What we visualize can have a great impact on how we feel. When we explore it consciously during times of stress, or ahead of a stressful situation, visualization can help us find a greater sense of ease and equanimity with the scenario in question. Many athletes, for instance, use visualization as a way to prepare for high-stress events, and this mindbodygreen roundup collects examples of public figures who say they use it.
How the Worksheet Works
The worksheet invites you to consider a situation that typically makes you feel uneasy or stressed, and to imagine a different way of experiencing it, engaging all of your senses to create a soothing, pleasing picture of the situation playing out differently. It is a form of mental rehearsal, in six steps:
- Choose a situation that makes you feel worried or anxious, and write it down without getting caught up in the imagery. If you experience intense anxiety, begin with a situation that produces only a small to moderate amount of stress.
- Write down any beliefs or stories you tell yourself that add to the stress or anxiety. If giving a presentation makes you anxious, an underlying belief might be, “I will probably get nervous and everyone will notice.”
- Consider a couple of alternative, positive beliefs that might help you see the situation differently, such as “I am well prepared for this” and “I will do my best and not worry about what others think.”
- Come to a comfortable seated position where you can rest for about five minutes, and visualize the scenario unfolding in the most positive way you can imagine. Notice how it feels in the body to move with ease, confidence, and comfort, and include the feelings of success, peace, and ease. When you are ready to finish, let the imagery go, take three deep breaths, and open your eyes.
- Reflect on how it felt to visualize the scenario this way, what feelings it brought up, and what thoughts or beliefs it helped to affirm.
- Consider how you might use this practice in daily life, and when you might take a few minutes before a particular activity to picture things going well.
Visualization is a gentle practice, but if a situation brings up strong distress or past trauma, it can help to work with a therapist or another qualified professional alongside it.
