Content

• Steps

Visualization is a relaxation technique in which you can imagine a pleasant situation or scene. There are two basic ways you can use visualization to overcome your fear. You can visualize yourself overcoming your fear, possibly eventually turning into real-life success. You can also imagine a peaceful situation in moments of great fear.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Visualize success

1. 

   Be realistic. Imagination is power. The brain's response to imagined situations often corresponds to its responses to success and failure in real life. If you want to overcome your fear, it can be helpful to regularly imagine yourself succeeding. However, try to keep the situation realistic. Imagine yourself overcoming your fear in a way that could actually happen.
   • Suppose you are afraid of public speaking but need to speak at a research group for work. Avoid imagining yourself giving an exuberant, bombastic speech, and being warmly welcomed. While a presentation can be smooth, response is uncertain.
   • Instead, imagine things going pretty well. Picture yourself being calm and collected in front of the room. Imagine your heart rate remaining relatively steady and calm. Visualize yourself not stumbling when you speak and answer questions without too much hesitation.

2. 

   
   
   Try to gradually visualize your success. If visualizing the end result (like the presentation at a symposium) is still too overwhelmingly negative, stop visualizing to proceed with preparations.This way, it's easier to visualize a successful presentation, because you've completed so many great steps. This will help you get prepared and will success.
   • For example, imagine yourself completing all of your research and preparing your notes. Once you've successfully completed this step in real life, imagine yourself giving a presentation in an empty room, and then practice. Continue to visualize you're giving a presentation to a trusted friend or colleague who is supportive and will provide constructive feedback on some points you can move on to improve your presentation / play expression. Then get started and do this step in real life. Finally, visualize yourself giving a successful presentation at work. Start a day or two before giving presentations, if possible.
   • Using this method, you will improve the end result, increasing your confidence over time.

3. 

   
   
   Visualize your success. When dealing with something that frightens you, try to visualize often. Close your eyes and visualize success. Take 10 to 15 minutes before bed each night to visualize yourself overcoming your fear. You may find yourself calmer in real life if you face your fear often. For example, you can speak more calmly at regular business meetings.
   • Maybe you want a small start. Start by imagining yourself commenting during a business meeting or possibly speaking up to support someone else's input. Once you've done that, you can go on to imagine something more assertive, like admitting what the other person said during the meeting with a sentence or two, then asking more questions. This way, you will build a calm and frequent larger contribution goal to your meetings.
   • Choose a location free of distractions. It is easier to focus your imagination when there is no outside noise. Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Make sure there is no painful / aching site that distracts you. Close your eyes and start imagining.
   • Some people find it helpful to write down their imagination before or after the process. This can help you identify certain details and better visualize a success scenario.
   • You can play soft music or light a candle. It's easier to imagine in a relaxing space. Make sure your breathing is slow and steady as you visualize your success.

4. 

   
   
   Go into details. You visualize as much detail as possible. When you encounter the real situation, you will be calmer if the timing almost matches your imagination. Try to connect with the senses, including sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste.
   • Sight is possibly the easiest way to imagine. Returning to the presentation example, you can easily visualize what the conference room would look like. You can even Google images to find where the presentation will take place to help you better visualize success.
   • Smell and taste can be a bit difficult to imagine in certain situations. However, please try. For example, conference rooms may smell like cleaning products. If you usually have coffee before your speech, you may feel that aftertaste in your mouth.
   • Also connected with hearing and touch. You can feel the paper in your hand as you flip the notes. You can hear people coughing, shifting seats, dial the phone, and sometimes a murmur.

5. 

   Give yourself a reminder. Many people make use of something as a reminder that helps with the visualization process. It helps to have a bulletin board in your bedroom so you can keep a snapshot of successful people in areas that worry you. This can inspire you to overcome your fear. For example, if you are afraid of heights, hang a poster of someone climbing a rocky rock over the head of your bed. advertisement

Method 2 of 3: Fighting anxiety with visualization

1. 

   Make a list of places where you find peace. Sometimes, you can use visualization during anxiety to calm down. Usually it means you are going through a method of mental relaxation. You think of a peaceful place or situation, close your eyes, and imagine being there. To begin, think of a few places where you find peace.
   • Think about the past and the present. Which memory helps you feel the most peaceful? Is there a place or special moment that makes you happy?
   • Make a list of the places where you feel most peaceful and comfortable. Places will differ from person to person and may be vague or specific. For example, you might picture yourself next to an unfamiliar puddle. However, you may also remember a particular room in the grandmother's house where you used to take a nap as a child.

2. 

   Visualize the comforting environment first. Before you can visualize stressful moments, you need to practice at home. This will help you understand the visualization process.
   • Find a comfortable place in your home that is free of outside distractions. Lie down or sit in a comfortable position. If it helps, play soft music or light a candle. Anything that makes the experience more comfortable.
   • Close your eyes. This makes it easier to focus on the mental image in your surroundings.
   • If you're having trouble relaxing and getting started, try taking a few deep breaths. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, transferring air to your lower abdomen. This calms your mind and allows you to focus on your imagination.

3. 

   Use all your senses. Visualization works best when you connect with all your senses. When undergoing mental relaxation techniques, pay attention to sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste.
   • Suppose a relaxing spot for you would be a spring day near a lake watching a flock of ducks swim. First, what does this image look like? What color of water? What colors are the ducks? What are the surrounding leaves? Where are you in this scene? Are you sitting on a chair nearby? Do you stand on a bridge across a creek?
   • Connect with other senses. How does the sound sound? Imagine hearing the soft flowing water. Think about the noise the ducks make. What does this area smell like? For example, is there a lilac tree blooming nearby? Can you smell wet soil near the lake?
   • Can you taste the air in your mouth? Do you taste a tiny bit of dirt and water with every breath? How do you feel in this moment? Feel warm with just a spring coat? Is there a breeze blowing in your face?

4. 

   Practice visualizing in scary moments. When you find yourself in a stressful situation, close your eyes and practice mental relaxation. If you successfully imagine yourself somewhere peaceful and comfortable, this can help induce your body's soothing response. With regular practice, you can train yourself to respond calmly to stressful or scary situations.
   • When you experience fear, your body enters a fight or flight mode, meaning it provides you with a full complement of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol (known as "stress hormone") and blood. Increased pressure as well as heart rate.
   • Relaxing your body and mind through visualization will help trigger a relaxation response. It will stimulate the brain to release signals and hormones that calm the body and mind.
   • Many people think visualization is very effective against present fear. If you are afraid of airplanes, try your imagination during takeoff. If you can't sleep because of your stressful thoughts, try visualizing it before bed each night.
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Method 3 of 3: Go forward

1. 

   Talk to a therapist if needed. Everyone experiences fear from time to time. That is a normal thing in life. However, if you endure stress or constant fears and worries that interfere with everyday life, you may have an underlying anxiety disorder. You should make an appointment with a specialist for evaluation.You can call your insurance provider for a list of specialists in the network. You can also ask your regular doctor for a referral. If you are a university student, you have the right to get a free consultation from your college or university.

2. 

   Patience. Visualization is a skill. Like all skills, visualization takes practice. The first time you try to overcome your fear with visualization, you may not feel like it really worked. However, keep trying and things will improve eventually.
   • Practice imagining regularly. Even when you're not stressed, try connecting with your senses to visualize a peaceful situation.
   • Visualization is one of the relaxation techniques. It may not work for everyone. If visualization doesn't work for you even after practice, try another method. You can try meditation, yoga, deep breathing or many other relaxation techniques.

3. 

   Find out your fear. Usually, what you fear the most is irrational. Understanding fear, and its irrational nature, can sometimes overpower anxiety. For example, if you're afraid of planes, it helps to know that the risk of a catastrophic plane crash is 1 in 7 million.
   • However, some concerns become more serious when researching information. For example, being afraid of a health problem can make anxiety worse if you Google symptoms or illnesses. If your anxiety increases when you learn about your fear, stop looking for information and do something else.
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