In today's fast-paced world, anxiety is often a constant companion at home or at the workplace. Whether it's family tensions, finances, the anticipation of a review, a daunting presentation, or a crucial meeting, it can quickly drain your energy and hinder performance. However, there's a powerful tool that’s within everybody’s reach. Internal imagery can help alleviate anxiety and requires only tapping into your own mind.
Most of us think using either logically or analytically, constantly taxing our mind with calculations and alternatives when making decisions, small and big, in our day-to-day life. Internal imagery channels the mind to think in pictures, changing the dynamics and providing a welcome departure from the everyday grind.
From childhood, we are conditioned to focus on facts, analyze outcomes, and make decisions based on rationality so it’s rare that we tap into the realm of internal images.
You can visualise things to induce physiological and mental changes and, in the process, reduce your overall stress levels.
Here’s how you can the power of internal imagery to alleviate anxiety.
STEP 1 I RELAX YOUR BODY AND MIND
Find a quiet space, indoors or outdoors, where you can sit comfortably, undisturbed. Leave your mobile phone and any distractions in another room or on silent, hidden from sight. Take a few deep breaths, allowing your body to relax with each exhalation.
STEP 2 I BEGIN TO VISUALIZE
Close your eyes. Visualize yourself in your favorite place. It can be any place where you feel safe and at ease. Notice your surroundings. Hear the sounds. Feel the sensations. Immerse yourself fully in this place, your mental sanctuary, as if you were physically there.
STEP 3 I IDENTIFY THE ANXIETY/SOURCE
Once you feel relaxed, shift your focus to the anxiety within you. Visualize it as an object located somewhere in your body. Pay attention to its shape. Its color. Its movement pattern. Its texture. Identify precisely where it resides within you.
STEP 4 I ERADICATE THE ANXIETY
Now, imagine moving this object outside your body, in front of you, as a floating object. Take control of it by altering its characteristics. Change its shape, color, movement pattern and texture. Make it into something completely opposite to what it was before. Push the transformed object away from you, watching it drift farther and farther until it becomes invisible. Take a moment to acknowledge the sense of relief and calmness washing over you.
STEP 5 I CONCLUDE WITH A REFRESHING STRETCH
Open your eyes, take a deep stretch to invigorate your body and mind. Feel the tension melting away as you release any lingering stress. Carry this newfound sense of peace with you as you navigate through the rest of your day.
Incorporating internal imagery into your daily routine can serve as a powerful tool for managing anxiety, both in the workplace and beyond. By tapping into the visual language of your mind, you can dismantle the grip of anxiety and reclaim control over your thoughts and emotions. So, the next time anxiety threatens to overwhelm you, follow these 5 simple steps and take a step towards serenity.
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A clinical hypnotherapist is a professional guide. The above technique is something you can usually do on your own. But sometimes we need help getting started or we are too deeply rooted to be able to eliminate the anxiety longer term. In which case you should contact a hypnotherapist who can help guide you through the process or help you identify the deeper root of the problem and recommend alternative approaches or methods of treatment. If you would like to get started with a trained, certified clinical hypnotherapist,
click here.
References: “Mental Imagery: Functional Mechanisms and Clinical Application”; Joel Pearson, Thomas Naselaris, Emily A. Holmes, and Stephen M. Kosslyn; Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 2015 Oct; 19(10): 590–602.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash.
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Thank you for contacting us.
We'll get back to you shortly.
Oops, there was an error sending your message.
Please try again later or drop us a mail on info@qialive.com.
info@qialive.com
Qi Alive Limited.
Incorporated in the United Kingdom.