and to enjoy experiences more deeply as well,” Dr. Schrodt added.
Further discussion with Dr. Schrodt brought to light the added benefits
of anxiety relief, improved sleep and relaxation as well as increased
productivity. In addition, we learned that a second-person perspective
is ineffective and that, when creating a mental picture for a desired
outcome, first-person perspective is key.
“For instance, if Eli is wanting to improve something, let’s say, his free-
throw shot. ... He needs to be able to visualize how that successful shot
looks from his own personal perspective, rather than a birds-eye or even
a spectator’s point of view. And this translates into any area where you
want to see results ... anxiety management, test-taking, personal focus.”
Trying it Out
Energized from the ideas we discovered by speaking with Dr. Schrodt,
we wanted to explore and put into practice some different visualization
efforts. We read several articles on the subject and found some basic
methods we could implement into our schedules without consuming
too much precious time.
It seems practicing visualization can be as simple as lying down or
sitting comfortably in a quiet space and simply imagining with some
focus. This can be done as often as one wishes, but even just once per
day for a few minutes has been proven in clinical studies to be beneficial
to one’s mental health. We did, however, want to delve just a bit deeper.
Because children are naturally imaginative, they are very receptive to
the concept of creative imagery. We decided to start with our kiddos and,
for the younger two, we downloaded an app that walks them through basic
imagery and relaxation exercises. There are several different programs
to choose from, none that are over 10 minutes in length. These are easy,
fun and geared toward increasing self-esteem, body awareness and
bedtime relaxation.
For the older two, we found a program that uses visualization in
combination with other, similar techniques to bring awareness to a variety
of personal goals, and gives them tools to organize, maintain focus and
manage anxieties. Interestingly, after previewing it with them, we’ve
found that it may be just as helpful for Mom and Dad to utilize. We’ll
highlight some results in next month’s column (we’ve only just begun
to test it out), but the first exercise in itself, geared toward clearing the
mind, was interesting and we’d thought we’d mention it here.
Sitting at a keyboard, we set a timer and, for 15 minutes, we type
whatever enters our minds. Anything at all, no proper grammar or spelling
worries, raw and uncensored – just typing out the cycle of thoughts that
occur in the timeframe. Next, we read what we wrote and make a list of
the important items that stand out. After that, a check mark is placed
next to any item that is out of our control or cannot be helped. (Side note:
Listing these uncontrollable items and discarding them turned out to be
a cathartic physical representation of things in which we need mental
peace.) Finally, the remaining ideas are addressed and basic notes are
made concerning ways to address each one.
Overall, this initial exercise seemed to lighten the load a little in terms
of current stressers, even if just for a short time. However, we’re excited to
continue these simple practices and see where they lead us. We’re hoping
to experience some of the benefits we’ve learned can be the positive result
of mindful visualization. We’ll let you know how it goes.
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