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Visualization is when you picture in your mind’s eye a scenario you would like to happen.
It’s a technique that helps you to welcome positive outcomes into your life.
It might sound a bit strange or ‘woo woo’, but we know that Olympic athletes use visualization to help maximize their performance, as well as successful people like Oprah.
Shakti Gawain wrote a book called Creative Visualizations, and it’s a great practical how-to guide to visualizing.
I love that she put the word ‘creative’ in front of visualization because suddenly visualization seems more appealing and do-able for ADHDers.
Here are 3 ways you can use creative visualization in your life.
1. An anecdote to worry
The ADHD mind is very creative and (is probably) visualizing all the time.
However, your mind is a bit like a runaway horse and unless you take charge of the reins, there’s a good chance it isn’t picturing positive scenarios.
In fact, you might be doing the opposite and thinking of all the ‘what if’s’ and worst-case scenarios (i.e., worrying), which makes you feel sad, tired, or fearful.
However, when you take charge and use your creative brain to think of positive visualizations, it changes everything. You feel happy, energetic and life seems easier somehow.
For example, if you are worried about going on a road trip, you might picture your car breaking down, running out of gas on the highway, or getting lost.
Whereas in a creative visualization, you picture yourself having a fun trip singing along to your favourite songs, using your GPS to help you navigate and arriving at your destination safely after an enjoyable adventure.
2. Visualize your day
ADHD coach and author Nanci Ratey suggests you use visualization every morning to help you prepare for your day.
You look at your calendar and then picture yourself moving from one activity to the next.
This helps you to be on time with appointments and transition smoothly from one activity to the next and much more.
3. Achieve your goals
The foreword of Creative Visualizations is written by Marci Shimoff, and she describes how she reached her goal of losing 25lbs using visualizations.
She pictured herself feeling happy and energetic in a healthy and fit body and the faces of her parents when they picked her up from the airport. Sure enough, 4 months later she had lost the weight.
Now visualization isn’t magic. You still have to take action, but it’s a great foundational step to helping you achieve your goals
So why not test it out yourself, and let me know how you get on!
