Friends of mine from England came to visit recently and when they saw my home, they ran around taking photos, delighted with everything, shouting, "My dear, you're living the dream!" It's not that my home is some huge, glamorous palace; I live in a medium-sized apartment that just happens to have a very nice roof garden and a beautiful view of mountains and lakes. But my friends did not actually realise how true their words were about living the dream. I am, in fact, living in the apartment that I dreamed of.

Or rather, I visualised it more than I dreamed it and visualisation can be one of the most powerful tools in your life. The difference between 'dreaming' and 'visualisation' might be explained as follows: Dreaming is "I wish I had a nice apartment." Visualisation is forming an exact picture of that apartment in your mind. I did just that. Every evening I relaxed, closed my eyes and conjured up my ideal apartment. I admired the view; I saw myself walking around, touching the plants; I smelled the jasmine and the roses in its garden; I felt the warmth from the candles as I lit them. The apartment became very real to me, almost as if it already existed!

Three weeks later, I saw an apartment on the internet and rushed off to see it. Even before I walked in, I knew it was the apartment for me. I recognised the big, beautifully-shaped double doors. I have no idea how, but I knew those doors. When I walked through them, I loved the apartment at first sight - even though the rooftop terrace was just ugly concrete slabs with weeds poking through and the view was hidden behind 10-foot high walls.

It took time and effort, but now, everything is as I visualised - the view, the garden, the scent of jasmine and roses, the candles... It was the most magical moment the evening I suddenly realised that I was literally standing in the picture I'd held so steady in my mind.
When you realise that things do not happen randomly; that you can literally create your own circumstances, it is the most fantastic life-changing experience. The job I have now is one that I visualised for myself. Along with the wonderful boss, the supportive colleagues, the view (I like views!) and the flexible working hours that I imagined, I also visualised (for fun) getting free cappuccino and fruit. Guess what - I get free cappuccino and can help myself to fruit any time I want. You can visualise ANYTHING; whatever it is that you want from life - you can visualise yourself being rich, getting married, receiving your degree, driving that new car, holding your new baby, even being happy. You just need to follow some rules:

• Visualise only the end result. See yourself living an abundant lifestyle - even if you have little money at the moment! Don't concern yourself at all with how it's going to happen. If you want to be married, visualise the wedding, not how you might meet someone.
• Visualise regularly. Stay true to what you want.
• Involve all the senses. If you want a new car, smell the interior, feel the power, hear the engine, see your hands on the steering wheel.
• Make sure YOU are in the picture! I know someone who faithfully visualised the beautiful blue car she wanted appearing outside her home. Sure enough, the shiny blue car duly appeared - only it belonged to her neighbours!
• You need to believe with all your heart that you will receive your desire. The stronger your belief, the faster it will come.
• DON'T GIVE UP! If you persevere, it HAS to appear. What if you gave up and the thing you wanted was ready to materialise the very next day? You will never know.

When I was so sure about buying my apartment with the roof terrace, the agent had laughed, "I like a woman who knows her own mind!" But it's more a question of knowing that your mind can create whatever it is that you want out of life. Nothing is more empowering.