Good day strongcreatures! I have been remiss in completing my weekly updates, but I hope to make it up to you with a truly gripping post.
I'll give everyone a minute to recover from the raucous laughter. Don't worry, I won't make bad puns a regular thing around here (or will I? - cue ominous music).
Seriously though, I hope this post finds my readers well, the both of you. So, let's move on to this week's topic: positive visualization. This is a topic that, in my opinion, doesn't receive the attention it deserves. We, as strength athletes, devote a huge amount of time demonstrating and talking about proper lifting form, and rightly so, but there is something to be said for enriching our growth with positive thinking and visualization.
So, what is positive visualization? It's sometimes described as a wellness technique, but the essence of positive visualization is imagining a chosen outcome and focusing on that outcome to achieve the desired results. It is a technique that can be used to combat negative thoughts that oftentimes come with anxiety, depression, imposter syndrome, etc. I have found that the key to successful visualization is constant practice (please read note below). The consistency of the affirmation through visualization is what I believe connects the body to the mind, and just the opposite (negative thoughts) can have a truly detrimental effect on performance. Many athletes define positive visualization as concentration. I agree that concentration is a key piece to the visualization puzzle, but it is only one part to the whole. Using your innate ability to imagine the desired outcome, and consistently meditating on that event can help to prime our mind to concentrate when we are actually in that moment. If you want to read more about visualization, you can here.
In addition to cultivating positive visualization I recommend everyone read about how fear can affect performance and how to move past some of the more common fears you may encounter as an athlete. Regarding that topic I strongly suggest reading the book, Victory Favors the Fearless: How to Defeat the 7 Fears That Hold You Back.
Fellow strongcreatures, remember that the mind is powerful. I wish you all the best in achieving your goals and remember to address your fears, imagine yourself achieving your ambitions, and focus on the positive(s) in your lives. Strength and honor friends, strength and honor.
Please note: do not take any of what I have written as therapeutic advice. My only purpose in writing about positive visualization is to testify in support of the practice. If you are looking for therapies to address specific mental health needs I always recommend seeing a licensed mental health professional.