We’re always told to “think positive,” to the point it sounds like just another cliche. But please, for your own sake, DON’T ignore that advice!!

It turns out, not only should you fill your brain with positive thoughts and imaginings…but I found out something so COOL, I wanted to spend a blog post telling you the whole story.

The science is absolutely mind-blowing!!

So when we visualize good things, think positive, and it comes true later, why is that?

Some people believe it’s the universe giving us what we asked for, and the law of attraction. Now, I won’t write off that theory, but I recently watched this video from ASAP Science that says, your imagination actually changes your brain structure.

Seriously! It turns out that “imagining a thing” and “doing the thing” lights up the same part of our brain.

In fact, I know this sounds crazy, but there was a study done where there were two groups of people, each practicing piano for 2 hours a day. Except the catch is, one group just sat at the piano and imagined playing. So basically, practicing in their head. The second group actually physically practiced for the 2 hours.

Now, you’re going to be shocked (or maybe not completely because I have just prepared you to be shocked 😉)…When they tested the two groups later, they performed equally well! BOOM!

Yep, the group that sat at the piano and just imagined and visualized playing…improved their skill. So if that’s not enough proof for you that you should think positive and imagining yourself achieving your goals, then I don’t know what will prove it to you! It looks like there’s a point to daydreaming after all, because it trains your brain on personal development and self-improvement, without you having to do, well…much of anything!
But I did say, “If that’s not enough proof for you…”

So I have another study too!

In that study, half of the people did these little “finger exercises” to strengthen their finger muscles. The other group just imagined themselves doing the finger exercises. A month later, the two groups were tested on finger strength. The ones who did the exercise were 30% stronger in the fingers, but the ones who just visualized it were 22% stronger!

Again, doing an action and thinking about it activates the same neural pathways. Your brain isn’t able to tell the difference between you actually accomplishing the action, versus just thinking about it.

One more really helpful way you can use this tip (visualizing!) is to become MORE CONFIDENT in yourself.

If you are a super shy person because you’re afraid you’ll say the wrong thing, other people won’t like you…and other honestly pretty irrational things like that 😉…then just try imagining yourself in positive social situations, having good interactions and conversations.

I know it sounds silly but if you just think positive, you’ll find yourself much calmer and more confident because you’re training your brain to expect good things.

Like I said, that’s because everyone’s brain is a little bit “silly.”

The brain thinks that these fake conversations and false memories are actually real. So do it!!

HACK your brain into believing that you’re great at being social and outgoing.

I know the whole thing kind of sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, but if you think about it, our brains are pretty open to outside suggestions and influences. That’s why we tend to get caught by advertising so easily…

But at least in this case, our minds being kind of susceptible isn’t such a bad thing after all. If all we have to do is visualize good things for ourselves, think positive, and it can actually happen, isn’t that…Well, for lack of a better term for it, a dream come true? 😉

And if you’d like to take your efforts at gaining confidence, and boosting yourself physically and mentally, even further, you can always join my Accountability Group. I look forward to helping you train not only your body but your mind, too.