Could Olympian visualisation help you?

If you’ve been watching the Olympics might have heard commentators talking about the athletes and the visualisation they have done, but do you know what visualisation is, and how it can help you in your life?

Visualisation is a tool many athletes use, and it can be useful for giving birth and parenting too.

For every part of  your life. Here I’m going to share what it is, how it works, and 3 easy ways you can use visualisation.

Visualisation involves imagining, daydreaming, about something, for example thinking back to a time you were relaxed, perhaps on a beach, or picturing yourself in your head twisting and turning down the giant slalom race.

How it works

Every experience you have lays down connections between brain cells, the more we repeat that experience the stronger the connection becomes, eventually becoming coated with a myelin sheath that makes the electrical signs go really fast. You have experienced this with the muscle memory of driving a car, punching in you PIN. It is why habits become ingrained.

Here’s how visualisation can change your brain

The brain doesn’t differentiate between real and imagined experiences. If we repeatedly imagine a scenario, the brain thinks it has happened. It is why visualisation (as part of hypnosis) is used for stopping smoking, and for preparing to fling yourself head first down an icy track on a tea tray.

My adult son was telling me he has started using visualisation when playing pool at the pub. He pauses and imagines the balls going where he wants them to go. It is not magic or telekinesis, but rather he is giving instructions to his brain and then letting his subconscious and his body complete the action. He has noticed his accuracy improve.

Visualisation doesn’t have to be pictures. It can be words, colours, sensations. Whatever way your brain works.

Visualisation doesn’t have to be about actions, it is feelings too. Imagining yourself feeling relaxed, feeling confident, feeling brave.

The cool thing is that you don’t have to belief it for it to happen.

Three ways to try visualisation in your life:

For relaxation

To de-stress, or go to sleep quicker: daydream about being in a peaceful place.

It can be real or imaginary. Think about all your senses: what can you see in this place, what can you smell, hear, touch, taste. You don’t have to be able to picture the whole scene, focus on small details, or just sensations. Do it in a way that works for you.

Think about how you would be feeling in this ideal situation. Can you imagine the warmth of the sun helping your muscles to relax? No worries, no work. Give yourself permission to relax. Feel yourself enjoying the sensations. Take an imaginary photograph or recording, so you can return to this place faster next time.

For a difficult task: imagine it is over

Such as giving birth, meeting at work, you might like to imagine it is over, and it went well.

Imagine yourself holding your baby, or shaking your boss’ hand, both smiling.  Think about how that would feel: in your body, and in your mind. Would your shoulders be relaxed? Would you be smiling? Would you be feeling relieved? Happy? Glowing?

You don’t have to imagine the details, just the sensations. You are letting go of the control of the actions, and tuning into the feelings, and letting your subconscious know what you are aiming for. Talk to yourself: ‘It went well. I felt calm and confident. I was heard. If felt a sense of control, of team work. It was not overwhelming. I did it and I feel good now.'

I remember listening to Jonathan Edwards, the GB triple jumper in the 90s, who still holds the world record, in an interview explain that he prepared by visualising being on the podium collecting a medal. He won Olympic gold and silver, World Championship gold twice, silver once, and bronze twice, and many others.

On a different scale, one of my cousins told me that after talking to me, he set to imagining the housework task done, and how he would feel, and that helped him to get started.

Daydream about future you Think about how you would like to feel. Think about what else is like that. We call these 'metaphor' visualisations.

If you want to be less stressed, imagine you are a gentle flowing stream in a meadow, or an animal you think is calm and relaxed, maybe a swan, chilling in the lake, or butterfly happily flitting from flower to flower, a cat curled up in the sun. Daydream that you are that animal with relaxed limbs, few worries. Use your senses to build up the picture. The scent of the flowers, the feel of the sunshine on your body, the ripples on the lake as you glide along.

If you want to feel stronger, imagine you are a mountain or a tree.

If you would like to be kinder to yourself, you could imagine you are a tree that is twisty, or gate that is not perfect. Imagine the tree or gate in detail, using your senses. Think about that tree or gate with gratitude and compassion.

If you would like to let go of grief or trauma, you can imagine ribbons, balloons, or clouds. If you are not ready to let go, you can imagine holding on less tighter, or tying the ribbon or balloon to a tree or hook, still there, but not needing you to hold it.

I remember listening to an American sprinter talk about how he spends time before a race imagining he is a cheetah, his muscles ready to pounce.

The key to making visualisations reality is repetition. The more you play this in your mind, the more your mind believes it is a reality. If you find it too difficult to imagine you can write or draw or dance the feelings. Even affirmations are a type of visualisation.

I used visualisation in preparing to give birth. One time I visualised myself in the rain forest, with my legs strong like tree trunks, rooted, connected. Years later I realised I gave birth standing up, just like in my metaphor image. I have written visualisations for clients, including one to prepare for a caesarean birth.

Have you used visualisations? How did you find it? What did you imagine?

If you would like help creating your own visualisations, or would like me to write one for you, get in touch. I love to hear from you.