* IMAGINATIVE INSIGHTS *

How To Persist In The Face Of Adversity

The dictionary defines adversity as "a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress".

You have certainly had experiences in your life that were distressing or unfortunate.

Hey...you're human...

Yet however seemingly painful the adversity might feel in the moment, it does not define who you are.

How you respond to adversity will define who you are.

And the most effective response to adversity is Persistence.  You've likely heard the quote before "in every adversity lies the seed of an equal or greater opportunity".  Keeping this truth in mind is the key.

When you come up against adversity, it can be like standing with your face just inches from a wall.  Your perspective is so limited that you cannot envision a way over it or around it.  But as you put some distance between yourself and the wall, things start to become more clear. 

You begin to see more options as your view improves.

Here are 5 steps that you can take to keep the proper perspective when faced with adversity.

1)  Pause.  See the problem or obstacle for what it really is, and don't make it bigger than it is.
        
2)  Reflect.  Remember that there are few obstacles in life that cannot be overcome by consistent sustained, inspired actions.

3)  Take control.  Forget about those things that you cannot control, and focus your energy on what you can control...your mind and your attitude.

4)  Believe.  Know that every struggle that you face is an opportunity for personal growth.  It is your responsibility to stay the course when you know you are right.  You will prevail!

5)  Persist.  Remember that defeat is never permanent unless you allow it to be.  Choose to be unlike those who decide to give up too soon.  Keep going, with Faith!

Adversity, like failure, is only an event.  It is a useful and necessary teacher, designed to help us to reach our fullest potential.

You are a part of an amazing, abundant Universe that will eventually and always reward your honest efforts.  Stay true to your goals and desires, and your success is guaranteed!

Until next time, be creative!

J. Shoop
Your Visualization Coach TM

Supercharge Your Visualization, Part 2

This post is Part 2 of a two-part series, "Supercharge Your Visualization".

In my last post, I discussed the value of adding Emotion to your visualization exercises.  Today, we are going to talk about the impact of adding Physiology to your creative visualization.

Before we begin, I'd like you to try the following exercise;  After reading these steps, close your eyes, take three deep breaths...and then SMILE.  Not just any smile, but a big ole' grin!  (If you need any help manufacturing a smile - CALL ME - we need to talk!)

And while you are smiling, I'd like you to notice two very important things...

        1) How it feels to smile, and
        2) What's missing?

If you are smiling genuinely, you should feel GOOD!  And what's missing is NEGATIVITY.

The fact is, its kind of hard to feel BAD when you are smiling.  And this took how much time?  Like, 10 seconds?  ... Maybe less?

Can you imagine the impact that you would make at work if you just smiled constantly?  People would definitely think you're a freak, right?  I can hear them now..."Wow, what's up with Joe?  That guy must be crazy or something!"

Now of course, I don't expect you to walk around every day with a smile plastered on your face...But what I do want you to notice is that you experience a psychological change for the better when you make a positive change to your physiology.

And why is this important?

Because it unlocks a little-known secret to maximizing the effectiveness of your visualization.  We can use physiology to "trick" our subconscious into believing what we want our mind to believe.

Let's take an example from an Olympic athlete...

In the 1960 Rome Olympics, Bill Nieder wasn't even expected to be a threat in the Men's Shot-put.  He had won the Silver medal in the 1956 Games in Melbourne, yet almost did not make the team in 1960.  (He was an alternate, and was given the opportunity to compete when another athlete was injured).

And while preparing for his event, he had one vision...to be the Olympic champion.

Mentally, he would walk himself through the motions, imagining the perfect throw.  And while imagining, he would replicate the necessary motions physically.  He would "throw" his pretend shot-put flawlessly, always further than the competition.

He "saw" himself standing on the Olympic podium.  He would actually bend over and envision the Gold medal being draped over his neck.  In his mind, he "heard" the cheers from the crowd while our national anthem was being played. And then he stood up tall, visualizing the raising of the American flag, while imagining the feelings of pride and joy that can only come from winning Olympic Gold.

Mixing these physiological movements with emotion helped him to crystallize the desired outcome in his mind.

And as you can guess, he won the Gold medal!

Now you might be thinking, "yeah, but I'm not an Olympic athlete"...

That doesn't matter.  You, too can mix physiology with ANY visualization to produce superior results.

When visualizing your new car, pretend to steer.  Want a better job?  Reach out and turn the imaginary knob that opens the door to your new office.  Want to feel loved?  Hold out your hand and imagine it being held in the hand of someone you love.

Adding physiological elements, while creatively visualizing what you want will supercharge your visualization.  This method is an excellent way to create belief in possibility.  And belief creates certainty.  And when you are certain, there is no limit to what you can accomplish.

Try it today, and practice it tomorrow (and beyond!)

I'd love to hear how YOU have used creative visualization to manifest your desires!  Please leave a comment, or send me an email with your story.  You may just see it in an upcoming Post!

Until next time, be creative!

J. Shoop
Your Visualization CoachTM

Supercharge Your Visualization, Part 1

This post is the first in a two-part series, "Supercharge Your Visualization". 

When using creative visualization, there are several key steps that you can implement in order to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Most people know that it is important to get into a relaxed state prior to visualizing.  This is accomplished by slowing down your breathing, closing your eyes, and calming your mind.  When I say "calming your mind", I'm referring to excluding random thought.  

In other words, your thoughts are going to be actively directed by you, toward something specific.

A common place to focus your thoughts is on your breathing.  As you take each breath, concentrate on the air being drawn into your body, and gently and slowly letting the air escape as you exhale.  After spending a few minutes focusing on your breathing, you should notice a feeling of "stillness".

From the stillness, you will now introduce the object of your visualization, and then add the key elements to supercharge the vision.

In today's edition, we will be discussing the power of adding emotion to your visualization.

For some, adding emotion to visualization may seem difficult, yet this skill can be easily mastered when you know how to "trick" your mind into producing emotion on command.  We accomplish this by actively using our memory.

As an example, let's say that you desire a new sports car.  Not just ANY sports car, but a BMW 550i.  You expect that owning this car will bring you certain feelings, such as joy, pride, exhilaration, etc.

We want to link these feelings to a clear mental image of the car.

Now, think back to a time in which you felt exhilaration.  For myself, I'm thinking back to a wild roller-coaster ride in Disneyland.  As the ride slowly inches up the steep incline, I begin to feel the nervous anticipation of what I know is coming next...the rapid, heart-pounding, exhilarating descent that is a part of every great roller-coaster ride!

By closing my eyes and remembering that feeling, my mind is in a "peak" state that I can use to link to my visualization.  While in this peak state, I now imagine myself behind the wheel of my new BMW 550i-to-be!

With repetition and practice, you will be able to produce that exhilarating emotion every time that you visualize the image of your car.  And as you consciously direct your thought and feeling toward the object of your desire (in this case the BMW), your subconscious will be quietly working in the background, figuring out all the ways to bring the object of your desire into your experience.

Take some time to think of a positive emotion that you can easily reproduce in your mind. 

Really allow yourself to feel that emotion deeply, and in that moment, think of something that you aim to achieve, accomplish, or acquire.  Practice this technique often, and watch how quickly your desires materialize in your reality!

In part two of Supercharge Your Visualization, I will be discussing how your Physiology can have a massive impact on manifesting your dreams.

Until next time, be creative!

J. Shoop
Your Visualization CoachTM