I recently learned something fascinating: some people are unable to visualize images in their minds. This condition, known as aphantasia, means they can’t summon mental pictures of a loved one’s face, a sunny beach, or even the house they grew up in. Instead of “seeing” these things in their mind’s eye, their thoughts might come as words, concepts, or abstract ideas.

At first, I found this hard to imagine (no pun intended). Visualization has always been a core part of my personal growth toolkit, especially when paired with breathwork. But this discovery made me reflect on how visualization works differently for everyone—and how it’s not just about seeing pictures in your mind.

It was one of those workdays. My inbox was overflowing, my to-do list wasn’t getting any shorter, and deadlines were looming. As I sat at my desk, hunched over my keyboard, I noticed something—I wasn’t breathing. Not really. My shoulders were tense, my chest tight, and I realised I’d been holding my breath.