Have you ever tried visualizations and wondered why they don't work? I have realized, that since I remember my life in mental pictures, just like my dreams at night are mental "movies" - these are for letting go of, while imagining how I would like to be also can lock my expectations, instead of being present and co-create more.
Memories on one hand is what create the same feelings we had when we lived the event or was at a specific place, usually coming forth as we simply think or talk about a certain someone or time in our lives or when something we see or hear remind us, such as a song on the radio. Flashbacks on the other hand, are memories not dealt with, charged with survival stress.
When we dream, however, it is our subconscious releasing the enormous amount of impressions we have to deal with on a daily level, especially that which we have experienced as stressful and fast. It comes up and then becomes released.
Visualizations thus resembles both memories and subconscious images which both takes us out of present time, picturing how we wish the future should look like. We can think of something we enjoy to make us feel less nervous or stressed, but if we try to do so meanwhile we are about to either undergo or perform an important task, we will loose even more positive energy or even not listen to our intuition and instincts. By becoming fully present with our senses instead, we are a little on higher alert but in control over the moment - we will not react to built up nervousness or fear, but only to any discomfort we might feel during our performance. Try it at the dentist for example. Have nice music in the background to relax, but listen carefully to the drill and be happy for the positive result it will create.
What do you imagine?