At work, I received an email offering a birthday gift—any book of my choice. Drawn by its title, I selected a self-help book that seemed light yet insightful. Among its chapters, one section left a lasting impression: Visualization Techniques.
Visualization, the book explained, is the practice of mentally picturing the successful fulfillment of one’s goal. According to research, students who employed this technique in their studies significantly outperformed those who did not.
The key to effective visualization lies in vivid specificity. The human brain responds more strongly to images than to words and often cannot distinguish between imagination and reality. To bring a goal to life, one must paint it vividly in the mind as if the scene were unfolding before the eyes, and revisit that vision often. Psychologists recommend taking it a step further: by visualizing not only success but also the challenges, setbacks, and effort required, people are much more likely to achieve their goals.
As I read, it occurred to me that visualization is not merely a secular technique—it holds deep relevance to our spiritual journey. Rather than vaguely hoping for heaven, what if we regularly recalled the words of Heavenly Mother and pictured down to the finest detail the life that awaits us there? Sitting at the heavenly banquet table with our Heavenly Father and Mother, clothed in dazzlingly beautiful garments adorned with angelic wings, soaring freely through the boundless cosmos, unbound by time or space . . . Even the hardships we endure in the work of the gospel—persecution, exhaustion, tears—can be woven into this vision. To see ourselves overcoming trials with joy and unwavering faith is to anchor our hope more firmly. Perhaps, if we picture it clearly enough, the day will come when that vision is no longer imagined—but lived. Heaven may be closer than we think.