Have you ever considered adding some quiet/meditation time to your morning routine? For me, it is the most important part of my day, because it helps me prepare and focus my mindset and intent to deal with the chaos of the day. Some mornings I may take five minutes or maybe thirty, but the most important thing is that I get time to prepare. I find that giving up a few extra minutes of sleep is more than worth the benefits from clearing my mind before my hoard of children wake up and the chaos begins. In fact, the days that I choose to sleep in and miss my quiet time are always the most stressful.

My routine includes scripture reading, a short devotional, and on my longer days, prayer journaling. Recently I also started to incorporate meditation. Specifically, I’ve been trying visualization and I love it!

Meditation is the act of consciously clearing the mind and focusing on yourself. There are guided meditations you can find, but personally, I have been focusing on just embracing the silence. Talk about hard! My mind is constantly running full steam through all the things that need to be done. It’s so easy to get caught in the trap of always needing to be talking, thinking, and planning. Then we lose the ability to just be still and listen.

To be honest, I rarely make it past 5 minutes of meditation, but I keep practicing. It will get easier, right? Just kidding, it has already gotten easier. There is a specific form of meditation that I have experienced in the last couple of years that I want to introduce so you can see how beneficial it can be for your mindset.

Visualization is the act of finding stillness and visualizing yourself accomplishing goals that you set. You may be thinking, “How is this different from meditation?” It is a focused meditation, one where you think about a goal, task, or life change and then imagine being successful and thriving.

This is not just a hokey, self-help, feel good recommendation. The mind is essentially a large computer that functions on whatever information is entered. It doesn’t decipher between positive or negative information; it just executes whatever you are thinking. By taking the time to input positive, productive thoughts you begin to shift into an “I can accomplish anything” mindset. Also, a goal feels more attainable, because you have already seen yourself knock it out of the park.

Visualization harnesses the power of the subconscious. We spend up to 90% or more of our time in our subconscious, often consumed by unproductive or negative thoughts. We spend time thinking about everything else, except what is right in front of us, losing the ability to engage and just be present. Even worse, we get stuck in a cycle of shame and defeat, because that is all the brain is given to process.

Visualization is a great tool to start rebuilding a positive mindset and realizing your full potential. Why can’t you get that job, start a healthy relationship, or be less angry? You are capable of anything you set your mind to and seeing yourself do it is the best step you can take towards rebuilding your self-worth.

This meditation technique is one that has been used by athletes and many of the world's most successful people, because they understand the importance of mindset and simply believing in themselves. Ever met a successful athlete that didn’t consider themselves capable of winning any competition? What about a successful businessperson that doesn’t know if they can continue to grow their business? Nope, me neither. Being intentional about what you are thinking and spending the time in focused meditation has been noted to build courage, combat negativity, build energy, and foster purpose. Your life will never change if you are not ready to start making changes.

5 Easy Steps to Visualization

So how exactly does visualization work? Check out these five easy steps to get started:

1. Sit in a comfortable position.
2. Clear your mind and relax your body. Release the tension from your face, neck and shoulders, hips, legs, and toes so you are sitting completely still, relaxed and breathing deeply.
3. Picture a problem you want to resolve or a goal to accomplish. Decide when you want it to be completed such as 1 week or maybe 3 months. Picture yourself surrounded by your family and people who support you and then visualize what it looks like when the problem or goal is finished.
4. Embrace the sensation of joy from your accomplishment, the emotions you feel when surrounded by the people you love, and most importantly the satisfaction you get when you see yourself completing something that is important to you. Sit in that moment and be at peace.
5. Finish by slowly waking up your body. Wiggle the toes/ankles. Gently move the legs/hips, shoulders/neck, and finally your face.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when life feels out of control. Today I encourage you to try meditation and visualization. Start each day with stillness and focus. Picture yourself making it through whatever you are experiencing in a positive light. It is a useful tool that will help you regain power over the chaos that surrounds you. If you have more questions or want to pick my brain further on this topic, please contact me through my Contact page, or message me through Facebook or Instagram.