Imagining yourself completing a task without physically doing it will improve your overall performance.
Did you know that the visualization of a workout over 12 weeks could increase muscle strength by 13.5%?
Let’s find out how to be happy using visualization.
What is Visualization?
Visualization is looking at a picture in our mind.
Most people use visualization without even knowing it. We visualize in our everyday life when we anticipate that:
- a person will be friendly or unfriendly
- our boss will accept or reject our request
- there will be or not a parking space
- we will achieve our goal
Creating the life that we want starts with having a clear picture of the desired outcome and believing that we can create it. Here are additional strategies to create a more fulfilling life.
We have to see a goal as already achieved before we can start manifesting it.
When famous comedian and actor, Jim Carrey was trying to succeed in the entertainment business in 1985 he was broke. He used visualization to feel better while working hard on becoming an actor. Carrey wrote a blank 10 million dollar check to himself and dated it for Thanksgiving 1995.
He carried that check with him and looked at it every morning, visualizing himself receiving 10 million dollars. Right before Thanksgiving 1995 he made that amount from the movie “Dumb and Dumber.” Here is how Jim Carrey tells it to Oprah.
This is an example of the power of visualizing your dreams, relentlessly believing in your vision, and working on it every single day.
How to be Happy Using Visualization
Picturing in your mind a desired outcome will get you in a positive mood and that’s how to be happy using visualization.
When you are stressed, tired, or exhausted, take a few minutes, breath and imagine a more relaxed situation or a possible desired outcome.
- What would you see?
- What would you do?
- How would you interact with others?
- How would you feel?
- What would you hear?
You may not find the answers right away but if you keep visualizing your ideal life, every day, you will come up with ideas that will get you closer to the desired outcome.
According to research, visualizing an event or situation by adding sounds, smells, and tactile sensations can influence how we handle the real thing.
We all have unique values that distinguish our motivation, visualization, and actions. Visualizing the desired outcome as achieved, will help us to achieve our goals and happiness.
Whether we are feeling disappointed, overwhelmed or frustrated by life stressors, visualization will help us to focus on positive outcomes, which will increase our feelings of happiness.
You will be happy using visualization by picturing in your mind your goal as already achieved. Moreover, you will get ideas of how to more effectively achieve your goals by practicing daily visualization.
When to use Visualization?
Visualization is a strategy that will take us from where we are right now to where we want to be. It will help us achieve our goals by seeing the desired future in our imagination.
If there is any area of your life that you would like to change, use visualization to clearly see, smell, hear, and taste what the new situation would be like.
Visualization is applicable to all aspects of life, but especially when:
- Changing careers
- Starting a business
- Confronting life fears or phobias
- Increasing exercise performance
- Reaching ideal weight goals
How to Visualize?
When we use visualization, our brain releases a chemical called dopamine. It’s a neurotransmitter that is activated when we encounter certain stimuli linked to reward.
It’s the release of dopamine in the brain while visualizing success, love, and happiness that will help you focus on the desired outcomes.
Visualization will inspire ideas and motivate you to look for opportunities that you otherwise may not have imagined.
For example, if you get two or three new clients per week, you can visualize doubling that number. But the following is what you need to do:
- Clarify your goals. What would you like to achieve?
- Anticipate the desired outcome and reward.
- Remove any uncertainty that can sabotage your best efforts such as lack of confidence, lack of experience or self-limiting beliefs.
- Visualization is a mental simulation so, you need to cast the right emotion into the equation like enthusiasm, pride, happiness, satisfaction, or positivity and allow them to be ingrained in your inner self.
- Visualization is not about fantasizing; it’s about seeing and believing in what you want to achieve and seeing it to fruition in the real world.
How does Visualization work?
Like hypnosis and meditation, visualization has a similar neurophysiological profile. It’s based on manipulating thought patterns to access your creative power.
Whether you suffer from stage fright or lack of confidence to tackle daunting tasks, you can use visualization to trigger positive thoughts, which makes it easier to achieve your goals.
What experience do you have with visualization?
This is a great topic. I find the visualization techniques seem very helpful
Love the article. As a competitive athlete and visionary every day I take some time to review my goals and visualize the outcomes. It’s a powerful tool that puts us in state to achieve.
I wish this was true. I have tried visualization but never on a physical thing that could or would actually need actual exercise. Interesting idea though.
Interesting point! Visualization helps you to focus on what you want. By repeatedly visualizing what you want you will get ideas of actions you can take to get closer to it.
KEEP TRYING. I have battles with depression most of my life and it bugged menqhennhappy people without my problems and living a hetternlife told me to just focus on the good stuff. They wouodnt hear my issues so I felt they just had better lives and had no way of understanding mine and were just giving me a quick superficial fix to a situation.
But it actually does work it just takes a lot of time and practice to keep redirecting your mind and for me I have to keep trying every time I get into negative ruts. It does open your mind up to good feelings and chemicals. When you start to feel them you act and start to see things differently and that actually leads to new situations at times that make life better. The better it becomes the more easily you can do it. But it btakes a lot of reminding yourself and catching it when it starts to spiral down again and redirect your brain like it was a child trying to do the wrong thing. You say nope take away it’s thoughts at the moment and replace it with good ones.
Try to find anything good no matter how small in a situation and tell yourself, see that wa as a good thing then keep going. It takes a lot of effort at first and repeated tries but it becomes easier.
You will have to remind yourself the next time it’s coming on but it gets easier to catch and fix.
Do be aware that some people will start to call you or see you as bipolar when bv you bounce from high to low as you enact this but just say. Hey, they don’t know what I’m dealing with or how so they can’t evaluate me correctly it’s just a uninformed judgement
Interesting read and useful especially if one is pursuing a new positive change. My bf and I started a happiness challenge and this would work perfectly
I’m visualizing my best life and yes, it is making me very happy.
We use this even without knowing. Visualization helps especially when a person is sad. Visualizing happy things can really help with the burden.
love this Im such a visual person so this is so helpful as I love visuals
It can be so hard when you are in a negative head space to feel happy. Visualization can really benefit a person turning around their thoughts. Thanks for this post!
I have not try visualizing but will definitely try it out. thanks for the tips
Thank you for sharing. I am going to try some of these
Love this post! There are so many success stories out there that swear by this method. Really appreciate your break down of the concept.
Thanks for the post, I believe this can help people be a bit more positive.
This will be a big help. A different perspective of being positive so I like the idea.
This was so interesting. It’s great way to have an idea of a new situation or how it could be.
Using visualization is one of the best ways. I hope to learn and use it daily to achieve happiness in my daily life.
Thanks for sharing these helpful tips on visualization which does impact our mind enormously.
I’ve been planning on using visualization for a while now but never actually started. This is really great. Thank you so so much for the information.
This is so true! You’re future depends on your current thoughts! I always try to stay positive… it really does help!
I’ll be honest – I’ve never been good at hushing my mind to do these visualization techniques. I really need to make an effort. This is a great reminder.
I always like to be reminded of the power of visualization as I am sure of its benefits. Thanks for the reminder.
I like this technique and use it often. The power of positive thinking and using visualization to focus is an excellent self-improvement technique.
I have heard if you can visualize it and believe it’s yours, that the universe will bring it to you. I think it takes a lot of faith to do so though. 🙂
This is great! Visualizing happiness is a great step in improving mental health! Thanks for sharing your great tips
This is so relatable. I always visualize my day for more positivity and also meditation helps me a lot to calm my mind and lessen my stressful thoughts during the day.
I remember hearing some amazing stories about visualization so long ago. One was about a golfer who had been caught in an enemy of war combatant camp. He dreamed about the perfect round of golf at his favorite course every day. When he finally got out and got to go to the course he had the perfect round, just as he had envisioned in his head. All just so amazing.
Great story! Athletes use visualization daily to improve their performance.
Love this! I’ve always loved to visualize. Sometimes it makes me really happy and relax.
Visualization is one important way to be happy. It is important to see the beauty of our life.
Very informative. I’ve heard a lot about this, but never tried it. I should try to do it soon.
Visualization is much more work than people think. Hanging a vision board up on the wall isn’t enough, in my opinion. You have to really believe it. And you have to remind yourself you believe it, ESPECIALLY when life tries to tell you NOT to believe it. You have to be open to it coming to you in unexpected ways, through unexpected routes, and ACT in accordance. No, that DOES NOT MEAN GO SPEND TONS OF MONEY LIKE YOU HAVE IT (I’ve seen WAY too many people fall into this trap), but it does mean acting like you will one day have it and that you don’t need to worry now (for example).
Excellent points! You are absolutely right! It’s important to believe in what we visualize and take actions toward making the vision a reality.
I have used visualization for mental relaxation during mindfulness. However never tried imagining related to future events. I guess I should try.
This is great information. I love using visualization techniques.
What a great post! I’m a very visual person so def relate to this. xo
This is such a great idea. I am a visual person so this would definitely work for me
What a great post. I’ve been seeing this topic of visualization around alot lately and i have been thinking about trying this on a daily basis. It so hard to truly focus without thinking a negative thought but I want to really try this.
To a degree I think this is something I have always done but I am all for actively making an effort to do this with more consistency.
I love this! I’ve tried visualization in the past and it makes a big difference. Will be resuming this week too 🙂
loved this post its actually a great point of view ! i also apply the visualize things and they will happen mantra x
visualization is a great tool to use, as long as it is used for positives
Ive tried visualization but my personality is so realistic that it doesn’t work that well for me
You have to see it to believe it!
You feel what you think! If you have to feel happiness, then you should start thinking it and visualizing it. It makes total sense and makes you imagine well!
I absolutely believe in the power of visualization and manifestation. It’s certainly why you hear of Olympic athletes being so successful- they all do visualization work. Thanks for sharing!