When you notice a child daydreaming, do not interrupt them. Creative and scientific work is going on as they are in the process of laying down important brain blueprints.
In fact, you may want to consider adopting this habit as well. Activities like this are not the least bit frivolous; they are an essential precursor to the manifestation of real-life goals and achievement. There is solid neuro-science research to validate it.
In other words, if you can envision it, there is a much better chance that you will achieve it!
Your brain cannot distinguish whether you are imagining something or actually doing it. Qualitatively, one is indistinguishable from the other.
When you visualize or roleplay, your brain goes about creating the necessary neural pathways and connections that would support that actual real-world performance.
Those preliminary neuropathways will be built on and strengthened by eventually doing the real activity.
In the meantime, you will already have a sense of familiarity as you begin. It is like your brain has been ‘primed’ for that specific action, and your efforts are more likely to be successful.
In order to strengthen the connections as much as possible prior to actual performance, it is helpful if you incorporate your senses and emotions to intensify your imagination and adds energy and fuel to those neural pathways.
Research shows that there are many benefits to visualizing and roleplaying, such as:
- Relaxing your body and readying your mind
- Upregulating your immune system and vitality
- Reducing anxiousness or pre-event jitters
- Building confidence and readiness to learn something new
- Removing mental blocks of inner criticism or past failures
- Heightening your chances of success with ‘dress rehearsals’
Visualizing a possible solution to a problem or the successful execution of a skill prepares your brain and activates cognitive circuitry relating to working memory.
This powerful strategy is being leveraged by many top athletes, pilots, patients, surgeons, students, teachers, coaches, and many others to set themselves up for achievement.
SOME GREAT EXAMPLES:
TOP SPORTS PERFORMERS: Visualization helps top performers in sports to overcome a ‘Choke’, which means to perform sub-par or to make an error when it counts the most, due to overwhelming mental stress.
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS SYNDROME: By implementing visual imagery, patients suffering from PTSD lower activity in the emotional centers of the brain and increase activity in the areas of the brain that allow voluntarily control over thoughts and feelings.
HEALTH RECOVERY: Cancer specialist Carl Simonton has been applying Visualization in treating cancer patients for more than three decades with impressive results. Patients are taught specific visualization exercises corresponding to their illness and encouraged to practice them daily alongside regular medical treatment. It has been shown that the rate of improvement of his patients is higher compared to the patients who are treated with conventional cancer treatments without using the visualization strategies.
Some people may say that they have difficulty visualizing or do not know how to do it properly. However, your brain is built to envision virtually every thought it has. Even abstract notions like inner peace are first processed unconsciously within the visual centers of the brain. Each one of us has the innate ability to visualize, and it is a skill that can be developed through practice.
You can start by getting comfortable, closing your eyes, and imagining yourself doing the very thing you want to accomplish in real life for 1-2 minutes. Gradually build on it by extending the time frame and adding in more details and texture to your visualization.
Benefits of Visualization:
1) Relaxation: When you visualize, your brain generates alpha waves. You experience increased relaxation, focus and pleasure, while reducing pain, stress, and anxiety.
2) Increases Confidence: After a few days of Visualization, you will feel more confident, because your mental practice starts making you feel the success as already attainable.
3) Influences Your Subconscious: Your subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between a real memory and an imagined scenario. When you visualize, you effectively plant new memories into your self-image, and subconscious resources are freed up to help you reach your goals.
4) Increases Focus and Desire: When you consciously direct your intent, your brain blocks out sensory and neural information that does not pertain to it. The more focused you become, the more likely you will achieve your goal.
5) Increases Nonjudgmental Awareness: Visualization can assist you in having a higher and detached perspective about the situation, and increase nonjudgmental awareness.
6) Improves Self-Image: Impressing successful images on your subconscious mind results in you feeling happier, confident, more capable and develop a greater positive image of self.
What do you think, will you give it a shot? With nothing to lose and so much to gain, the power of visualization and role playing seems like a no-brainer. Plus, it will have an incredible influence on your brain matter and what matters to you!
To your Fit Brain & Fit Life,
Jill