Here I am at 56 taking your words to heart. We may not be able to avoid every ailment or condition, but we can do our best to prepare ourselves both physically and mentally. This visualization is a big component, because it aims us in the direction we want to go, rather than choosing default.
Default is decay. Intention is direction. Let’s direct our bodies to stay healthy!
Thank you, Cara. I think we can underestimate our ability to affect our life's trajectory simply by using our minds to envision what we want it to look like.
Daria, so often folks have a hard time grasping the idea that the physical self and thoughts are intimately tied together. Over the years I found many of my colleagues gave this idea faint praise. Those that did buy in would take a simple idea and turn it into a “who’s on first” routine. Which befuddled patients.
What a dandy service you provided with a clear and well presented basic simple idea. I hope folks read your piece more than once.
Thanks, Steve. It can be hard for some people to recognize the powerful link between our minds and our bodies and in what we think and say and how we feel and our well-being. I appreciate your comments.
And I started consciously limiting and virtually eliminating added sugar. So my britches are indeed fitting better!
I remember when I was suffering from social anxiety. Creative Visualization helped me many times to foresee the challenges I was facing on a given day (e.g. give presentation) with confidence in a calm state of mind.
One time in an english class words burst out of me almost exactly how I had visualized them before - that was a positive shock to me and made me practice it for many years.
You can literally walk through situations before they happen because you were there before in your mind.
The differencitation between process and outcome visualization is important. Just being focused on the outcome can cause friction and give the illusory assumption that reaching your (health) goals will be easy, it won`t, but by seeing you put in the reps chances of fulfillment get much higher.
I’ve already declared that by the time I’m 92 I’ll be still walking 4-5 miles per day; doing yoga; easily getting off the floor without holding on to anything, and having a fabulous life. So I love how you e outlined all this. Thankyou!
This is fantastic! Inspiring and empowering, I love how you reframe ageing as something we can actively shape. A hopeful, science-backed roadmap for living with purpose and independence.
Outstanding article! We are 75 and 79. We picture many good years to come! Remember the book, “Think and Grow Rich?” It was about visualization and the brain…not about getting rich. An example was a college student going into the cap and gown closet (yes, before everyone bought or rented them, big colleges kept them in closets). The student would don the gown and cap and then move the tassle. Powerful stuff this visualization. Thank you. I printed this article to read again and often. When I’m ninety, I will have a tea party to celebrate your wise words once again.
I appreciate your comment, Ginevra. It means so much to me! I remember hearing about the book "Think and Grow Rich", but I never read it. I've used visualization throughout my career to improve performance, and it really works! When I started using it for goal setting and life visioning, I really appreciated how powerful it can be and the impact it can have on our quality of life. I'd love to come to your 90th to sip tea with you and celebrate!
I love this! I am 59 and for years I’ve rejected the belief of many of my peers that aging means aches, pains and frailty. I’m stronger and more fit today than ever — and I’ve always been an athlete. One of my favorite things is to see a cyclist who is in their 80s and even 90s who are out there on the path with me. Inspiring!!
Thank you, Bobbi! It's so inspirational when I see someone much older lapping the younger set. Our minds have a profound impact on what we see and how we feel. The tides are changing on the perception of aging. And it's people like us who act as the catalysts for that change. Thank you for your comments. I love hearing from you!
Thanks! I love your work!! I love being a role model for changing the perception of aging! Just the other day someone told me that they thought I was in my early 40s . When I told him my real age, he said : thanks for showing us a new way!
Here I am at 56 taking your words to heart. We may not be able to avoid every ailment or condition, but we can do our best to prepare ourselves both physically and mentally. This visualization is a big component, because it aims us in the direction we want to go, rather than choosing default.
Default is decay. Intention is direction. Let’s direct our bodies to stay healthy!
Thank you, Tim. I love: “Default is decay. Intention is direction.” So true!
This really resonated Daria. It gives real purpose to the each of these practices. Thanks you!
Outcome visualization gets you excited.
Process visualization gets you moving.
Thank you, Cara. I think we can underestimate our ability to affect our life's trajectory simply by using our minds to envision what we want it to look like.
Completely agree
Beautifully said. I love this reminder that imagining a vibrant future isn’t fluff—it’s training our brains to expect and create it.
I think a lot of people dismiss it as “woo woo” instead of recognizing it as the powerful wellness tool that it is.
Daria, so often folks have a hard time grasping the idea that the physical self and thoughts are intimately tied together. Over the years I found many of my colleagues gave this idea faint praise. Those that did buy in would take a simple idea and turn it into a “who’s on first” routine. Which befuddled patients.
What a dandy service you provided with a clear and well presented basic simple idea. I hope folks read your piece more than once.
And…. those britches fitting better?
Best, Steve
Thanks, Steve. It can be hard for some people to recognize the powerful link between our minds and our bodies and in what we think and say and how we feel and our well-being. I appreciate your comments.
And I started consciously limiting and virtually eliminating added sugar. So my britches are indeed fitting better!
A great article, Daria. I'm saving it to come back to, to remind myself to do it - and how to do it. Thank you!
Thank you, Patricia! Visualization is a powerful wellness tool.
Of course, I’ve known about it for a while, but it was your excellent post that made me really understand it by explaining the science behind it.
Amazing article Daria.
I remember when I was suffering from social anxiety. Creative Visualization helped me many times to foresee the challenges I was facing on a given day (e.g. give presentation) with confidence in a calm state of mind.
One time in an english class words burst out of me almost exactly how I had visualized them before - that was a positive shock to me and made me practice it for many years.
You can literally walk through situations before they happen because you were there before in your mind.
The differencitation between process and outcome visualization is important. Just being focused on the outcome can cause friction and give the illusory assumption that reaching your (health) goals will be easy, it won`t, but by seeing you put in the reps chances of fulfillment get much higher.
Thank you, Philipp! Visualization has done wonders for me throughout my career too. It can have such a transformative effect on our lives.
Crazy that not more people know about its power, let alone use it
I’ve already declared that by the time I’m 92 I’ll be still walking 4-5 miles per day; doing yoga; easily getting off the floor without holding on to anything, and having a fabulous life. So I love how you e outlined all this. Thankyou!
This is fantastic! Inspiring and empowering, I love how you reframe ageing as something we can actively shape. A hopeful, science-backed roadmap for living with purpose and independence.
Thank you, Jon! I believe that we can, and the research backs that up.
Outstanding article! We are 75 and 79. We picture many good years to come! Remember the book, “Think and Grow Rich?” It was about visualization and the brain…not about getting rich. An example was a college student going into the cap and gown closet (yes, before everyone bought or rented them, big colleges kept them in closets). The student would don the gown and cap and then move the tassle. Powerful stuff this visualization. Thank you. I printed this article to read again and often. When I’m ninety, I will have a tea party to celebrate your wise words once again.
I appreciate your comment, Ginevra. It means so much to me! I remember hearing about the book "Think and Grow Rich", but I never read it. I've used visualization throughout my career to improve performance, and it really works! When I started using it for goal setting and life visioning, I really appreciated how powerful it can be and the impact it can have on our quality of life. I'd love to come to your 90th to sip tea with you and celebrate!
We shall wear tiaras, Daria. I forwarded this to many friends and restacked it for others to benefit from it and enjoy your wisdom.
Indeed we will be the Queens of Aging Well! I very much appreciate that you shared and restacked this post Ginevra! Thank you!
I love this! I am 59 and for years I’ve rejected the belief of many of my peers that aging means aches, pains and frailty. I’m stronger and more fit today than ever — and I’ve always been an athlete. One of my favorite things is to see a cyclist who is in their 80s and even 90s who are out there on the path with me. Inspiring!!
Thank you, Bobbi! It's so inspirational when I see someone much older lapping the younger set. Our minds have a profound impact on what we see and how we feel. The tides are changing on the perception of aging. And it's people like us who act as the catalysts for that change. Thank you for your comments. I love hearing from you!
Thanks! I love your work!! I love being a role model for changing the perception of aging! Just the other day someone told me that they thought I was in my early 40s . When I told him my real age, he said : thanks for showing us a new way!