I've noticed that when I visualize and it's effective, when I open my eyes, my surroundings seem different to me, kind of like when you go on vacation and then return home, the stuff you are so familiar with seems "new" all of the sudden. That's the best way I can describe it.
I have a tough time with visualization when I try to make it too specific and add too many details. I don't know if that's bad or good, but it's easier for me to just imagine that I'm (for example) sitting in my future apartment, there's a cute girl there with me, I'm looking out the window at my view, there's a cat on the floor, I look over at my computer, and I've got all this cool equipment for my art... I don't know exactly how I am affording this lifestyle or anything like that, I just know that I'm free and that this is a version of me where I have everything I want, and the cat stretches on the floor and it's all very normal and every day (but in a good way).
If I add too many details I lose it because my mind tries to figure out how I got there and I frankly don't know how I got there.
