Pretty much everyone in the personal development space recommends visualisation as a great tool for manifesting the life you want. But how magical is it, really? Does it even work? And what should you be visualising, anyway? This episode of The SoulSmart Podcast answers these questions and more!
Here’s a summary of what the full episode includes.
Well, all it is is seeing something in your mind’s eye, so it’s definitely real. Anytime you see something in your mind, you are visualising. Think of a pink elephant. Do you see it?
You can actually visualise both positive and negative things… My own imagination can see the details of a whole range of catastrophes, and I have to stop myself from imagining potential horrible things that I obviously don’t want. When we talk about visualisation it’s as part of a manifesting practice though, so we want it to be intentional. Make sure you’re actively visualising the things you actually want more of in your life!
I believe the answer is yes, but there are several things to consider to make the practice worth your while.
You don’t actually need to SEE anything when you visualise, it’s the feeling that matters most. When we talk about manifesting, we talk about energy vibration and that’s all about emotion. So if you can’t actually SEE what you’re visualising, focus on the feeling. How does the life you want to create feel? How do YOU feel in the life you want to create?
In fact, even if you CAN see what you’re visualising, focus on the feeling anyway. It’s the feeling that will bring you closer to what you want.
We’re told that we need to always be focusing on the outcome, that when we visualise it should be the end result, that we should let go of the ‘hows’. I disagree and science does too! Studies show that visualising works best when you visualise not just the success at the end but also the journey. So if you’re an athlete running a marathon, visualise not just running through the finish line but also training. If you want to publish a book, visualise not only yourself at the book launch, but also you actually writing. Include how you overcome obstacles, how you react in situations that might derail you. Your brain will take it all as real experience and you’ll have a higher chance of making what you want come true.
Remember that your new life is so much more than the one moment in which you receive an award, become a millionaire or hit the New York Times bestseller list. Flesh out the vision of your success - what do you do when you step off the stage or come back from the tour? What kind of person are you, what’s important to you, how do you spend your time? This will give you another entry point into your desired reality, one that is much easier to already choose for now.
