“Does your brain distinguish real from imaginary?” is a question posed by Dr. David Hamilton in his October 2014 blog. David and countless other mind/body luminaries have written and shared researched about how the brain cannot distinguish real from imaginary. One of my favorite stories from Meb’s book, “Run to Overcome” is when he shares how he visualized his race before going to sleep. He had one of his worst performances because his body believed he had already run the race. Billy Mills won Gold in the 1964 Olympics through the power of visualization. He had read in a college textbook, “The subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between reality and imagination.”
In David’s blog post, he cites one of his favorite studies about the power of the imagination and its effect on the body.
Volunteers were asked to play a simple sequence of piano notes each day for five consecutive days. Their brains were scanned each day in the region connected to the finger muscles. Another set of volunteers were asked to imagine playing the notes instead, also having their brains scanned each day.
The top two rows in the image show the changes in the brain in those who played the notes. The middle two rows show the changes in those who simply imagined playing the notes. Compare this with the bottom two rows showing the brain regions of the control group, who didn’t play nor imagine playing, piano.
When I share my journey of transformation as a motivational speaker, I start out by asking members of the audience to imagine eating a lemon. (I bet you started feeling sensations in your mouth as you read that sentence!) I could see by the pursed lips in the audience that I made my point. Through visualizing, the brain undergoes changes that in turn create changes in the body.
Throughout this training cycle, I’ve used my imagination experiencing how I am going to feel crossing the finish line of the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K. I’ve used intermittent visualization about being out on the course. Now that the intense physical training has peaked, it is time for me to harness the power of my imagination for race day. I need to hone in on the details of race weekend from start to when I cross the finish line and of course the post-race celebration. I am whisking away the what if’s of travel and pre-race jitters to create my perfect race-cation in my mind’s eye. It’s time to stoke the flames of my imagination and snuff out the doubts, fears and worries. As the holiday music fills the air and I prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I anticipate celebrating all that I have accomplished, all that I am and all that is yet to be. I am topping off the tank of training during these next several weeks feeling physically prepared to take my victory lap on the beautiful Bermuda 10K course. Now it’s time to focus in on mental preparation because, during these past 17 years of healing, I have learned that the brain cannot distinguish between what is real and what is being imagined.
From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary
My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon
Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series to inspire others.
Be sure to subscribe to the On The Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56.
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Be sure to download and subscribe to the AdaptX podcast. Here's the link to my wonderful conversation with host Brendan Aylward sharing my journey of transformation and healing in the wake of polio, Post-Polio syndrome and trauma.
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