At a seminar recently there was a great deal of chit-chat about the best ways to visualise goals and objectives. I’m a great day-dreamer. I can go off anytime, anywhere – buses, trains, meetings, or dinners, at the hairdressers – anywhere. For me it’s simply my mind taking advantage of some moments to its subconscious self. Sometimes I start grinning to myself because it all feels so good.
Sometimes, when I am very clear what I want to have in my life, I write a script to follow. That way you don’t get pulled off course so easily. If you are not sure, it’s often best to let your mind take you on a journey of discovery. Then, afterwards, write down where you went so that you can make any adjustments.
No-one can visualise for you and I’m not sure that anyone has the perfect way to do it. For me it’s very personal. But I think there are certain things that we can do to make it more effective.
- Start with the basic objective – the where, when, who, what
- Be VERY specific. Get down to details. Imagine every step. Reaching for a peach, walking into a room, opening a door, feeling the heat of the room, hearing music ….
Visualisations are pictures we create using our imagination. Let’s say that your dream is for your partner to be a bit more pro-active.
You might start by imagining him/her in the kitchen, cooking dinner. For me, “X is in the kitchen preparing food….” sounds rather flat, so let’s start to heap on some sensory details.
“It’s been a long, tiring day, the weather has been cold and rainy. I get home and when I open the door a wonderful feeling of warmth greets me together with a fabulous smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen. X is in there preparing dinner. What a lovely surprise. I walk down the hallway towards the kitchen but X comes towards me, takes my face in his sensual hands and kisses me lovingly on the lips. I feel so proud that he/she can show feelings so naturally and spontaneously….”
For me that daydream is starting to feel much more real. Build your visualisation with layers of emotion, it’s much more fun.
- Once you’ve got your basic story then add in sights, sounds, feelings, smells, tastes, temperatures, sensations.
Like anything worth doing, you have to put in the work and practice regularly. Plant the ideas firmly in your mind and things will start to be drawn to you. Like attracts like so give it all you’ve got. Your mind doesn’t know the difference between what is real and what is imagined. Hold that thought.
For more daydreaming techniques, have a look on the activities pages (WRITE YOUR OWN SCRIPT; BE THE STAR NOT THE AUDIENCE)