Coping imagery

Imagery plays an important role in performance and results. The images we play in our mind are like a visual blueprint for our life. A great deal of the stress we experience is due to the way we think. When we anticipate a stressful event we often become anxious and anticipate the worst. We start to play images in our mind of how we expect the event to go. If we are optimistic, the images will be positive; however, if we are pessimistic, the images will be negative. Negative imagery affects our ability to stay composed, think clearly and perform to our best. As we become more stressed, we may even struggle to sleep as we play the images repeatedly in our mind. We then go into the event tired and lacking in concentration and confidence which results in us fulfilling our prophecy of underperforming. Underperforming lowers our confidence further and causes us to play more negative imagery in our mind and the cycle continues. To help break the cycle of negative imagery and performance, we can use coping imagery.

Using coping imagery

When facing a difficult event, coping imagery increases our confidence and our belief that there will be a positive outcome. If we are naturally optimistic, we may automatically play positive imagery in our mind. Otherwise, we will need to take charge of our imagery using coping imagery techniques and implant positive imagery in our mind. We can use coping imagery to build our confidence in our ability to deal with any eventuality. Rather than visualising the event going perfectly, which may seem too unrealistic, we can visualise ourselves coping with the anxiety-inducing event.

There are 5 steps to effectively practicing coping imagery:

1. Identify the event about which you have become stressed.
2. Note the exact issues which you are stressing about.
3. Identify ways to deal with these issues, should they arise.
4. Visualise yourself experiencing the stressful situation. Then, visualise yourself implementing the coping strategies and coping effectively with the situation. Repeat this step three or four times.
5. Practice step 4 daily, particularly when you find yourself becoming stressed about the forthcoming event.

It is natural to be concerned about upcoming events. The more important the event the more concerned we are. However, if we are not careful this concern can quickly turn into anxiety and stress. Rather than spending our time stressing about the potential outcome, we can use coping imagery to adopt a proactive attitude. Coping imagery allows us to prepare for the event and develop confidence in our ability to deal with any potential issues which may arise, including passive aggressive behaviour. This mental rehearsal increases our confidence, lowers our stress and anxiety levels, and allows us to remain relaxed and composed. Our chances of a successful outcome are greatly increased. Coping imagery is an excellent tool for both reducing stress and improving performance.