Visualize!
By Kumar Vikrant
I often hear from people about their anxiety over meeting new people, starting the day, taking an examination, or any number of things. Often anxiety gets a bad reputation because of its association with negative emotions. I say, if you feel something, then there must be a purpose behind it. Is it possible to convert the feeling of anxiety into an opportunity for creating something meaningful?
The ancient stoics used to say, visualize your day the first thing in the morning. Picture yourself high above in the sky, looking down towards Earth. See yourself from a third-person perspective going about the things you are supposed to do. See yourself making your bed, cooking breakfast, exercising, reaching the office, and doing your work. Such visualizations will make you relaxed and feel prepared when you take on the day.
Visualization is also a critical stoic principle in dealing with difficult people and circumstances. Picture yourself dealing with people who do not cooperate and are somewhat prickly in temperament. Will you snap and say or do stupid things, or will your handle the situation gracefully? If you are already pre-prepared for such encounters, no one can drag you down.
The same goes for challenging situations. Things often get undone. The dragon of chaos can knock at any moment. An infinite number of things can go wrong. Cars crash, earthquakes strike, accidents happen, and people die. If you have already simulated most possibilities in your head, wouldn't you be able to make the right decisions spontaneously and tackle all situations gracefully? The stoics often instruct the visualization of your death and also that of your loved ones. In doing so, you will not be paralyzed with grief when the time comes. After all, we mortals walk the face of Earth for a limited time only. If you realize such, you will cherish each moment alive and shower your loved ones with tremendous joy and care.
Visualization can indeed be a positive solution to such problems. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors used to feel anxious when they were out in the open and see a moving bush. Is it a predatory beast or a mellow breeze? As you see, anxiety has evolutionary roots in humans. That could be one reason why the thought of change or unfamiliar stuff strikes us with anxiety.
When you feel anxious, I recommend that you visualize yourself doing the concerned activity and run all possible simulations in your head. Picture all that could go wrong and things that could go right, how to react if such and such happens. What actions to take and which routes to embark on. Prepare. That is why several coaches recommend people to go to the building and familiarize themselves before an important interview. That is why it is recommended to visualize yourself giving a speech and practicing before actually going onstage.
As a final word of advice, I would recommend instilling the power of visualization in your daily lives. After some time, you will notice that balance has returned in your life, and the demon of anxiousness has subsided. Learn to walk on the fine line between order and chaos, the yin and yang. Feel and breed confidence, lead a better life, and help others find their way. Go out in the world with full force and conquer your destiny.
Kumar Vikrant (kvikrant071@gmail.com ; https://www.kumarvikrant.com/) is a doctoral student at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea.