Today’s guest post is from Stephanie Pinto, owner of Orangeburg Fit Body Boot Camp in Orangeburg, New York. She is going to discuss visualization, how you can bring your dreams into focus, and why believing in those dreams is essential for success.
When I was an elementary school teacher, one of my favorite reading lessons to teach was on the topic of visualization. It was an important lesson for the students to learn; it was so much fun watching them close their eyes, listen intently to a descriptive reading passage, and then discuss and illustrate what they “saw” in their mind’s eye.
Think about that…one’s ability to imagine pictures from written words is what creates a sense of reality out of those words. A student’s prior knowledge (or lack thereof) will also determine the meanings that they create for these words.
Wow….powerful right?
And that leads me to what I want to talk to you about today…the power of visualization!
Are My Dreams Unattainable?
As people go through the day-to-day moments of their lives, how many actually take the time to visualize what they really want? How many people have those life long dreams, aspirations, hopes, and desires that remain unfulfilled but, at the same time, continue to tug at the heart strings or pop into their brains?
How many people push their dreams out of their minds, convincing themselves that “it doesn’t matter” or that “it’s too late” or that “it just isn’t attainable?” Sadly, I would say most people fall into this category!
So what I want to know — and what I want you to really think about today — is when did it become okay to not aspire to be something more, to truly fulfill your life purpose?
Erase Those Limits!
We are the product of our upbringing, our life experiences, and the people we surround ourselves with the most (our families, our friends, our co-workers, etc). We’ve chosen some of these people, while others we haven’t. Nonetheless many people created certain “beliefs”, some self-limiting, about themselves based on these factors.
For most of my life, I felt trapped inside of myself. Growing up in a tight knit Italian American family, I grew up learning about the importance of family and “sticking together no matter what”.
Hearing this, along with most of my extended family living within walking distance of me, was positive yet, at the same time, inhibiting. It made me afraid to step out and venture on my own.
I had thoughts of being fit and having a body I could feel good about, traveling and living out of New York, owning a business, writing a book, and making a huge impact from a very young age. Yet I would often push those “crazy” thoughts out of my mind.
I honestly didn’t believe that I actually could do any of this because no one close to me ever had. It wasn’t the “norm”.
And that is huge!
Visualize Success…
Our thoughts become our beliefs, and our beliefs will decide who we become and what we accomplish. That is where visualization comes into play. In order for your beliefs to change, and they can, you have to first visualize in your mind what you really want and the steps you will take to get there.
It really is that simple.
For example, when I finally ended my self-sabotaging weight gain, I began to visualize the new healthier me. I saw myself looking strong and healthy, feeling lighter on my feet, and having muscle definition in my arms, legs, and core. I visualized feeling excited about exercising and how strong it made me feel. I visualized eating healthier foods, preparing my meals, and staying focused on my goals.
… Then Take Action
Once I had these images solidified in my mind along with the belief that I could do it, I had to do one final thing: take action….massive action every single day.
And that is what you must do! If you have a dream, a desire, a “crazy” thought…don’t push it aside. You only get one life. Start to practice the power of visualization now.
Many experts believe that this practice determines what you will attract in your life. Your actions are mostly determined by your thoughts, and your thoughts will determine what actions you take. As the saying goes, “If you believe you can, you will; if you believe you can’t, you won’t.”
I believe in you and know that you can. The question is do you?
“If you want to reach a goal, you must see the reaching in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal”- Zig Zigler
“Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life” – Anthony Robbins
“Visualization is the process of creating pictures in your mind of yourself enjoying what you want. When you visualize, you generate powerful thoughts and feelings of having it now. The law of attraction then returns that reality to you, just as you saw it in your mind.” – Rhonda Byrne
Stephanie Pinto
Owner