We were born to create.
We all use our imaginations and creativity DAILY.
Really?
We do? I don't feel very creative.
Stay with me.
I just got a birthday card from my grandson Alfie that he drew of his dog Harvey wearing green sunglasses and eating tacos. I praised his imagination. Alfie beamed.
When you were five you were praised for your creative endeavors. Then some where along the line you let your creativity fade into the background. As you grew older you let your imagination go on auto pilot and instead of coming up with new concepts and ideas and drawings of dogs eating tacos from very large plates, your imagination is relegated to creating stories around the following:
1. Worrying about the future
2. Judging yourself
3. Judging other people
4. Telling yourself stories about what other people think of you
5. Comparing yourself to others and deciding what that means about you and about them.
Think of all the stories you create around these areas. And it's All. Made. Up.
Deepak Chopra shares this idea. He suggests that our imagination can be used for either anxiety or creativity. You’re either worrying about something and creating anxiety for yourself or you’re focusing on creating something.
Humans are creative and have big imaginations, the difference is if you are directing your creative brains intentionally or just letting the story remain unintentional.
Remember your brain has a negative bias and is on the look out for anything that has the potential to harm or kill you and then makes that mean something about you.
Is your imagination being supervised or not?
Brain: "Your children don't call often, must mean you are not a good mother."
Brain: " I am scanning the room and see other people looking at you. Watch out, they could be mean to you. You probably deserve it. Better avoid and think negative thoughts about yourself to validate it."
Brain: "You are invited to a party. Could require us to get out of our comfort zone. Don't do it. Just stay home, watch Netflix and eat junk food instead."
The brain is soooo imaginative.
BUT....
All of the narratives your brain offers up aren't true. You can create a negative story or a positive story and both can be equally valid but only the positive one will SERVE you.
You walk into a room and your brain offers: " They think you're fat" or "They think why is she here?" or "They think she's not interesting and has nothing to offer." or "They think she better not sit by me."
But in reality YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY THINK.
Might as well use your imagination in an intentionally creative way.
When I walk into a room I think to myself," They're thinking oh I just love Melinda. She is so amazing!" And then I can think. " That’s great because I love me too!" It's a win win! And a much better use of my imagination.
Try this the next time you are out and about at a store or walking into church or a meeting. You will feel better, present yourself better and experience different energy in the room because you're not worried about what they’re thinking about you because you’ve already imagined what they’re thinking about you, and it's awesome!
Oh, I know what you're thinking...but this is delusional. But so is the other way. Both are just uses of your imagination.
Here's some more secret sauce.
I use my imagination in other ways that serve me too. I write down and think these words daily:
"I'm an exceptional wife and an amazing mother and my family is lucky to have me."
"I keep promises to myself."
"I am organized and my home is decluttered."
Our brains are super powerful computers and will go to work on whatever we tell it. So by thinking daily how exceptional and amazing I am, my brain will go to work to find evidence where this is true. So good!
You can create the life that serves you and end needless suffering, worrying about the future, judging yourself and others, telling stories about what others think about you and comparing yourself to others by using your IMAGINATION. You do it anyway unintentionally...might as well work on it creatively and intentionally instead.
Brain hack.... You're welcome.
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