On Visualizations: How it Works and Why You Should Try It

I came across this question last night in reflection, and it reminded me to get back to the simple things that matter most. When I opened my journal, I landed on a page I wrote exactly two years ago with a visualization for success. As I was feeling particularly overrun by life last night, it was perfect timing!

I’m on the verge of another big change–as I was two years ago. At the time [2009], we were about to move from Brussels, Belgium to Culpeper, Virginia and I wrote the visualization for six months into the future. It started with my relationships, covering how my husband, children, and even our old dog handled the transition and what they would come to find and love living back home in the United States. Then, it covered me: what I would accomplish, explore, and discover.

When we were overseas, my husband and I became convinced that we would have to move our family of 6 into a cramped townhouse in Northern Virginia because the cost of living here is so expensive. However, in my visualization, I covered housing next, stating that we were living in a spacious, single family home that had at least four bedrooms. The visualization covered our finances, and made clear that money was always available and never a concern. Finally, I covered extended family and friends, naming how they would receive us and visit often.

In all scenarios, that visualization, or something better, has manifested in my life. I never even realized it had all come into fruition until last night!

I was sold.

I don’t go on too much about it, but I know you see a glimpse of it every now and then: I’m what some people have dubbed “woo woo.” I believe in energy, the law of attraction, universal source, God, guides, and all things spiritual and loving. I treasure my oracle cards and honor my chakras. I’m open and receptive to all good (and that happens to be one of my favorite positive affirmations … which I recite daily).

So while that is me, I also operate with a healthy level of discernment. I’ve thoroughly questioned all of these things I’ve mentioned before I threw my faith into them. Doing my first visualization was no different. I thought,

I’m writing a picture of myself in six months that’s supposed to come true? Sure! I’m lying in the sun on a 40 foot yacht. LOL. The butler took the family and I out on the water for the day after I instructed the gardener to  mulch the front lawn with hundred dollar bills. ROTF.

But then again, what could it hurt? I have always loved my life, but I wasn’t necessarily happy when I wrote out my first visualization. In fact, I felt stuck and scared and uncertain. I wanted to feel better, and if imagining myself in a feel-better place might help, then I was willing to give it a try.

It worked.

And so I kept doing it! About a year ago, I found myself in that unhappy place again: scared, uncertain, and stuck. I was in New Zealand at the time and another *huge* move was on the horizon. It seemed like all we did was move, and I wasn’t the only one in my family who was sick and tired of being uprooted. We all were.

My husband, children and I desperately craved roots and a deep sense of belonging. We were starved for familiarity. But again, we were being pointed back to Northern Virginia where it costs a mega-fortune to live. I mean, can anybody out there relate? Who are the freaking millionaires that can afford to buy a decent-sized house around here?! I’m from Small Town, Pennsylvania where gorgeous, “rich people” homes cost you $300,000. Here in Virginia a similar-sized plot costs more like $3,000,000.

Anyway … we started to look for a perfect house in Northern Virginia, and my husband and I began to FREAK out. It always felt like we were a million dollars short, and things looked bleak. Uncertainty reared its ugly head.

I remember having a call with my personal coach at the time I was going through all of this. She asked me, “What are you learning about yourself through this experience?” I thought about it for a moment, and I decided I didn’t like the question. I thought it was distasteful of her to ask such a thing while I was still having such a dark time with it all.

I said to her, “I don’t know. I feel like you want to hear me say something nice about myself, like ‘I’m stronger than this,’ but I don’t want to say that. I’ll say this: There’s only so much uncertainty I can handle in my life at any given time. And this situation is exceeding my limits.”

And then I thought how genius she was to ask such a thing while I was still having such a dark time with it all. 😀

December 27, 2012

The last week of December is always a time of great reflection and review in my life. I simply adore it. I got a brand new journal for Christmas, and on December 27, 2012, I made the first entry. I’m going to share it in part with you here.

Before I do, I need to tell you two things: (1.) I’ve had a great internal debate about sharing this, as my spirituality is such a personal and private part of my life. However, I think the results are so impressive that if it inspires at least one person to try it and make positive changes in their life, it will have been worth it. And (2.) As much as I tried to convince myself with positive affirmations and an optimistic mindset, I did not believe any of the following visualization points would be (a.) in Virginia, (b.) in my price range, or (c.) at all possible.

Here it is:

I’m heading into 2013 with these top priorities [partial].

• Provide comfort, care, and plenty of cush for the children, my husband and me. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed New Zealand and our time exploring the South Pacific. However, it’s been a pretty cramped living situation and a long stretch from home. I’m ready to celebrate comfortable spaciousness in all aspects of our Life.

• Love my neighborhood. It’s really important that I feel safe and comfortable with where my children grow up. I’d also love for my husband and I to meet some great people and enjoy the community as well.

• Own land. I can’t add it to the house later.

• Live in our dream house. It has 5+ bedrooms, at least 3 bathrooms, and a home office with french doors. It has a kitchen I can’t take my eyes off of (in a good way) and 1-2 fireplaces (preferably wood-burning). It has a finished basement that my husband adores, a gorgeous flat lawn for the children to play in, and an in-ground swimming pool with a deep-end that we all love. It’s filled with light and character, good wine and laughter. We six are head-over-heels in LOVE with the place. It’s ours.

Life got busy after that. In its entirety, that journal entry was four pages long and the only one in the book. When we moved, it got packed with my other belongings, and I didn’t open it again until July 23, 2013.

This is what happened a few months later:

In March of 2013, we closed on a house (in our price range!) that sits on a flat, gorgeous lawn (+1 acre of land). It has 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, a home office with a french door, a fireplace, an amazing kitchen and … (drumroll please) …

An in-ground swimming pool with a deep-end. I’ve become the social chairwoman for our board – my husband and I have met tons of great people throughout the community. My children can safely ride their bikes and explore the creeks and trails inside this gorgeous, safe neighborhood where we live. In all scenarios that visualization, or something better, has manifested in my Life. Again. And to that, all I can do is look skyward and say, “Thank You. I promise to keep an awareness and appreciation of all the blessings that surround us. I am eternally grateful!”

If you’re feeling stressed, uncertain, overwhelmed, or in a rut, answer the following questions to create a visualization of your own:

In six months,
1. My relationships are … Here you want to describe how your primary relationships are doing. What are the people you care about most experiencing and achieving? Imagine them fulfilling their passions and discovering their best life.

2.  I am … what are you doing, learning, reading, enjoying? Describe all of that here. Are you living up to your potential? Are you fit and active? Do you feel excited about your life?

3. My home is … redecorated, remodeled, moved to another, more fitting location. If something’s not working in your environment, you imagine it better here.

4. My finances … Reach for abundance. Debt is paid down, financial freedom is on the horizon, and out of the blue, you realized another source of income you earn while doing something you love! Get creative here, and imagine yourself prospering at every turn.

5. Your extended family and friends … How do they receive you when they see you? How do you get along with your co-workers? How has your difficult family member become a little easier to get along with? Imagine all the people who make you feel really good and record how more experiences like that will be coming.

Wishing you all the best in love and life ♥