Visualizations
Visualizations are one way to really implant an Optimistic mind set into your brain. They are particularly helpful when you are presented with a situation that is troublesome.
If you have to speak in public, attend a dinner party, travel in an airplane, go out on a date or any other real world situation/event that may cause you some fear or uncomfortable feelings then there are 2 visualization exercises that will help you.
Visualizing a Positive Outcome
Start with creating some positive Affirmations, Counter Points or Gratitude Statements. While you are thinking about or reciting your positive statements you should close your eyes and picture yourself in your future in that very situation that you fear. When you visualize this event, play the story in your mind the way you would like it to happen. Imagine yourself with confidence, aptitude and success. Really FEEL this future situation as if you were right there. Pretend that everything is going very well in this visualization.
Athletes know full well the power of visualizing. In addition to physically training for the big event they also know they need to visually see themselves participating in their event. They picture the race or routine so as to become accustomed to the craziness of the day. It is a way of conditioning their brain to block out the negative external stimuli so they can fully concentrate and execute the physical requirements leading to a successful result.
You will be doing the same thing. As you visualize yourself accomplishing your goals let your feelings be your guide. Think about or recite your positive statements as you visualize the final outcome.
Visualizing Your Fears Away
Visualizing your fears disappearing is a great technique that you can use that will dramatically improve your confidence. If you are paying attention to your thinking you are likely well aware of some of the negative beliefs you have about yourself and your life and the people around you. Sometimes we may have problems shaking them free and they keep coming up over and over again.
Many times fighting your negative thoughts to go away causes them to appear more and more. It’s like you want to keep a number of beach balls submerged under the water and you are constantly fighting to keep them under. It’s a never ending battle and you just get tired and frustrated. Here is another approach…
Sit comfortably with your hands in your lap. Close your eyes and start to breath deeply in and out; breathe from your abdomen/belly. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. (Make sure your OUT breath is longer than your IN breath; for example take 4 seconds to breath in and 7 seconds to breath out.) Do this for 3-4 minutes.Now visualize yourself exhaling a green cloud of positive energy out your mouth directly in front of you. Do this for a couple of breaths.
Now take one of your negative beliefs or fears – say it’s a belief that you are not worthy of having a nice partner (boyfriend or girlfriend). Picture this negative thought (or fear) as a yellow ball (like a baseball) and it is in front of you. As you breathe out breathe this positive green cloud over the negative yellow ball. With each breath picture this yellow ball getting smaller and smaller and watch it move farther and farther away from you. Repeat to yourself “I release this belief. I accept that it is done. I am at peace..” Ultimately this yellow ball will be gone.
Take a couple more breaths and then choose another negative thoughtt or the same one and repeat blowing the positive green cloud onto the yellow negative fear or belief. Picture the yellow ball getting smaller and smaller and farther and farther away from you. Repeat to yourself “I release this belief. I accept that it is done. I am at peace.”
Repeat this exercise over and over again for around 10 minutes. Do not rush the breathing and do not rush getting through a lot of your negative or fearful issues. Usually 3 or 4 issues are enough to deal with in one sitting. Breath deeply and slowly for a few more minutes.
To end your session visualize yourself as a confident and radiant person. Picture yourself as someone who no longer has these negative beliefs and fears anymore. After a few minutes visualizing then slowly open your eyes and get reacquainted back into your surroundings. Do a big stretch with your arms wide and standing tall! Accept your new found confidence!
This exercise of blowing the negative thoughts away and making them small is a great way to teach yourself to minimize the importance of these negative thoughts. It helps distance yourself from these beliefs. When stop believing your negative thinking (or even start to believe them less and less) they will no longer cause any more negative emotions. NOW when you replace them with Optimistic beliefs then you WILL start to feel better.
Some of the negative beliefs that you may have to work on may likely have to do with your lack of self worth, fear of negative judgments, fear of making a fool of yourself, fear of losing control when anxious, fear of fainting when anxious, fear that you will always feel badly and never get better, fear that there is something wrong with you, fear that you are not lovable, thoughts that you are somehow damaged and inferior etc…
Please do this exercise for a couple of weeks and keep doing it on a regular basis from time to time even though you feel great. When you do this exercise even though you feel great, it places you in maintenance mode and as things come up it will ensure your Optimistic Outlook remains!