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When things aren’t the way we want them to be, the result is often stress and lots of it. Wouldn’t it be comforting if we could just close our eyes and wave a magic wand to make things right?
I’m here to tell you that you can do exactly that!
Well, not EXACTLY that but ALMOST exactly that… through a technique called “visualization.”
Simply put, visualization is when you create a detailed vision or picture in your mind and then concentrate on it. Naturally, you want this vision to reflect the way you WANT things to be. When you do this, several things happen.
First, you can manipulate your own feelings. You can actually generate a lot of enthusiasm merely by thinking about something that gives you energy. For example, sometimes I just don’t feel like working (imagine that!!). I close my eyes and visualize something that excites me and fills me with wonder: a total eclipse of the sun. After a few minutes of seeing this grand spectacle in my mind I can break through that barrier and get back to work. If I’m sad or melancholy, I can visualize winning the lottery and what I would do with all that money. That certainly isn’t going to happen (I don’t play the lottery) but the thought of it brightens my mood.
Second, the law of attraction comes in to play and you can actually attract into your life what you visualize. The universe has a funny way of bringing us what we focus on, and visualization certainly qualifies as “focusing!” I believe that you can actually influence your body to heal itself by concentrating on what you want your body to do for you. For example, when my wife, Chris, was first diagnosed with cancer I found the original Pac-Man game on the Internet. In case you don’t remember, Pac-Man was a little guy that moved around the board eating little dots and everything else in its way with a delightful sound WUK-a-WUK-a-WUT-a-WUK-a. I played the game and recorded it for about 15 minutes, then edited out all of the times that I got eaten by the ghosts. I then spliced the resulting WUK-a-WUK-a-WUK-a sounds together to make a 30-minute tape. Nothing but WUK-a-WUK-a-WUK-a for 30 minutes! Chris listened to the tape and imagined that little Pac-Man guy traveling through her body eating up all of the cancer cells. Did it help? Maybe!
Third, you feel empowered (perhaps I should say “empowHered!”) Here is something that you can actually DO to help yourself. Chris didn’t know if the Pac-Man idea would actually help, but it felt good to be doing SOMETHING proactive.
Just like most things, this isn’t as simple as it sounds. There are some “rules” to follow in order to get the most out of this exercise:
1. Your visualization should be as detailed as possible. Don’t just imagine a sunny day, but include some big puffy clouds, your home or wherever you’d like to be, and other people in the picture that you might want included in the scene.
2. Involve all of your senses, not just the visual. Feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, smell the flowers in the garden, hear the birds singing.
3. Linger there. Don’t just conjure the picture and then go to something else. Stay there, notice all of the details, and feel how it feels to be there.
4. Do it often. The more you have the same visualization, the more effective it will be.
I am now visualizing all of you visualizing something wonderful and comforting!
This article is one in a series on coping strategies for patients and caregivers alike. For more thoughts on caregiving, coping strategies, reducing stress, and just plain fun subscribe to my free monthly newsletter at http://www.CaringAndCoping.com Need a speaker for an upcoming event? I have a program that will knock your socks off! Watch video clips at http://www.ThePPP.org/speaking/#handle
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