Big life change coming up? New studio, new shop, new city, new baby, new version of you.
And your brain is buzzing like a swarm of bees.
I know that feeling so well. The late night overthinking. The weird tight chest. The way even fun dreams start to feel like a threat.
This is where neuroscience‑backed visualisation for anxiety can help. It is not magic, and it will not erase every fear. But it can give your brain a clear, kind picture to hold, instead of chaos.
In this post I am sharing how I use visualisation before big steps, what the brain science says in simple words, and three short exercises you can try today.
And yes, it fits nicely with journaling, planning, and all your manifesting tools.
The Science In Simple Words: What Your Brain Does With Images
First, the science bit, in real human words.
Your brain treats strong images as if they are almost real. When you picture a scene in detail, the parts of your brain that light up in real life also light up during visualisation.
Many therapists use this on purpose. Guided imagery is a common tool for stress and trauma work. You can read more about how visualisation is used to reduce anxiety symptoms in therapy settings.
Here is the simple way I think about it:
- The “alarm” part of your brain (often called the amygdala) reacts to threat.
- The “wise planner” part (up front, behind your forehead) helps you think and decide.
- When anxiety is high, the alarm shouts and the planner goes quiet.
Visualisation gives your planner something clear and calm to focus on. Over time, your brain learns, “Oh, this change can feel safe.”
Some coaches also talk about how visualisation can release feel‑good brain chemicals, like dopamine and endorphins. There is early evidence for this in anxiety work, as described in this piece on visualisation for anxiety and stress.
So, when you picture a steady, safe version of your big life change, you are not “just daydreaming”. You are gently training your brain.
If you have ever typed “neuroscience visualization anxiety” into Google, this is the kind of thing your brain has been trying to understand.
Why Big Changes Trigger Anxiety For Sensitive, Creative Minds
If you are a maker or a small business owner, big changes feel extra loud.
You are not just moving house. You are moving your art room.
You are not just starting a shop. You are putting your heart on a website for strangers.
Your brain sees unknown things and shouts, “Danger!” Even if your soul is saying, “Yes please.”
So you get:
- Racing thoughts.
- Tight shoulders and jaw.
- Doom scenes in your head about money, failure, shame.
Visualisation does not tell you to “just be positive”. It gives your brain a new script to play, instead of that same disaster movie on repeat.
Gentle Ground Rules Before You Start Visualising
A quick, caring note.
This post is for general support only. It is not medical advice. If your anxiety feels severe, keeps you from daily life, or you have thoughts of harming yourself, please speak with a GP, therapist, or other licensed professional.
Visualisation is:
- A tool to add to therapy, medication, or coaching.
- Not a replacement for proper mental health care.
If you want a more formal, guided practice from a clinical source, the National Institute of Mental Health has a short guided visualisation for dealing with stress that you might find helpful.
Also, if any image exercise makes you feel worse, pause. Open your eyes. Look around the room. Feel your feet on the floor. You are in charge.
Exercise 1: 5‑Minute Safe Place Scene To Steady Your Body
This one is great on days when your chest feels tight and your thoughts feel sharp.
Time needed: about 5 minutes.
- Settle your body
Sit or lie down. Let your hands rest on your lap or belly.
Take three slow breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth. - Pick your safe place
It can be real or made up.
Maybe your favourite chair with a cup of tea. A quiet beach. Your craft desk when it is actually tidy for once. - Add three senses
Close your eyes if that feels okay.
Ask yourself:- What do I see here? Colours, light, shapes.
- What do I hear? Waves, kettle, birds, fabric rustling.
- What do I feel on my skin? Warm mug, soft jumper, sand.
- Let your body copy the scene
Notice if your shoulders want to drop a bit.
Let your jaw soften. Let your hands rest heavier. - Stay for a few breaths
Stay in that scene for 5 to 10 slow breaths.
If your mind wanders, just bring it back to one detail, like the colour of the light or the sound in the room.
This kind of simple guided imagery is a very common relaxation tool.
You can find more ideas in this guide to visualisation for anxiety relief.
Exercise 2: Future You Walking Calmly Through The Big Change
Now you are going to rehearse the scary thing, but in a calm way.
Time needed: about 7 to 10 minutes.
You can do this before bed, or with your morning tea.
- Name the change
Say it out loud if you can.
“I am opening my online shop.”
“I am moving to a new flat.”
“I am leaving my job to go full‑time with my art.” - Press play on a gentle mental movie
Close your eyes. Picture the day of the change, or a key moment.
See Future You there. Notice their body. Their face. - Turn the anxiety down, bit by bit
At first, Future You might look tense. That is okay.
Slowly adjust the “settings” in your mind.- Shoulders lower.
- Breath slower.
- Face softer.
Imagine their nervous system finding a steady rhythm.
- Add tiny proof moments
Now see 2 or 3 small, realistic good things in that scene.
A kind message from a friend.
One sale in your shop.
A cosy corner already set up in the new home. - Anchor it in your body
While you watch this scene, place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
Breathe in for a count of 4, out for a count of 6.
Let your body “learn” the feeling of being scared and steady at the same time. - Give Future You a line
End the scene with Future You saying one short line.
Something like, “I can feel nervous and still do this,” or “I am allowed to learn as I go.”
Write that line in your journal or planner. Let it sit next to your to‑do list.
Exercise 3: Turn Your Worry Into A Visual Plan
This one is perfect if you love journaling, planning, or vision boards.
Time needed: about 10 to 15 minutes.
Pick one loud worry
For example, “What if no one buys my work?” or “What if I hate the new city?”Draw it as a tiny scene
In your notebook or planner, sketch a quick comic strip. Stick figures are fine.
Frame 1: you, worried.
Frame 2: the thing you fear.
Frame 3: you handling it in a calm, helpful way.Maybe in frame 3 you ask for help, or you try a new idea, instead of shutting down.Now close your eyes and replay your comic
Watch each frame in your mind.
Add colour, sound, movement.
Really see yourself in that third frame, where you cope.Link it to one real‑world action
Ask, “What is one small step that matches this calm scene?”
It might be:- Listing one new product.
- Searching one local creative group.
- Booking one therapy session.
Add it to your plan
Put that action into your planner on a real date.
Your brain starts to see a path, not just a dark cloud.
Visualisation plus one tiny action is far more powerful than visualisation alone. You move from pure wish to gentle, grounded change.
Making Neuroscience Visualisation A Tiny Daily Ritual
Visualisation works best when you repeat it. That is how your brain rewires its patterns.
You do not need long sessions. Try:
- 2 minutes of Safe Place while the kettle boils.
- Future You practice once a week for the next big step.
- Worry‑to‑comic once a month in your journal.
If you want more ideas and tools, there are plenty of therapist‑written visualisation techniques used in counselling that you can explore in your own time.
Think of it like hand‑stitching new thoughts. One small, steady stitch at a time.
Closing Thoughts: You Are Allowed To Feel Scared And Still Move
Big life changes stir up big feelings. If your brain is loud right now, it means you are human.
Neuroscience‑backed visualisation gives that busy brain a kinder script to run. A script where you feel shaky and still show up for your art, your people, and yourself.
Try one exercise this week. Safe Place, Future You, or the little comic. Notice what shifts, even a tiny bit.
And if this all feels like a lot, that is okay too. Take a breath, place a hand on your heart, and remind yourself: “I do not have to do this alone.”
Anaël xo