VISUALISATION: A CREATIVE MEANS TOWARDS SELF DEVELOPMENT

Visualisation has presented itself as a useful technique I use when working with clients who want to achieve a higher level of happiness, as well as combat their feelings of anxiety pertaining to a certain situation, for example speaking in public, taking a test, performing well in sports etc.

Visualisation basically involves a mental task where you put yourself into a different state from where you are in, and can be triggered through imagination, sometimes through the use of a stimulus, such as upbeat music, or the smell of perfume. There probably has been a time where you psyche yourself up for a sports event by listening to music like Queen's "We Will Rock You".

Imagine the possibilities if you immerse yourself totally in a state where you have achieved what you wanted to achieve. Imagine yourself going through your soccer match performing better than you have ever been. Ostrander et al (1994) argued that if you imagine and visualise something vivid enough and bring your sense and emotions into that activity or event, you mind would not be able to know the difference between the imagined event from the real one. This technique has been done and perfected by high performance athletes the world over.

Ostrander et al (1994) continued to describe a study where students with learning difficulties were told to think of someone whom they thought to be very clever, and were told to visualise that they were that very person. The children were able to score significantly better in their test scores, after their visualisation excercise.

Rhonda Byrne (2006) in her seminal book and dvd "The Secret" even amplifies the impact and significance of visualisation through the law of attraction, where our very thoughts will affect our experience in the real world. She postulated that our thoughts are all connected to the manifestations of reality in the universe, and by visualising yourself in a state where you have already achieved your life dreams and goals, you somehow affect the flow of the universe to actually grant you what you sought to achieve. There may not be valid proof to this theory, but i firmly believe that if you put yourself in a state of where and what you want to be, your entire body and perceptions would be attuned to opportunities in the environment that would enable you to get what you want.

This is a technique that I am currently doing further research and reading on, and will probably add further articles to discuss on the possibilities of visualisation. On personal experience visualisation techniques have been extremely useful for me during my hockey matches, situations where I have to speak in public, and a certain driving test that I had to do. I remember the initial anxiety I was experiencing just moments before the test, until i decided to close my eyes to put myself in a state of taking the test confidently and being able to complete all the tasks required prefectly. Indeed I did pass the test on the first try!

Some exercises you can try in Creative Visualisation.
1. Make a visualisation board (see products page, where I have put a template for you to print.). On the board, place all the things you hope to achieve, make it as vivid as possible. You can use pictures. It can be the car you always wanted, or what you imagine your relationship with your wife to be. Place the board in a place where you would be able to see it, and spend a few minutes each day looking at the items and visualising your life as if you already have these items.

2. Role Modelling: Imagine yourself as a person or role model that you look up to, who would be able to perform well in a certain situation you find yourself in. You may pretend that you are Gurmit Singh, as you wait to address a crowd as an emcee. Have a crystal clear image of this person in your mind as you close your eyes and watch yourself become him or her, adopting the required mannerisms and confidence to face a certain issue or event.

3. Mood changing Visualisation: Take note of situations where you have felt a great sense of achievement. Visualise the event in your mind, and what aspects of the event made you feel happy and accomplished. Assign a gesture, be it your hand punching in the air, to that event and its experiences. Each time you may need a mental pick-me-up, use the gesture (preferably in a non crowded area of course.) to kick start the raw adrenaline pumping emotion of happiness and accomplishment to instantly change your mood.

I state these 3 exercises as tasks which have prove useful in my work. If there are other that have been just as effective, I will certainly discuss them in further articles. Just remember to make the images as vivid, colourful and imaginative as possible. The mind guru Tony Buzan (1981) had empirical evidence that we are more likely to pay attention to stimulus if it is perceived as attractive and vivid in our minds, especially if there are a lot of movements involved.

So kickstart your creative potential through the process of visualisation!