocean. Bring in a second person to share this picture with you. Hold a conversation, tell a joke, laugh hard. How does this feel to you?


You need to bring in the realism of these exercises. Your brain does not recognize if something is real or not. But for you to be effective in your visualization you must embed it in reality so that is where your brain will place it.


Applying Visualization to Your Goals

After training your brain to be part of your visualization, you are now ready to start putting your newly learned skills to the test. Write your goals down. Go through these practices:


1. Focus on the positive. Remember that your brain flows to the negative and you need to put effort into staying on the positive side of your goal. Do not focus on the opposite of what you want. You will reinforce that negative belief. Visualize what you want.


2. Have it, don’t want it. Think of something that you really want. Do you have it? Not likely. Most often, wanting is the opposite of having. When you visualize, don’t see yourself as wanting something. See yourself as already having it.


3. Be consistent. You really have to work hard on this. See your goal as your burning obsession, a passion and a purpose in life.


4. Be specific. Most people have vague goals. You want to have specific goals with as much detail as you can. Be specific about an amount of money, a specific outcome from a meeting or any specifics dealing with your outcome.


5. Have emotional intensity. The more real or true you believe something to be, the more emotional impact it has on you. To enhance your visualization you want to create as much detail around it so that you can begin to feel the experience as if it were real. Once you have begun to feel it, you have crossed the threshold that leads to action.


Create a Visual Picture and an Affirmation for Each Goal

Find or create a picture of every aspect of your goal, whatever it may be – financial, career, recreation, new skills and abilities, things you want to purchase, money you want to have.


An affirmation creates the experience as if it has already happened. For example: I am vacationing on a tropical island for two months, working just four days a week owning my own business.


Repeating an affirmation several times a day keeps you focused on your goal, strengthens your motivation and programs your subconscious to make it happen.


Harness the Subconscious Mind with Visualization Techniques

One of my last blogs spoke to the importance of setting goals in order to bring about a positive outcome. There was reference to your RAS – Reticular Activating System. This was brand new to me and after researching it I was hooked on how powerful the brain was to have a system that sorted important information from non-important information. Your RAS filters out non-essential messages and provides you with the information that is most important to you at the time. This is no small feat as the brain receives thousands of pieces of information every second. This is way too much information for your brain to process. That is where your RAS comes into play. It processes all of the information that the senses create and prioritizes the things that need your immediate attention.


RAS thinks in pictures, not words. Daily visualization feeds the RAS the pictures it needs to start filtering information differently. As a result, your RAS will start to pay attention to anything that might help you achieve your goals – information that might have passed on by previously.


Understanding the different techniques available to you to visualize your goals and dreams accelerates your ability to receive positive outcomes – quickly. Taking the time to learn how to use the technique that works best for you will shorten the time it takes to reach your goals. WOW!!


References:

Canfield,J. (2018). Visualization techniques to manifest desired outcomes. Retrieved January 20, 2020 from https://www.jackcanfield.com/blog/visualize-and-affirm-your-desired-outcomes-a-step-by-step-guide/


Foong,A. How to Develop Your Visualization Skill. Retrieved January 21, 2020 from https://litemind.com/how-to-develop-visualization-skill/


Vilhauer,J. (June 30, 2018). 3 Effective visualization techniques to change your life. Retrieved January 21, 2020 from https://psychologytoday.com/blog/living-forward/3-effective-visualization-techniques-to-change-your-life/

 
 
 

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March was an unusual month for me.  Normally I work on articles, give presentations and generally just stay tuned to what is going on in the field of aging.  This month I “learned” a lot.  Last year I learned how to write a book.  At the time I took the course I thought it would just be a natural extension of all the writing I had done over the years.  WRONG!!  The actual writing of the book was the easy part.  Putting it together into a book was difficult for me.  The course gave me step by step lessons on constructing a book.  Then editing and formatting were just as challenging.  On June 7 last year the book was published!  It was one of the most satisfying days of my writing career. 

Naturally, when you self-publish, you do not have a publisher promoting the book and getting it in the right categories for best sales on Amazon.  That was crushing because I really didn’t know to appropriately market it.  I am a brain health person!  In December of last year, I purchased a marketing program that is based on statistics.  I am technical minded and so this approach made sense to me.  The course is almost completed.  Can’t wait to see if it improves sales!

The next step I am looking at is recording an audiobook.  This is another venture I knew nothing about.  But I am already tagged on Facebook for marketing of audio book programs.  Facebook picks up everything.  Now my husband was creative director for an advertising agency and when I told him I purchased another class – he couldn’t believe it.  “This was my business.  I know how to do recordings, why didn’t you ask me?” Well, I knew he was an expert in that business, but this audiobook needs to meet all the criteria that Amazon requires for publication.  So, he can take care of the recording part of this audiobook, and I will navigate the process of meeting Amazon’s requirements.  We worked on the book together like this. 

Then I talked with some coaching experts on the viability of starting group teaching programs.  Reading The Boomer Brain book and implementing the Brain Healthy Lifestyle have two entirely different outcomes.  This lifestyle is important to maintaining high cognitive function throughout the later years of our lives.  Look for updates as to when I will roll this program out.

My last learning endeavor was attending a two-day bootcamp for Speakers.  I am really excited about what I learned there.  That is a late this year or next year project, but it is one I am really looking forward to.

 

What Is Happening in April?

The American Society on Aging is having their annual conference in Orlando Florida April 21-24.  This is the largest multidisciplinary conference on aging and the annual conference for Members of ASA.  I have attended a number of these conferences throughout the years, and it is consequential.  Keynote speakers and special events are focused on combating ageism in our society.  Although this is a professional meeting, the attendees come from all aspects of aging services.  They have their work cut out for them this year!

April is Stress Awareness Month.  We should be aware of stress every month and understand how we can break the stress cycle.  These are stressful times, and we need to protect ourselves

Here is a positive one “April is National Volunteer Month”.  When I am working with new retirees who don’t know what to do, I talk to them about volunteering. It is important to have a purpose after you leave the workforce.  There are so many nonprofits who need help in all aspects of their organizations.  It is a perfect way to give back.

Finally – It was Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds – the oldest major league team in the nation.  Cincinnati takes that responsibility seriously.  There is always an Opening Day Parade through downtown to the Ball Park.  Huge crowds line the streets and every year there is talk of making it an official holiday.  Schools and employers look the other way when there is an empty desk.  No matter what the outcome of the game is, there is so much joy, and you can feel that energy.  I am fortunate that I get to experience that.  We all need some joy right now. 

Enjoy your April.

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