Hey, You gotta start somewhere and the head is the perfect place to begin.
Visualization over the years has been the beginning point for so many of my dreams/goals coming true. Yes, they might not turn out as exactly as I imagined. But, they often show up in ways that surprise me.
Now how does visualization work for me? It’s a formula I’ve definitely tweaked over the years. I always first begin with a goal in mind and work on any resistance to that change in my head first before even beginning. For example, my Health Journey.
Back when I was first diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I had to make some serious changes for my health ASAP. I was 100+ pounds overweight and my Dr. initially recommended me to have a invasive weight loss surgery. I remembered going to the informational meeting and after leaving I sat in my Car crying. The surgery terrified me and I knew that it was Not a option for me.
In the past I had successfully lost weight and knew I could do it again. For about a month despite the urgency, I sat with everything in my head and on paper. Allowing myself the time to digest the diagnosis and come up with a plan and work through all the resistance to changing my current habits into positive ones.
I also began to allow myself to imagine and visualize a new wellness life for myself that would stick. I gave myself permission to dream. I remember watching this YouTube Video daily to help sink it in further.
I finally became comfortable with Starting, little by little like a walk around the block or feeding my body with good foods again. Reminding myself this health journey wasn’t a sprint, but a marathon. Visualization also helped me work through some other challenges that came my way like my emotional eating.
Eventually I lost the 100 pounds and also “gained” way much more like realizing my Imaginations can be the Birthplace of change. Then last year I’ve discovered their is also some pretty exciting big science behind Visualization.
VISUALIZATION 101
Last January I came across the No-Nonsense Motivational Speaker and the 5 Second Rule Founder Mel Robbin’s Mindset Reset 35-Day Free Training Program Series. On Day 6’s video Why Visualization is the Secret to Success. I was blown away. Realizing that all these years without knowing the science behind Visualization that I actually had been practicing it pretty spot on.
Below I’m sharing a little breakdown and cheat sheet per say. Let’s get started:)
RAS
Ok 🤓 Nerd Alert. Mel broke down something I had Never heard of before in her Talk called RAS. It’s some pretty power brain stuff.
The Reticular Activating System is our Brain’s information filter and it’s physically located at the base of the brain where it connects with our spinal cord and works like this…
First our Brain as we all know is a Information keeper and if we did let everything in we would go into overload Loco, Cray Cray:) Explode with Info and That’s where RAS helps us filter out the mass amount of unnecessary information we're exposed too every moment of our lives.
But, it also keeps us in a little cocoon of familiar ideas that our past has programmed. Making us stick to what is comfortable in thought and that’s why change can be so darn hard. But, Not impossible.
Training your Brain.
When your consistently and Intentionally Visualizing a Goal or Dream your resetting your RAS filter (subconscious). Another Fun Fact: The Brain doesn’t know the difference between what has happened or is imagined. The more you train your Brain with a goal scenerio it actually encodes as a “real” Memory in your subconscious. So, that’s where that Manifesting magic might be happening. It’s brain science baby:)
1-2-3 ACTIVATE
Mel also outlined a few simple steps to get real results from Visualization and I’ve added few of my techniques and insights in the mix as well.
Close your eyes. 😜. I know it sounds simple. But, you gotta get in a comfortable space. I do most of my visualization at night before falling asleep. Then I create a specific picture In my head and rehearse it over and over until I doze off into dreamland. I also revisit this same story night after night until it feels good and no resistance pops up. That feel good feeling is like a Alarm clock to work on a new scenario towards my goal.
Activate. This is the Biggie. I remember as a kid watching SUPERFRIENDS and two of my fave super heroes were the Wonder Twins. I loved how they would Exclaim, “Wonder Twins, ACTIVATE.” Then would transform into either something to do with water or animal. It was exciting! Hey I was 4 after all 😜.
But, Activating your visualization with Positive emotions and Feeling might not turn you into a bucket of water or a eagle 😂. You are Activating your Subconscious to a new Memory. Remember your Brain doesn’t know if it is real or not:)
Writing It Down. I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but according to Marie Forleo’s recent Marie TV episode- How to Achieve Your Goals: 3 Science Backed Strategy’s That Work. She shares a pretty hefty statistic that if you write your goals down your 42% more likely to achieve them.
I know over the years repetively writing things down has been a form of Visualization for me. A kind of Affirmation of sorts that gets deeper then a fleeting intention. Even writing this post helps remind me of the techniques I want to start doing again to go after some new and old goals revisited.
OK it’s time for me to sign off. Please join the story below and share your thoughts on Visualization. I wanna know and I promise I will keep you updated on my progress.
Love, Cynthia @storyboardc.