By: Kevin Sinclair
If you want to be successful and achieve your goals and dreams, you need to actively participate in creating them. “Going with the flow” is not going to get you very far in life and the only way to manifest the experiences and achievements you want is to use visualizations. You have a powerful imagination that can be used to your benefit and “only as high as you reach can you grow”, so when you practice your visualizations, you should aim for the stars!
What exactly is visualization? It’s the ability you have to create a purposeful mental image to direct yourself and your life towards a particular goal. Try it now: Close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself sitting on the sandy shores of a beautiful beach. Imagine the sound of the gentle waves lapping the shore and the feeling of the warm sun on your skin… There, you have just done your first visualization!
There are many ways you can use visualizations to improve your life and achieve your dreams. You can use them daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or even to work towards a ten-year goal you may have. There are also things you can do to reinforce your visualizations every day so you remain focused on your goals and desires.
A good way to begin using these techniques is to take a small amount of time each morning to create your day. You may like to wake up and have your breakfast and shower, then sit down with a pen and paper and write down what you want your day to consist of. As you write what you are planning on doing and what you would like to come your way, you will automatically visualize it in your mind.
When you start doing this each day, you will be amazed at how much more you achieve and what happens that you “created” with your morning list. Your list may have things like appointments, shopping and calls to make, but you should also try to include some points like “today I would like to make a new friend” or “find opportunities to increase my income”. Don’t just write what you know, and try to include open-ended possibilities that you may find difficult to imagine, but would love to experience.
A visualization technique many people use very successfully is making a manifestation chart. Get a piece of cardboard in a color you love and a pile of different magazines. As you look through each magazine, cut out any pictures or words that appeal to you. They could be things you want in your home, hobbies you want to learn and words that represent changes you want to make. Try to cover emotional, mental, spiritual and physical dreams for your life and don’t think too much about whether you believe you can achieve it.
When you are satisfied with your collection, make a collage by sticking them all over the piece of cardboard. You will adore your artwork because its made up of all the images you love and desire! Hang it somewhere you can look at it regularly, constantly reminding yourself of what you want to draw into your world. Many people create a manifestation chart each year before January 1 so they can hang it up for the New Year. When you look back on the year before, you will be astonished at what you were able to achieve and what happened that was on your chart!
Most people think of meditation when you mention visualization. When you are in a relaxed, meditative state, you are able to access deeper parts of your subconscious mind and plant seeds with your imaginings. You can either find a meditation CD you love that encourages you to use visualizations or use your own techniques along with your manifestation chart. Meditating daily and focusing on your desires will keep your attention on track for what you want in life as well as reduce your stress levels.
The laws of attraction are fast becoming a theory many people are adhering to. Basically, it’s a theory that what you think, you create, or what you believe, you attract. If you are busy focusing on the negative and what you don’t want in life, you will only experience more of the same. If you spend time purposefully focusing on positives and what you do want, your thoughts will act like a magnet for those things. Do not sit around worrying about what is wrong with your life. Instead shift your focus to what is great and what you want more of. You can completely turn your life around this way if you re-train your mind.
Using visualizations to create your life as you dream it to be is much simpler than many people think. It is just a matter of taking that time to imagine and focus on the positive and stop worrying! Choose any one of the above techniques to begin the process and once you start seeing your success, you will want to do it every day. Don’t just go with the flow and instead choose to become an active participant in the path your life journey takes.
Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of my-personal-growth.com, a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development.