The Power of Visualization

For several weeks, I’ve been struggling with a major decision. I’ve consulted with friends, family and colleagues. I’ve lain awake many nights. But, what I didn’t do until last night was to visualize what each option would be like.

Last night, I sat in my office, music softly playing, door shut, and I closed my eyes. I forced myself to painstakingly, in detail, visualize myself going through a day, a week, a month, a year, living my life as if I chose one option, and then, the same scenarios again, but choosing the other option.

I observed my reactions to each set of scenarios. Was I tense, happy, frightened, in tears, joyful? Did I like the person I was becoming? Was my life growing and developing the way I wanted it to? Five or ten years from now, if I took that path, would I be a person that I’d like, that would make me proud, with whom I’d want to spend time?

This wasn’t my first time using visualization to work through a problem, but it was the first time I have used it in this manner. Before, I used the technique to breakthrough one sort of barrier. This time, I was using it to overcome a different sort of inertia.

When I ran marathons, I used visualization to help me ‘go the distance’, willing my legs to be lighter and springier and my run to be more energetic. It worked. I concentrated on seeing myself pick up the pace, on the crowds cheering me on as I ran by, on the snapshot of me crossing the finish line. And, as I pictured each of these things in my mind, I visualized my body feeling light, relaxed, energetic and alive. Mental images played over and over helped to create a reality for me.

This time, I was trying something different. I was trying to imagine myself in one sort of life or another. How did it feel? What aspects did I like; which parts were going to be a struggle?

After emerging myself in one scenario for 15 – 20 minutes, I observed how I felt in my heart, my stomach, my neck and shoulders, and my head. Then, I forced myself to go through the same mental-image exercises having made a different set of choices. How did the day, week, month feel? How did my body react?

When I finished ‘living’ each set of decisions, an hour has passed and I was exhausted. But, I knew clearly, in my heart, my gut and my head, which was the right decision for me. I felt lighter, surer and more settled than I had before. I knew my path.