Visualization works, in fact, it is one of the most powerful mind exercises you can do.
Athletes have been using it for decades to improve performance, and Psychology Today reported that the brain patterns activated when a weightlifter lifts weights are also similarly activated when the lifter just imagined (visualized) lifting weights.
However, while brain pattern results are similar for both visualizations and actual weight lifting, the athlete still needs to pick up the barbell to build real muscle.
Let’s begin with the vision board first.
When creating your vision board, it is essential to focus on visualizing your goals and dreams as already complete as well as how you want to feel about having achieved them. Identifying “the feeling” is essential as it helps you tune in (channel) your vibration (message) out to the Universe. It is sometimes called destiny tuning.
Using a vision board helps you amplify your intentions and increase your focus on your goals and desires by accomplishing three key things.
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It Helps You Get Clear on Your Goals
By providing focus, this will help you to keep on track to take the necessary actions to achieve your dreams. Take a few moments to write down the most significant (and motivating) goals for all of the areas of your life. These can be short-term goals, long-term goals, or a combination of both.
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It Rewires Your Brain and Stimulates Your Subconscious:
Studies now reveal that thoughts produce the same mental instructions as actions. Mental imagery impacts many cognitive processes in the brain: motor control, attention, perception, planning, and memory; so the brain is getting trained for actual performance during visualization. It’s been found that mental practices can enhance motivation, increase confidence and prime your brain for success. In short, it helps you harness the 18 billion brain cells in your brain and get them all working in a purposeful direction.
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It Activates the Law of Attraction:
This will bring into your life the people, resources, and circumstances required to achieve your goals. The Law of Attraction works by magnetizing that which you focus on. Using a vision board will help amplify your concentration and focus your direction.
Creating Your Vision Board with Intention and Purpose
To design your board, create in your mind a visual picture for each goal you want to achieve.
- Take a look at the life areas in the Eight Dimensions of Wellness when completing this exercise: spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social, physical, environmental, occupational, and financial and find a visual representation of every goal you have.
- Develop goals for each life area and reflect on the steps you need to take in order to reach those goals.
You can choose to focus on one or two areas of your life if that is easier. If you wish, it can often be beneficial to pay attention to all areas of your life as opposed to only ones that may stand out to you the most at the moment. This is because all seven life areas work together and contribute to your overall wellness and satisfaction with your life. If one area is particularly suffering, it can negatively affect other areas of your life and your overall balance.
*In addition, I like to include a gratitude section of my vision boards. I find this helps strengthen my connection and thankfulness for those blessing, people and things that I already have in my life.
Tools to Support Your Vision Board (and your journey): Visualizations, Affirmations, Vision Journals, and Action Steps.
Visualization
Using visualization is so powerful yet so simple. Find a comfortable position, close your eyes, and imagine that the goal you want has already been realized. Imagine looking out through your eyes at the ideal result.
Set aside five minutes each day. Choose times that you are most relaxed and receptive. For many, this is when you first wake up, after meditation or prayer, and right before you go to bed.
Affirmations
Use Affirmations to Support Your Visualization
The affirmation should evoke not only the corresponding image but also the experience of already having what you want. Repeating this affirmation several times a day strengthens your motivation and further programs your subconscious to make it happen.
Vision Journaling
A powerful tool is to keep a vision journal, where you can write down your thoughts and make a note of your progress as you move towards your goals. It’s important to acknowledge this progress to show yourself that you are moving in a positive direction.
Results will happen, as long as you have patience and put in your full effort and attention.
Action Steps
When you follow the law of attraction, your beliefs and actions must align. Your conscious mind and subconscious mind must work in synch. While you are trying to invoke the law of attraction and visualizing the perfect future, taking the required initial action steps will help you on your path to fulfilling your goals!
For Example:
If you want to start a blog, after creating your vision board (where you are the #1 blogger for your category), take ACTION steps towards your blogging goal:
1. Write a blog post
2. Create an image for your blog post
3. Brainstorm five blog post ideas for 30 minutes
Expect Real Results
Visualization and affirmations allow you to reprogram your beliefs and assumptions. Actions, based on these goals, allow you to take steps towards realizing your dreams.
By looking at your vision board, repeating your affirmations, and taking (even small) actions that align with your visions every day, they will become an inherent part of how you think and will begin to manifest faster than you can imagine.
