Hi Wellness Warriors, Welcome back to the Wellness Inspired Podcast, a place where you can find inspiration, motivation and empowerment in the pursuit of a wellness lifestyle. I'm your host, sherri Davidson. I'm a wellness coach and acupuncturist in Houston, texas and I am deeply passionate about health and well-being. And, as always, I'm here with my co-host, finn. If you're new to the podcast, finn is my terrier mixed rescue dog, trail runner and loyal companion. He is also a therapy dog and greeter at Element 5, acupuncture and wellness, and I have a fun episode for you today.

Speaker 1: 0:55

I decided to change the topic at the last minute. I was going to do the episode on the gift of giving because we're right around the holidays, but I changed it at the last minute because of something that's going on with me. I am going through a transition with some things. All is good, it's actually very exciting but ungrounding because I don't know what it all looks like yet. We all know that the unknown can be a little scary and I'm aware of what's happening and having the conversation with myself that it's okay to feel anxious and a little scared. It's actually normal. But try to stay positive and try to stay excited, because this can be a really cool time, an adventurous time, and if you've been listening to the podcast for a while, you know how much I love adventures.

Speaker 1: 1:47

So I decided to ground myself in a visualization technique, visualizing my future. And then I thought this would be a great time to talk about visualizations on the podcast, because we stand on the threshold of a new year and this is a natural time for reflection and contemplation. And, of course, this is my favorite time of the year. Why? Because a new year brings with it a sense of renewal, offering a blank canvas where we can paint the aspirations and goals that will shape our future. And one powerful and transformative practice that can set the tone for a fulfilling year is the art of visualizing your future. Beyond resolutions, visualization is a dynamic process that taps into the potential of our imagination, creating a roadmap for the year, for the year ahead. In this episode, we'll explore why visualizing your future is a worthwhile endeavor and crucial step in manifesting the positive changes you desire in the coming year. So grab your favorite cozy blanket, find a comfortable space, get Huga and join me as we dive into the fascinating world of visualization and as profound implications for your health and wellness. Get ready to unlock the potential of your mind and take a step closer to the vibrant, fulfilling future you deserve. But before we get started, yes, the Riverboat Wellness Cruise.

Speaker 1: 3:15

I am planning a European Wellness Riverboat Cruise in 2024. It looks like it's going to be towards the end of the year, so October, so you guys have plenty of time to get ready. My friend, tammy Heroka she is a travel concierge and a friend. She's also been on the podcast we talked about wellness travel. She's helping me plan this amazing adventure. I've yet to commit to the river, but I'm thinking of a seven night cruise on the Danube River. We would cruise through Austria, germany, hungary, slovakia. There will be active sightseeing, so hiking, biking, maybe some running. There will also be yoga, wellness talks, relaxing and locally sourced cuisine. So stay tuned for more details. I expect to have those details after the first of the year. I already have many people interested, so get ready to grab your spot. All right, let's do this.

Speaker 1: 4:19

Most business owners visualize where they want their company to go in the year to come. They set quarterly goals with big picture outcomes, so why would you not do that for your personal life? As a health coach, the first thing I do when I work with someone is to have them create a health vision. After the health vision has been created, together we begin to design a path to the big picture outcome they want. You see, visualization is a potent tool that extends beyond mere daydreaming and wishful thinking. When approached with attention and purpose, it becomes a dynamic exercise capable of manifesting remarkable results in various aspects of our lives. Scientific research supports the idea that visualization enhances mental and physical health and positively influences our well-being. It also becomes a roadmap and motivation to living a successful and fulfilling life. Okay, so let's go over some of these benefits and then we'll jump into a practical application. And then we'll wrap it up short and sweet today.

Speaker 1: 5:27

One of the benefits of visualization is the mind-body connection. The mind-body connection is a well-documented phenomenon and visualization serves as a bridge between the two. Pretty cool, huh. When we engage in vivid mental imagery, we stimulate the same neural pathways that would be activated as if we were physically experiencing the imagined scenario, and this process has profound implications for both mental and physical health. Another benefit is it improves mental health. Visualization proves to be a potent ally in enhancing mental health by fostering positive thinking and stress reduction. Creating a mental landscape of positive outcomes nurtures an optimistic and resilient mindset, countering the detrimental effect of stress and anxiety for overall mental well-being. Additionally, visualization becomes a coping mechanism for individuals grappling with challenges such as chronic pain, trauma or depression. Creating a positive future or gradual healing process empowers individuals, providing a sense of control over their mental states. And this is exactly why I decided to do this in my transition, because I have some anxiety around the unknown. And it works, I promise you.

Speaker 1: 6:57

Visualization can also enhance physical well-being, so this is supported by scientific studies. Visualization's impact on physical health is tangible. Athletes, for instance, utilize mental imagery to refine skills, optimize muscle memory and boost confidence. And let's just take it beyond sports Visualization positively influences physiological functions, including immune system response, cardiovascular health and pain perception, stimulating the body's natural healing mechanisms. Mind-blowing I just love it.

Speaker 1: 7:32

Another benefit is the role of neuroplasticity. Neuroscience emphasizes neuroplasticity, highlighting the brain's adaptability based on experience. Visualization capitalizes on this plasticity by forging new neural connections associated with positive thoughts and emotions. Through consistent engagement and visualization exercises, these neural pathways strengthen, increasing the likelihood of thoughts manifesting into actions and, subsequently, reality. This enhances mental clarity, focus and lays the groundwork for positive behavioral change. Good stuff, huh? Well, there are four amazing benefits of visualization. As you can see, visualization of the future becomes a positive force, reducing stress, nurturing optimism and enhancing emotional states. This intentional mental practice promotes goal clarity, motivation and self-efficacy, refining focus and resilience. Regular visualization establishes a positive feedback loop, enhancing adaptability and resilience in the face of adversity. Ultimately, envisioning success becomes a catalyst for a more positive and fulfilling future.

Speaker 1: 8:55

Before we jump into the practical applications, I want to read you a quote from Barbara Fredrickson's book Positivity Discover the Upward Spiral that will change your life. This is what she says about visualizing your future. Visualizing your future is like creating a mental blueprint for the life you desire. It is a way to sculpt your thoughts and emotions towards a more positive and fulfilling existence. The mind is a powerful force and when directed purposefully through visualization, it can create a cascade of positive effects on your health. Amazing, it's good stuff, good, good stuff.

Speaker 1: 9:31

So I encourage all of you to practice visualization. You probably do it and you're not even conscious of it, and in fact, that brings up an interesting point that if you practice mindfulness and you begin to watch your thoughts, you might see that you're visualizing something very different than what you want. So I think it's very important to become mindful of what goes on up there in your head, because you don't know what you're creating. You might consciously say I want this future, I want my future to look like X, y and Z, but you might not realize that the movie that you play in your head is very different from that. So I highly encourage you to become very mindful of what's happening up there and what you are visualizing every single day. So I think it's an important exercise for sure.

Speaker 1: 10:27

So I wanna jump into some practical applications, some visualization exercise to crafting your future canvas. If you're listening to this while you're driving, I do highly suggest that you do not do this visualization technique. Or if you do, keep your eyes open but it's super nice to close your eyes and do this, I think, especially when you're first starting out because I think it allows you to kind of block out some of the distractions and really get into what that looks like. I've had that experience where somebody guided me through a visualization. They guided me through while my eyes were closed and they asked me questions, and it was just so much easier for me to see than me sitting down in front of my journal and writing it out. But do both, okay. So you wanna find a comfortable and quiet space where you can be undisturbed for about 15 or 20 minutes. I really like doing it in the morning, but anytime it's great, whatever works for you.

Speaker 1: 11:31

But I designed this exercise to help you vividly visualize and define your aspirations for the future. So feel free to tweak it and make it your own. I'm always a fan of making things your own. But I think what's really important is to set the stage so you can sit. You can be lying down in a relaxed position, you wanna take a few deep breaths to center yourself, close your eyes and allow your mind to settle. So this is as if you were about to do a mindful exercise and the first thing you wanna do is define your goals right.

Speaker 1: 12:05

So in your mind, envision a blank canvas and you wanna identify specific areas of your life career, personal growth, relationships and health, or health or all of them and imagine each area as a distinct section on the canvas, waiting for your creative touch. Now let's enter the career section of the canvas and picture your ideal workplace. See yourself engaged in meaningful tasks, surrounded by supportive colleagues, feel the satisfaction and fulfillment that comes with achieving your success in your career, and what specific achievements do you see on this canvas and get really detailed, as detailed as you can. Or, you know, think more big picture and just expect this is going to be an ongoing process and you can define it more and more each time you go over it. That's what I like to do. I get really big picture and then I just refine, refine, refine, refine, get more detailed about it, more detailed. It's a nice way to do it.

Speaker 1: 13:22

And then you want to go and do the same thing for personal growth. So visualize a journey as self-discovery and continuous growth, and imagine confidently navigating challenges, celebrating milestones and embracing new opportunities. And how does personal growth manifest on your campus? Again, you can start out big picture and as the days and weeks go on, you know, refine it more and more each time. And you're going to want to do the same thing for relationships, if that's something that you want to focus on. So envision positive and fulfilling connections with friends, family and romantic partners. Picture to share moments of joy, support and understanding, and how does the warmth of these relationships appear on your campus?

Speaker 1: 14:22

And then we're going to go into health. So see yourself in a state of optimal well-being. Visualize engaging activities that nourish your body and mind. And what does that look like Real vitality coursing through you as you maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle? And what does a day of well-being look like on your campus? And we can't forget the challenges. Right, there's always challenges, but acknowledge that challenges are part of any journey. Visualize yourself facing these challenges with resilience and creativity, and how do you overcome obstacles on your campus and as you go through these sections of your campus, these sections of your life connect with the positive emotions associated with your success joy, confidence, gratitude and allow these emotions to amplify as you immerse yourself in the vision of your thriving future. And, when you're done, slowly bring your awareness back to the present moment. Take a few deep breaths and open your eyes and reflect on the vibrant images you've painted on your mental canvas.

Speaker 1: 15:58

Now I highly suggest that you do reflections, because I think it's a great way to integrate that into your daily life and it just solidifies it a little bit more. So, journal about the specific details, remember, you can start out with a big picture, but as the days and weeks go on, like I said, you become more detailed about each one, and the more familiar that you get with your story, the more detailed you can become so journal journal about the details, the emotions and insights that emerged during the exercise and use these reflections as a guide for setting actionable steps toward your envisioned success. Repeat this visualization exercise regularly. I think you should do it every single day, but you have to find what works for you. It's important to do them regularly to reinforce your positive vision and stay connected with your aspirations. Allow the mental images you've created to inspire and guide you toward a fulfilling future.

Speaker 1: 17:04

But I have one more thing to say about this before we wrap it up here. You also have to be mindful of new opportunities that open up. So many times we envision something and then the opportunity presents itself to us and we don't take it because we're still on autopilot and we're not being present in the moment and we miss that opportunity. And then we say this doesn't work, but it does. You just have to keep your mind, stay present and keep your mind open for possibilities and opportunities, and they will present themselves eventually. I don't know when, I don't know who's in control of the timeline, but eventually they do happen. So just wanted to make a note of that. Okay, well, I want to wrap this up by just giving a quick summary of the things that we talked about.

Speaker 1: 18:05

As you can see, visualization is a deliberate and purposeful exercise that transcends day dreaming, offering a pathway to transforming dreams into reality. The profound impact on mental health and the positive repercussions on physical well-being make it a valuable tool for personal development. Practiced by scientific research, the practice of visualization invites you to harness the power of your mind, shaping a future that aligns with your aspirations and desires. And as you explore the depths of your imagination, you uncover a reservoir of potential waiting to be unlocked through the intentional act of visualization. Okay, what did you all think? I really enjoyed sharing this information with you, as always, and I hope you got a lot out of it and are able to start applying what you learned here on visualization to your life.

Speaker 1: 19:14

And, as always, if you have any comments, questions or suggestions, I would love to hear from you. If you like what you hear, please subscribe to the podcast and share with your family and friends. You can also give me a rating and review. Wherever you listen to your podcast, it helps others find me as well. To get updates on new episodes and wellness inspiration in your inbox, please join the Wellness-Inspired community. Go to the Wellness-InspiredPodcastcom to sign up. I'll put the link to the website in the show notes so you can click and join. Also, there is a Facebook community at the Wellness-Inspired and you can follow me on Instagram at wellness underscore inspired.

Speaker 1: 19:51

If you're in the Houston area or just visiting and interested in our services acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, zinchiatsu or dry needling therapy contact us. You can find out more on our website at element5omcom that's element5, the number 5, omcom, and again, I'll put the link in the show notes. If you're interested in health and wellness coaching, we can connect in the clinic or on Zoom. Reach out to us and we'll get you on the schedule and, as always, I would love to hear your feedback. I am dedicated to bringing you great content that is inspiring and informative, with an artsy fun at G-SPIN. Thank you so much for listening. We'll meet here again next time and remember never stop exploring, learning, loving and being you Bye.

The Wellness Inspired Podcast

Harnessing the Power of Visualization for Wellness and a Fulfilling Future

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