We can create whatever we imagine in our minds.  If you are experiencing lack or failure in your life it is because it was first imagined in your mind.  Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is everything.  It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”  Imaging or visualizing what you want can have almost magical powers. French Dr. Emile Coué asserts that when the imagination and will are in conflict, the imagination always wins out.

We are constantly creating our futures through visualization, as the mind thinks in mental images. For example,  if you are thinking about, talking about and imagining financial lack (I.e. I am unlucky, or I could never have that, or I’m … and so on), then that is what your mind will produce for you. When a mental picture is repeated the mind has no choice but to accept it as true and bring it into reality.

The reality is that your imagination can be your best friend or your worst enemy.  It is how you imagine and what you focus on that affects your brain and therefore your expectations. When you learn to harness your imagination, your imagination becomes your best friend.  Then you can use your imagination instead of allowing your imagination to propel you.  It is only when you proactively focus your imagination to achieve specific outcomes that you ignite the creative process and increase your odds of success.

Take a moment and consider where and how you apply your imagination — mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally and socially.  The first step to understand and applying your imagination is to become mindful of how you imagine.

Key Points to  Imagination or Visualization

• Visualize in detail. Include as much detail about what you want as possible.
• Be persistent. Proactively visualize often.
• Imagine unselfishly.  Do not ask for someone else’s blessing.  What belongs to another will not quite fit your needs.
• Results can be immediate however the longer it takes for your images to produce results the larger the results  tend be.

Make a Notebook of Your Desires.  You may have already heard of a vision board and I think the creation and use of one can be very effective, however I prefer to use a “visualization notebook”.  I like the ease of being able to carry it around.  The notebook images will assist your powers of imagining/visualization and make it easier for you to be persistent.  Since it is portable, you can refer to it, or add to it, through out your day and no one has to know what you are doing.

1. First get your self a small, paper, notebook.
2. Next, use three or four pages, to create sections.  You will want to create all or a combination of sections.
3. Label the sections: Business/Career, Family, Spiritual, Love, Social & Recreation, Health or Wealth.
4. Under each word add a photo  or photos that represent the situations and/or experiences you want to bring into your life.
5. Beneath every picture write one or two positive affirmations.  For example, if you put a dollar symbol ($) under the word Wealth you might write, “Money now flows into my life quickly and easily and I am now open and receptive to wealth.”
6. Finally at the bottom of each page, write “This or something better.”

When should you use your notebook? I would recommend having planned times to refer to your notebook.  For example,  When I was really “going through” I would look at mine first thing in the morning and again before I went to sleep. Using it often helped me keep focused on my positive future and not get stuck in the temporary negative situation I was in.  You can also make use of  your notebook at unplanned times, such as when there is a lull in your day (such as when you are standing in the grocery line) browse your notebook of  desires (vs. looking at your phone).

This is not to be superficial advise on how to be rich or happy all of the time, but rather how to be creative, productive and increase the opportunities for success in your life.

Enjoy!

Note: This is a repost of my Capital City Hues column of May 2013