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How to Train Your Imagination: Unleashing Your Creative Power
"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will." – George Bernard Shaw
What Makes Us Human?
My daughters are reading "Frankenstein" and writing an essay on whether Frankenstein's creation is truly a monster or human. This led to a fun family chat about what it means to be human. Sure, Frankenstein's monster looks a bit odd and doesn't speak well, but there are many humans with physical and speech difficulties.
So, what really sets humans apart?
Our Secret Power: Imagination
Unlike other creatures, humans have an amazing ability to imagine. This lets us create, dream up new things, and think about the future.
Imagination is Your Superpower
Why Humans are Different
What makes humans different from other animals? It's our imagination. We can think about things that don't exist yet and make them real.
Why Imagination Matters
It's the spark that ignites creativity.
It opens doors to endless innovation.
Without it, we wouldn't understand or connect deeply with others.
Our ability to imagine is what sets us apart as humans. It's always there, working in the background, and you can't turn it off. But why would you want to? Imagination helps us create, innovate, and connect with others. Mastering what makes you human means embracing your imagination to shape the life you truly want.
I love that we as humans have an imagination. It looks pretty boring when I look into the lives of other species, but that's probably just my imagination running away with me. There's a part of me that wonders why we have the ability to imagine things that make us and others miserable. Many, if not all, of human problems come from the thoughts that lead to some pretty poor actions.
But then I realize, if our imagination had limitations on what we could think, it wouldn’t be very imaginative at all. It would be more like a template of thoughts to choose from, which wouldn't be very human.
This is probably why it drives me mad to see so many people not using their imagination and just following a cookie-cutter "A4" life (as my husband would say). Being human means we have access to every thought imaginable, literally. So the best we can do is learn how to master this ability.
How Overthinking is a Killjoy
Think of your imagination as a dragon. If you train it properly, you won't have to put out fires all day from thoughts that are too detrimental or explosive. Instead, you can direct it to create something enjoyable and productive.
Overthinking vs. Imagination: Overthinking is often the misuse of our imagination. Instead of creating solutions, it creates problems.
Harnessing Creativity: By consciously choosing to use your imagination positively, you can transform overthinking into productive creativity.
Creative vs. Destructive Imagination: Like the dragon in "How to Train Your Dragon," your imagination can either create beautiful experiences or wreak havoc if left unchecked.
Training your imagination means using it consciously to create positive outcomes for yourself and others.
Overthinking: The Ultimate Killjoy
Robs Your Time: Overthinking steals time that could be spent doing other things. Even necessary tasks are better than overthinking and doing nothing.
Prevents Decision-Making: If you’re too busy in your head, you become stagnant. Nothing gets done, including your responsibilities, let alone having time for fun. This is why overthinkers "never have enough time." We all get the same amount of time, so stop overthinking because you can't get that time back.
Creates Internal Conflict: The more you overthink, the deeper you go into battle with yourself. Your logical mind convinces you to keep overthinking, turning it into a chore. The solution? Pull yourself out of it and "do something."
Unleashing Creativity through Community Projects
A 1950s Dance Project
Teens and Community: Here in San Miguel, a wonderful woman started a program to bring teens together to create a community. They organize fun events like dances. This year’s theme is the 1950s, and naturally, everyone thinks of "Grease."
Becoming the Decoration Chair
Taking Charge: When I realized the dance committee wasn't planning to focus much on decorations, my imagination went wild. I volunteered to be the decoration chair, and for a week, I immersed myself in creating a 1950s wonderland.
The Power of Fun in Creativity
Balancing Responsibilities: Despite having a full plate with my book projects, I found that engaging in creative activities made me more productive. I stayed on target with my work because I was excited about the decorations and I had to find time for both.
Creating Joy: Every day, I had an action plan, and both my projects and the dance preparations were important to me. The process was fun and kept me out of my head.
The Power of Fun in Productivity
As I delved into Pinterest boards and created a storyboard for the dance, I felt my creativity and productivity surge. I juggled planning the decorations and my other responsibilities with newfound energy.
Increased Productivity: Fun activities can boost productivity in other areas of life.
Action Plans: Having daily action plans for both responsibilities and fun helps keep overthinking at bay.
The Joy of Creation
Mothers and Daughters: One night, my garage was filled with mothers and daughters, all working together, laughing, and creating. We spent hours making props, from old movie cameras to diner drive-in signs. The joy didn’t need to last forever; it was precious because it was fleeting.
Joy is About Pleasure in Motion
Creating Props: As I was cutting, gluing, painting, and creating, it felt good to not take life so seriously. Joy is about the sheer perfection of pleasure in motion.
Temporary Joy
Grab It While It Lasts: Joy comes and goes, and that’s what makes it precious.
I wonder if this is why so many people struggle to experience joy—they either abstain, thinking it’s too silly or won’t last anyway, so what’s the point?
But that is the point! It won’t last, so grab it and soak it up for as long as it does. It comes around again if you find ways to bring joy into your everyday experiences.
Imagination in Everyday Life
I've always been fascinated by imagination. As a kid, I was a daydreamer, lost in my thoughts and fantasies. As an adult, I explored the idea that "thoughts create things."
It's obvious when you think about it, though not obvious enough for us to realize how crucial it is to guard our thoughts. One of my favorite thought leaders in this area is the late Neville Goddard.
Who is Neville Goddard?
Neville Goddard was a popular manifestation teacher and writer in the mid-20th century who focused on the power of imagination. He believed our thoughts and visions shape our reality and taught that imagination is a divine force within us.
Neville Goddard's Teachings on Imagination
Imagination as Divine Power: Goddard taught that imagination is the very essence of our being. Through imagination, we can create our reality and shape our future.
Living in the End: This principle means imagining and feeling the end result of our desires as if they've already been achieved, aligning our thoughts and actions with our desired outcomes.
The Power of Assumption: By assuming the feeling of our wish fulfilled, we align ourselves with that reality, making it a creative act that can manifest our desires.
Visualization Techniques: Create detailed mental images of desired outcomes, imbued with strong emotions, to make them more effective.
Using Neville Goddard’s Principles in This Newsletter
The Power of Imagination
Humans have an amazing capacity called imagination. Neville Goddard believed it is our divine power. By harnessing it, we can create positive outcomes in our lives.
Embrace Your Inner Creator
Goddard's principle of "living in the end" can be applied by visualizing your goals and desires as already achieved. Use your imagination actively and consciously to shape your reality.
Tips for Effective Visualization:
Create Vivid Images: Describe your desired outcomes in great detail.
Feel the Emotions: Imagine the emotions you would feel if your desires were fulfilled.
Practice Regularly: Make visualization a daily habit to reinforce your goals.
While it's common to focus on big goals, starting with smaller, fun projects can build confidence and demonstrate the power of your imagination.
The 1950s Dance Project
Take the 1950s teen dance, for instance. It was a perfect opportunity to use my imagination consciously for fun with a goal in mind. I visualized the decorations, immersing myself in Pinterest boards to create vivid images in my mind. I felt the excitement and started putting everything together bit by bit. Before I knew it, my garage looked like a 1950s movie set.
Steps to Creative Visualization:
Create Vivid Images: Use resources like Pinterest to get detailed ideas.
Feel the Emotions: Let yourself get excited about the project.
Practice Putting It Together: Break the project into smaller tasks and start building.
This approach helped me stay productive in other areas of my life. Working on the decorations became an exciting adventure, and I noticed I was more efficient with my book projects and other responsibilities.
Rekindling Childlike Creativity
Children and Imagination
Freely Creative: Children use their imaginations so freely, often creating whole worlds out of thin air. They're unbound by the limitations adults impose on themselves.
Adults and Imagination
As we grow, adults start telling us about "impossibilities." "You can't do this, you can't do that, that's not real, get serious, be more realistic." These terms teach us to imagine a very dull world.
The Shift from Childhood to Adulthood
Teaching Limits: Adults often instill limits, creating a belief system around "can't" and "impossible."
Resulting Dystopia: The average adult uses their imagination to envision worst-case scenarios and limitations. It's no wonder many feel unfulfilled or miserable.
Rekindling Childlike Creativity
Question Limiting Beliefs: Challenge the “impossible” notions instilled during adulthood.
Encourage Play: Integrate playful activities into your routine to spark creativity.
Dream Big: Use your imagination to envision and pursue grand goals.
We usually reserve the word "imagination" for children, but adults need it and use it too. We just make it sound bigger and more “important” and usually call it “vision.”
“What’s your vision?” You hear other adults saying (me included). Maybe we need to relax on making it seem so grand that most adults forget how to embrace their imagination and use it to create, innovate, and enjoy life.
Whether it’s decorating for a dance, writing a book, or joining a fun group, use your imagination consciously. Choose activities that feel good and add value to yourself and others. Watch how this influences your creativity in other areas, bringing more joy and productivity into your life.
The Call and Response of Imagination
Recently we also had the chance to go to a silk show that was a rendition of "The Wizard of Oz." It was a silk show version of the classic, featuring a mostly children's cast, ranging from young kids to late teens. Watching this show, especially since "The Wizard of Oz" is one of my all-time favorite movies, made me realize something beautiful about imagination and creativity.
As I sat there, I found myself getting more and more absorbed in the performance. To even appreciate someone else's creativity, you have to engage your own imagination. It's a call and response. The performers put their creative vision out there, and we, the audience, respond by letting our imagination accept and enhance what we see.
Using Imagination to Accept Creativity
Engage Deeply: As I watched the show, I could feel myself going deeper into the story. Knowing the plot of "The Wizard of Oz," I anticipated different scenes and saw how the performers used silks and gymnastics to bring them to life. My imagination was actively responding to their creativity.
Call and Response: This interaction is like a conversation. We think of something we want to create, use our imagination, and then we have to believe in its possibility. Imagination acts as the bridge, making it possible to accept and believe in the creative thought.
Belief and Acceptance in Imagination
Influence of Belief: Whether or not we believe or accept an imaginative thought influences our ability to see it as real. For example, watching the silk show, I had to accept the imaginative interpretation of "The Wizard of Oz" to fully experience the emotions and visuals presented.
Physical Response: When we accept an imaginative thought as possible, we feel it in our body. This is how thoughts impact us. They only have power when we respond to them with emotion, making them feel real.
The Power of Positive Imagination
Intentional Use: This is why we need to use our imagination and creative power more consciously and intentionally. Whatever we respond to and accept in our minds becomes our reality. By focusing on positive, imaginative thoughts, we create a more fulfilling and joyful experience.
Create Your Reality: Our thoughts and imaginations are constantly shaping our world. Just like how the young performers brought "The Wizard of Oz" to life on stage, we can bring our desires and dreams to life by intentionally engaging our imagination and believing in our creative power.
In essence, the call and response of imagination is a powerful tool. It’s about creating, believing, and then experiencing. By actively using our imagination, we can shape our reality in positive and meaningful ways.
Embrace Your Creative Power
Using imagination to create a fulfilling life is not only possible, it’s the only way.
Next time you're feeling stuck, let yourself to be open to creative solutions.
Embrace Your Creative Side
Join a Club: I’m also joining an improv acting club. It's a five-week program, and I have no idea what to expect. But it's improv, so I’ll have to use my imagination on the spot. I'm looking forward to it.
Inspiration and Joy: Find ways to use your creativity. It feels good to be creative and see others enjoy the fruits of your imagination. This will encourage you to bring more creativity into other areas of your life.
Get Creative: This week, find a way to use your imagination. Whether it's a small project or something bigger, let your creativity flow.
Imagination: Embrace your unique human capacity for imagination. Use it to create positive outcomes and joy.
Overthinking: Stop overthinking and start doing. Fun and creativity can break the cycle of overthinking and bring productivity.
Responsible Fun: Balance fun with responsibility. Engage in community projects and creative tasks that bring joy and fulfillment.
Share Your Experience: Let us know how you used your imagination to bring joy into your life. Share your stories and inspire others to do the same.
