Mindful Life Changes: Weekly Affirmations For Midlife

66. Reactivating Your Imagination: Affirmation for Visualization To Help You Achieve Your Dream Goals

• Valerie Mekki • Episode 66

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When was the last time you daydreamed? We explore the incredible power of imagination and how it can shape our reality. Host Valerie Mekki shares personal insights and scientific findings on how visualization and daydreaming can turn dreams into tangible achievements. Discover practical tips to reignite your imagination, allowing you to envision and create the life you desire, even in midlife. By embracing daydreams as seeds of your future reality, you'll learn to nurture your dreams and transform them into purposeful actions.

Tune in to engage in a powerful affirmation practice designed to open your mind to limitless possibilities. Valerie will guide you through affirmations that help break down mental barriers and encourage you to dream big. Whether you’re looking to spark new passions, set ambitious goals, or simply reignite your sense of wonder, this episode offers the motivation and tools you need to take the first step toward your dreams. Press play and start your journey of imagination and transformation today.

Formerly known as the "Mindful Career Change Podcast," I decided to broaden our conversation to cover all life transitions, not just our careers.

Follow the show @mindfullifechanges and DM a question or comment about the life transitions you're going through too. I might answer your question in one of the episodes to help you and other midlifers navigate this everchanging and beautiful season of life.

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Connect with me on LinkedIn @valeriemekki

Speaker 1:

Today's affirmation my daydreams are seeds of my future reality. I give myself permission to dream big. When I was little, every night before I went to sleep, I would imagine what my life would be like as a fashion designer. I visualized where I would work, what I would be doing and where I would live. These images were so vivid and real that I could feel the excitement within me. Little did I know that my nightly routine of visualization was carving out my life into a reality. It wasn't entirely precise, but my imagination and dreams of being in the fashion industry did come true. Despite facing challenges throughout my unconventional career path, I still made it happen and enjoyed a career for over 18 years. Looking back, would my dream career have ever had a chance if I hadn't imagined it into existence? I truly believe it wouldn't have. I think it's time to reactivate our sense of wonder, to play along with our dream ideas and make them into a reality for our second act at Midlife.

Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to the Mindful Life Changes podcast, where we dive deep into the challenges and transformations shaping our lives, from shifts in our roles at home and work to the transitions we navigate physically and mentally as we gracefully age. I'm your host, valerie Mickey, a career change guide and mindfulness enthusiast. In this episode we are going to pull back the curtains on imagination, revealing its powerful and sometimes eerily magical effect on our actions and reality. I had no logical reason to believe I could become a fashion designer. My dad was a costing engineer and my mom worked in a bank. In fact, the only person I knew who worked in the quote-unquote fashion industry was my grandmother, who actually worked in a sweatshop as a garment sewer Hardly an insider in the industry, but rather a dark example of the unpleasant realities of the fashion industry. Yet still I imagine myself in my dream career every night, lying in bed, I would let my imagination run wild and free, despite my current reality and circumstances. My nightly playtime with my dreams ultimately became a reality. I worked in the fashion industry for almost two decades and truly believe that if I hadn't visualized myself going through the motions, it wouldn't have happened. There was no real example or pathway for my immediate family or people around me that led me down this path. It was my own inner vision and determination that carved out my career.

Speaker 1:

It's been a while since I let my imagination run wild and free or allowed myself to dream big. Lately, my moves in life have been made out of necessity, obligation or even survival mode. As we get older, we begin to lose our playfulness, sense of wonder and imagination. Our egos take over, caring more about what people may think of us, fearing failure, and also we talk ourselves out of it, out of dreaming big. But what if, in the next phase of our life, instead of letting our current circumstances dictate our reality, we allow our imaginations to take over and spark a dream goal, a vision that ignites our passion and authentic self and maybe purpose? Okay, you might be thinking this sounds good in theory, but can your imagination really become a reality? The answer is yes.

Speaker 1:

What I have shared with you so far may sound anecdotal, but athletes use their imagination and visualization as a common practice to hit their goals and achievements. This practice is called mental rehearsal, where athletes mentally rehearse their entire performance, from start to finish, imagining every detail of their execution. For example, swimmers might visualize their starting off the block entering into the water. They're starting off the block entering into the water, their underwater kicks and visualizing each and every stroke and turn. Lindsey Vonn, the Olympic gold medalist skier, visualizes her ski runs before each race. She says, by the time I get to the start gate, I've run the race a hundred times already in my head. Vonn has won three Olympic medals, eight world championships and 20 World Cup titles. Replaying the scene over and over again with the desired outcome is only part of the practice. The other part is how the brain can't differentiate the scenes played in the mind from reality. The brain can influence movement, action and thoughts to make the visualization a reality. This Jedi mind trick isn't exclusive to athletes, but is free and attainable for all.

Speaker 1:

So what are some ways to reignite your imagination? The next time you find yourself daydreaming whether it's about that long-awaited vacation, working on that book, speaking on the stage or building that house you've always imagined don't stop. Don't wake yourself up out of that daydream or downplay the possibilities. Lean into it and continue playing the scenario in your mind. Write down what you envisioned, share it with someone, even if it starts with what a here a funny daydream I had. If you share with a person who is supportive of you and your dreams, chances are they will see your vision not just as a dream, but as part of your future. The more you repeat it to yourself and speak it out, the more tangible it becomes. So, with that being said, let's start your journey of reigniting your imagination and daydreaming with a helpful affirmation practice to open your mind to the possibility of dreaming big again. To open your mind to the possibility of dreaming big again, we'll start our affirmation practice with a body scan to help prime your mind and body so you'll be open to this affirmation. Take a deep cleansing breath in and out, releasing any energy that doesn't serve your mind and body. Take one more cleansing breath in and out.

Speaker 1:

I'll begin by reciting the affirmation twice. While you listen to the affirmations, imagine you're writing the affirmation down on a whiteboard or you're watching someone write it on the board for you. This will help with memorization. So let's begin. My daydreams are seeds of my future reality. I give myself permission to dream big. My daydreams are seeds of my future reality. I give myself permission to dream big. I'll repeat the affirmation again, but this time I want you to repeat it out loud to yourself so you can make a connection.

Speaker 1:

My daydreams are seeds of my reality. I give myself permission to dream big. I'll repeat the affirmation again and, once again, say it out loud to yourself. My daydreams are seeds of my reality. I give myself permission to dream big. Now imagine your biggest dream come to life. Imagine the scene you're in, what you're doing, what are you wearing, what are you smelling, what do you hear? I'll repeat this affirmation again and, as I do so, imagine yourself in action, in full color. My daydreams are seeds of my reality. I give myself permission to dream big. I'll repeat it one last time to give you a moment to let it sink in. My daydreams are seeds of my reality. I give myself permission to dream big. When you're ready, slowly open your eyes if you had them closed and if it feels comfortable to you, place your hand over your heart to help seal in this affirmation practice with self-love and care. Let this affirmation settle in your mind and heart. Imagine each daydream as a tiny seed that has the potential to grow into a beautiful reality. By giving yourself permission to dream big, you are nurturing these seeds and allowing them to flourish into your future achievements.

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This affirmation is yours to recite and practice for at least 21 days, once a day. It's most effective before you go to bed at night or when you wake up in the morning, before you start your day. To deepen your affirmation practice, consider making them sticky. Write the affirmation down on a sticky note and place it on your bathroom mirror or on your workstation as a gentle reminder that you have the possibility of dreaming big, or transform this affirmation into a short mantra. I give myself permission to dream big and repeat it to yourself as you go on a walk, while you do yoga or while you're meditating to help activate your daydreaming session.

Speaker 1:

Earlier, I briefly described your ego talking you out of dreaming big. If you're curious to learn about your ego and how to stop it from making excuses from trying or starting something new in your life, check out the previous episode to stop allowing your ego to make excuses so you can live your life out to its fullest potential. Please make sure to subscribe and bookmark this episode so you'll have it handy whenever you need a quick guide of this affirmation. If you found this episode helpful, share it with a family member or a friend who also may need a helpful affirmation to help them daydream big, or show your appreciation by giving us a rating of this podcast wherever you're listening. Your support will help other midlifers discover this content so it can grow and blossom. Thank you for sharing this time and space with me, every moment you dedicate to being mindful is a step towards a more fulfilled and vibrant life. Keep embracing your midlife journey with an open heart and remember you are not alone in this. I look forward to our next mindful gathering. I'll talk to you soon.