In my previous post What is visualization? I explained what visualization is and that it can help you with achieving your goals.

In this post I will give you 6 steps in visualization that will help you be successful.

• The first step in visualization is to pick a goal you would like to achieve. If you don’t have a goal, you will go nowhere. Be specific; a certain amount of money, a better relationship with your parents, getting the job or promotion you want, winning the championship, getting your dream house, etc.

• After you have decided what goal you want to reach, close your eyes. Imagine that you have reached your goal, see yourself as it is completed. See yourself being successful in reaching your goal.

• Try to make the picture or movie in your mind as detailed as possible. For example: what does the desk or office of your dream job look like? Hear the crowd cheer after you won! Smell the new paint in your house, etc.

• Feel what it feels like to achieve your goal. Do you feel proud that you have climbed the mountain and reached the top? Do you feel happy, relaxed, etc.? Try to imagine how you feel after you have achieved your goal. Get the sense of peacefulness that you have achieved your goal.

• Do step 1 to 4 every day for about 10 minutes when you wake up and before you go to bed. If you have some time to spare for example when you are waiting for public transport to arrive or if you feel stressed, close your eyes and try to visualize what you want to achieve. Make it a habbit and you will notice that you will reach your goals.

• Make a vision board or vision book. Cut out pictures or text of everything that is related to or symbolizes what you would like to achieve and paste it on a vision board or book. Look at the vision board or book as often as you can.

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” - Albert Einstein

Visualization is creating a clear image or movie in your mind. Literally it means to see in your mind. Your mind makes a mental image or movie of something and plays it over and over again.

A lot of times we only believe what we see. This is the same for your brain. When you visualize something that has not happened yet, you are re-programming your brain. When you create an image or movie in your brain and visualize it over and over again, your brain will start to believe that the event has really happened. The more often you visualize it, the more real it will seem. Your brain can not make a difference between visualization and a real life event. So if you visualize the same thing over and over again it will seem real to your brain.

According to the law of attraction you will attract into your life what you focus on. With visualization and the use of affirmations you can attract anything you want. If you create a mental image or movie of success, you will be successful. But if you visualize how you are going to fail and how miserable that would make you feel, you will never be successful.

A lot of people are using visualization without being aware of it. The problem is that a lot of times the visualization is focused on what could go wrong. Without realizing it these people are attracting negativity in their lives. So in order to use visualize for success you have to create an image or movie that shows that you have already achieved your goals, that it makes you feel good, etc. Always stay focused on the positive side of things and you attract success.

A lot of top athletes visualize that they have achieved their goal; they can see themselves being victorious, they can feel, taste and even smell victory. Those athletes are usually the ones that are very successful. And a lot of successful people will tell you that, despite the fact that people did not believe in them or they had lots of obstacles in their way, they could always see themselves succeed.

You can use visualization for multiple purposes. You can use visualization to attract success, to achieve your goals, to lose a few extra pounds, to relax your body, to heal emotionally, to improve your health, to improve performance, to gain prosperity and much more.

Depression is more than just a passing mood;it is a mental disorder that can affect many aspects of your life. A depression does not only involve your mood, but also your body and thoughts. Some people see it as a sign of weakness, but this is not the case. It is nothing to be ashamed of.

Depression can be caused by many things. For example:

• Changes in the brain structure or brain function.
• Physical changes like hormonal changes, stroke, cancer, etc.
• Severe stressful situations like serious loss, financial problems, difficult relationships, etc.

Depression is not something you can simply snap out of. It is not always easy to get better like you do when you catch a cold. Treatment for depression usually involves anti depressant medication and psychotherapy.

It is not always easy to recognize a depression, but there are signs that can help us with recognizing the problem.

• Persistent feeling of being sad, anxious or ‘being empty’. You don’t feel up to anything. You rather stay in the house all day and do nothing.

• You have a feeling of hopelessness and are pessimistic about everything. You feel like there is nothing to look forward to and you feel negative about everything that’s happening in your life.

• Lost of interest in hobbies or activities you used to enjoy. Instead of doing things that might cheer you up, you avoid them. You are getting more and more reclusive from your friends and family.

• You feel worthless. You have the feeling that you are worthless, no one likes you, you can’t do anything good.

• Feelings of guilt. You have an overwhelming feeling of guilt. Maybe you feel that you don’t deserve to be happy.

• Feeling tired or fatigued. You always feel tired, physically and mentally. Sitting in the house not doing anything, not eating well, not sleeping well, it all leads up to feeling tired and fatigued.

• Changed sleep patterns. This can be insomnia, waking up in the early mornings or maybe you just can’t stop sleeping.

• Having trouble concentrating. You find it hard to stay focused on something. You find it hard to make decisions or maybe your memory is playing up and you find it hard to remember things.

• Changed eating patterns. You have started to over eat or maybe you are not eating enough. Watch for weight gain or loss.

• Thoughts of death and suicide. You are thinking a lot about death, dying or suicide.

• You are easily irritated. You get irritated easily and snap at something or someone for no apparent reason.

• Persistent physical problems. This can be headaches, digestive disorders, chronic pain, etc.

If you recognize yourself or someone close to in these symptoms, call your physician. Make an appointment and see how you can treat this disorder.