Visualizing Better Health

It’s common to feel helpless, anxious and even angry when you’ve recently received a health diagnosis. Though you need to acknowledge those feelings, its healthier to vent and move on.

The healing process begins in your head. Enduring a treatment plan—attending appointments, taking medications, changing your diet—can be draining and difficult. To boost your body, visualize what success means for you.

Define what it looks like. Does it mean going back to work? Feeling well enough to leave home? Is it going out to a party and having a good time? Whatever your vision of success is, keep it in your mind. Imagine how great you’ll look and feel when you beat this thing. Visualization activities can do wonders to keep your spirits up and propel you to do whatever it takes to get better.

Try this visualization exercise. Close your eyes and lie flat on a comfortable surface. Concentrate on your breathing, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Imagine yourself in a place that makes you happy and at peace, like a warm white sand beach or a cabin in the woods. Picture this place in detail and you in that scene in full health. Not only will this visualization technique improve your mood, but also it may help calm your fears about your condition. Concentration and meditation will keep you focused and relaxed.