Below, learn how visualization can help you achieve your goals, plus discover exactly how to visualize in order to manifest your deepest dreams and desires.

What Is Visualization?

My favorite way to describe visualization is intentional daydreaming. You might also consider it daydreaming on purpose.

Which, if you’ve been told your whole life to get your head out of the clouds, may seem kind of weird.

Why would we want to daydream on purpose? What’s the point? Isn’t daydreaming just an illogical way to pass the time?

Not exactly. In fact, I’d argue that daydreaming with clarity, purpose, and intention is one of the most worthwhile ways you can spend your time.

Just hear me out.

In manifestation, visualization is a tool you can use to connect your dreams with your current reality. It allows you to simulate the experience of already having your desires in the present moment. Not only can you see your dreams and desires unfold in your mind’s eye; you can also experience the sights, sounds, and feelings of this ideal world, too.

What makes visualization truly powerful is that it helps you to get in alignment with universal energy. This makes you more receptive to connecting with your intuition and taking inspired action.

But there’s even more than meets the eye when it comes to the power of visualization. Here’s why visualization is so important when it comes to achieving your goals and manifesting your dreams:

Visualization is a creative practice. When you visualize, you activate your creative subconscious mind. In turn, this opens your mind to discovering creative opportunities and previously unseen possibilities for achieving your goals. You’re more open and receptive to paths you may not have noticed before. 

Visualization helps you to become more mentally resilient. One of my favorite examples of this is Michael Phelps, who regularly used visualization as part of his Olympic training.

He didn’t just visualize everything going perfectly, though; he’d visualize all potential scenarios, including things that might go wrong, like water getting into his goggles. This made him more mentally prepared the day of the actual competition. It paid off, too, because when water actually did get into his goggles during an Olympic race, he didn’t freak out. In fact, he set a world record in that race, even with this potentially devastating obstacle.

Through visualization, you can prepare for anything. If challenges and obstacles arise in your outer world, you have the strength and resilience to persevere because you’ve already overcome this challenge in your mind many times before.

Visualization increases your motivation. Part of the magic of visualization is that your brain can’t actually tell the difference between your powerful visualization and reality; it has the same activity whether you’re physically doing the action or envisioning it in your mind. The more you practice visualization, the more real this image becomes for you. After visualizing something multiple times, you may even develop more courage and confidence to actually do the thing–all because in your mind, you’ve already done it before.

And finally, visualization helps you to vibrate at the frequency of your desires, thus activating the Law of Attraction. The longer you hold onto this vibration, the more you’ll effortlessly become a magnet for all that you want. (And the more often you practice this, the easier it will be to hold this positive vibration.)

Below, learn how to visualize for manifestation, and discover several powerful visualization practices you can start incorporating into your life today. Plus, learn about the power of combining visualization with positive affirmations to achieve your goals and manifest your dreams.

How To Visualize

Meditation

One of my favorite ways to practice visualization is through a manifestation meditation. A manifestation meditation is a meditation specifically designed to help you align with the positive thoughts and emotions of your desires, lifting your vibrations so that you become a magnet for all of your deepest dreams. This practice is a powerful way to get clear about what you want to manifest, lift your vibrations to match your desires, and let go of limiting beliefs and resistance within.

Visualization is the cornerstone of a manifestation meditation as it allows you to see in your mind’s eye exactly what it is that you want to manifest. Many guided meditations will take you through a day in your dream life; you’ll be able to visualize all the details of your ideal life, including the house you live in, who you’re surrounded by, and what you do during your day. The key to a successful visualization is to not only see the details play out in your mind but to feel all the high-vibe emotions of having your desires right now. When you do this, you directly connect yourself to the experience of having the thing(s) you desire, becoming a magnet for your dreams to manifest in your reality.

Here are the steps to practice a manifestation meditation utilizing visualization:

• Find a comfortable spot where you won’t be interrupted. Set aside at least 10 minutes to do this practice, though you can take more time if you’d like. You can sit cross-legged or on a chair with your feet on the ground. Relax your shoulders and open your chest so your heart center is open to receiving. Place your hands on your knees or thighs with your palms facing the sky (in receiving mode).

• Spend a minute or two getting relaxed. Unclench your jaw and breathe into any tension you feel in your body. Then, breathe it out. Take a few deep, conscious inhales and exhales before letting your breath steady into a normal, comfortable rhythm.

• What do you want to manifest? Bring it to the surface now. Visualize a perfect day in which all of your dreams and desires have already come true. Start with seeing yourself waking up. Where are you? How do you feel when you awaken for the day? Picture all the details of where you are, who you’re with, and what you do throughout your day. As you visualize, allow yourself to feel all of the positive emotions of having all your dreams and desires right now. If you want to manifest love, allow yourself to feel truly loved, protected, and cherished. If you want to manifest career success, allow yourself to feel successful, joyful, and thriving. Feel into these positive emotions in every cell of your being. You can even let a soft smile lift your lips if you’d like.

• Finish your visualization by picturing yourself sitting or laying in bed at night. Breathe in gratitude for this beautiful life you’ve created. Feel grateful for all that you have and all that’s coming. Inhale gratitude and exhale it back into the world. Allow yourself to sit in sincere appreciation for a minute or two as you reflect on your beautiful life.

• Repeat a few high-vibe affirmations that further increase your vibrations and align you with the positive feelings of having all your dreams and desires.

• Finish your manifestation meditation by picturing yourself letting go. Visualize your desire as a balloon, a ball of light, a paper lantern, or anything else that feels right to you. Release it into the universe and see it flying up into the starry sky. Watch it until it disappears, then smile and lean into ease knowing that all of your dreams are on their way to you right now.

Note that you don’t necessarily have to visualize a day in your dream life. If you want to manifest love, you might visualize your perfect first date with your soulmate. You could visualize the moment you realize you’ve fallen in love or your first holiday together. Truly, the possibilities are endless, so feel free to get creative here. You might write down all the scenarios you want to visualize and check them off one at a time.

Vision Board

A vision board is a collection of words and/or images that represent your highest self living your ideal life. Common components of a vision board include your career, relationships, home, car, health, wealth, spirituality, lifestyle, hobbies, self-care activities, and anything that represents the life of your dreams. There truly is no limit to what you can include on your vision board as you’re the only one who knows the dreams in your heart.

Vision boards are typically used for goal-setting purposes and can be a powerful tool in manifestation. They help you to set your intentions and get clear about what exactly it is that you want to manifest into your experience. They can also be used for the purpose of raising your vibration. In fact, this is where a vision board truly shines.

A vision board isn’t purely about setting goals; it’s about allowing yourself to experience all of the positive feelings of having all of your hopes and dreams right now. Is your board filled with images of travel, adventure, and freedom? Or is your deepest desire to have stability, a beautiful home, and a loving relationship?

Whatever it is that you dream of, allow yourself to feel all of the positive emotions of having it all right now.

Allow yourself to feel freedom. To feel love. To feel passion. To feel abundance. Feel all of these positive emotions now, knowing in your heart that everything you desire is already yours.

When you focus on the lack and absence of your desires, you attract more lack into your current experience. But if you vibrate at the frequency of already living the life of your dreams, you attract more of this beautiful abundance to you.

And that’s the magic of the vision board.

It isn’t simply about slapping some pretty images on a poster board and glancing at it from time to time.

It’s about knowing that you have the power to create your life and showing the Universe exactly what you want – then, through your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions, drawing that life to you.

Here are some tips for creating your own vision board:

• Think big. When you start to create your vision board, you might be tempted to only add things to it that seem “realistic.” But who actually says what’s realistic and what isn’t? Fill your board with the biggest, most extravagant dreams you’ve got. All of it. Let limits be a part of someone else’s story. You’re the one writing your story. You’re creating your path. You. Are. Limitless.

• Add quotes. Empowering quotes and affirmations are an often overlooked yet profound part of your vision board. Find quotes and affirmations that truly resonate with you. Add them to your vision board and read them aloud each day.

• Create in a state of joy. When you create your vision board, try to find a time and place when you’re free from distractions. As you create your board, allow yourself to feel all the positive feelings associated with your dreams. Let joy and peace permeate your being. Know that you’re on the right path, and this is exactly where you’re meant to be.

• Choose authenticity over perfection. When you create your vision board, you’re not just envisioning your perfect life; what’s more important is creating your authentic life. What feels true to you? Maybe it’s not something that would make sense to anyone else, and that’s okay. It doesn’t have to as long as it feels right to you.

Scripting

Scripting is the practice of writing about your dreams and desires in story-like form, as if you already possess everything you want to manifest. It’s similar to the visualization practice described above in the meditation section, except instead of sitting and visualizing it all in your mind, you’re writing this vision down on paper.

If you want to manifest your dream job, you can script a typical day in the life of your dream job as though you already have it right now. If you want to manifest better health, you can write about how it feels to be perfectly healthy, fit, and strong. And if you want to manifest love, you can script a day in the life with your perfect partner, as though this person is already in your life in this moment.

Like other visualization practices, the key to unlocking the magic of scripting is not just to write the words but to truly feel the positive emotions of already having everything you desire. Allow yourself to feel joyful, peaceful, free, happy, healthy, and loved now. When you invite these feelings into your inner world, you become a magnet for even more positive feelings and experiences to manifest in your outer world.

If you’d like to learn more about scripting, check out this article, where I explain scripting in detail and also provide you with a free downloadable scripting template to help you get started.

Live As If

“Living as if” essentially means to live as though you already have received your desired manifestation. You’re already working in your dream career. You already share a life with your soulmate. You already live in the dream house and drive the perfect car. Like other practices, the key is to truly feel the empowering feelings of already having these things in your current experience.

Find moments throughout your day where you can practice living as if. For instance, let’s say you’re driving home from work. While you’re driving, imagine that you’re driving your dream car. Touch the steering wheel as though this is the steering wheel to the car you’ve always wanted to drive. You might take it a step further by also envisioning that you’re driving home from your dream job. Even just practicing this for five minutes at a time can raise your vibration and help you get into that good feeling place of already having your desires.

You might continue this practice when you get home. Visualize yourself pulling up to your dream house. Feel excited when you pull into the driveway. Allow yourself to feel immense gratitude for this incredible place you get to call your home.

You can practice this throughout your day: when you wake up, as you’re driving to work, while you’re shopping at the grocery store, while you’re eating, as you’re getting ready for bed, and any other time it feels right for you. To make it less overwhelming, start with just three to five minutes at a time. Eventually, you might increase this to ten, fifteen, twenty minutes, or even longer. This is a great method for incorporating visualization throughout your day (as opposed to just practicing visualization in one sitting for ten minutes a day).

Combining Visualization & Positive Affirmations

Visualization is a powerful practice on its own. Using visualization and positive affirmations is a game changer. This lifts your vibration and fosters mental strength and resilience. By continually visualizing your ideal future and affirming your undeniable worthiness, you train your subconscious brain to believe you already have what you desire.

When you first start using affirmations, it may feel kind of weird at first. You’ll likely have to continually remind yourself to use them throughout your day. In time, though, you’ll no longer have to remind yourself because it will become second nature. And eventually, you won’t even need to use them at all. Why? Because the empowering words you’re affirming will become part of your subconscious brain – part of the very foundation of who you are, woven into the fabric of your being. You won’t have to affirm that you’re worthy because your inherent worthiness will be so ingrained within you, you’ll already know this at a subconscious level.

This makes visualization and positive affirmations a powerful pair. If you practice a manifestation meditation, incorporate affirmations into your meditation. If you have a vision board, see if you can have an accompanying affirmation for each image. Continue to practice visualization and repeat positive affirmations so that they come so naturally to you, your brain truly believes you are everything you’re visualizing and affirming. (Because you are. Truly. You are worthy. You are powerful. You are more than enough. You have so much to offer. You really can have it all. You are limitless.)

You can click here to start exploring the thousands of positive affirmations I share across this site.

What are your favorite visualization practices? Do you have any tips for how to visualize your deepest dreams and desires? Share your tips and experiences in the comment box below!

And for more manifesting tips, daily affirmations, and lots of positive vibes, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!

Zanna Keithley

Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.

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