Images Can Make Your Day

Ever have one of those mornings where you wake up and don’t feel like getting out of bed?

WSJ contributing author Joanna Grover recently published an article about new psychological techniques that aim to use your imagination—and all of your senses—to help overcome trauma and achieve goals.

Functional Imagery Training (FIT) was born from research on addiction, specifically, what’s called the “elaborated intrusion theory,” which focuses on the role of intrusive thoughts in addictive behaviors. This theory suggests that cravings and intrusive thoughts about substance use or unhealthy behaviors can disrupt self-control and increase the likelihood of relapse.

FIT works by helping individuals develop alternative mental images to counteract intrusive thoughts and build themselves a more positive narrative. It goes something like this:

When your alarm goes off and you see the weather outside, imagine the patter of the rain, the cool breeze on your face, the sound of your footsteps hitting the pavement, your muscles working as you run, the taste of sweat on your lips, and how good it feels to have finished a morning run. Finally, imagine your warm shower afterward. That feeling of immersive accomplishment and reward makes it harder to hit snooze!

Imagination is a powerful tool. It can help you see the future and make it happen.

When participants in studies were asked to imagine – with multisensory imagery –  their ideal body, they were five times more likely to achieve it. The reason? They had already created an image of what they wanted, and when they imagined themselves achieving it, their brain went into action.

The best way to harness this power is to combine visualization with multisensory imagery—that is, using all five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel) together. This will activate your limbic lobe (where emotions live), your frontal lobe (where critical thinking happens), and many other areas of your brain that help you focus on what’s important.

When you’re seeing yourself in your mind’s eye—and hearing yourself say “yes” or “I can do it”—you’re preparing yourself for success by activating the right parts of your brain so they’ll be ready when challenges come up later on down the road!

If you’ve ever tried to focus on something, only to find yourself thinking about something else entirely (like how hungry you are), then you know how hard it is to keep your mind on task.

The good news is that there are ways to train your brain to be more focused—and it all starts with mastering the art of mental imagery.

Let’s say your goal is to run a marathon and you’re training for an upcoming race. You could create a mental image in your head of what it will feel like when you cross the finish line and get that medal around your neck. As long as this image is in your mind, it will keep you focused on what matters most: crossing that finish line!

Physical cues can also be used as reminders, like placing a picture or object related to your goal in a prominent place (for instance, putting your last race bib on the fridge to motivate you to push through marathon training). This visual reminder can activate your mind to focus on your goal and not your negative internal chatter.

Mastering the art of mental imagery, you can unlock a wide range of benefits, including resilience, enhanced problem-solving abilities, and improved focus.

Imagine that.