Imagination is a portal

Reality begins in the mind

Artists are often daydreamers. I remember sitting at my desk in school, staring out the window, lost in contemplation. A vivid imagination can sometimes distract us from the “real” world. But dreaming isn’t a waste of time. Imagination always precedes reality. Before something can exist, it must be conceived and nurtured in the mind. 

Imagination is a portal that connects us to the field of infinite possibilities. The body has physical limitations, but the mind has no limits. Imagination is an incubator where you can explore potential realities.

Your dreams are seeds. Whatever vision you hold and nurture in your mind gradually becomes more and more real. Thoughts become ideas. Ideas eventually become actions. Actions become habits. Habits become reality. 

At the beginning, dreams are fragile things. Many thoughts jump into your mind and leave just as quickly. Dreams are like a garden. You have to nature them in your mind with focus and intention to help them grow. 

Visualization is a powerful tool for cultivating your dreams. This practice helps you hold a clear vision in your mind about what you want to create or who you want to become.

Imagine something you want in life. Now close your eyes and meditate on the ideal outcome. What does your finished project look like? What are the qualities you’re looking for in a romantic relationship? How would it feel to live the life of your dreams? Visualize every detail. Be specific. Hold the vision in your mind.

Visualization is enhanced by emotion. Ask yourself: how would it feel in your body to create the life or project you envision? When you feel gratitude for your dream before they come true, it programs the nervous system to hold this new energy and draws your desired reality closer. 

Whenever I’m working on a new project, I try to envision the end result. What does the book cover look like? How does it feel to hold it in my hands? How do I feel after the launch? The end result never looks exactly how I imagined. The creative process, like life, is never predictable. It’s okay to change plans as you go. Don’t be too rigid with the details. Save some room in your mind for the unexpected.

“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.” – Lewis Carroll

Awareness is power. Where we place our attention, for better or worse, shapes the reality we experience. There are many distractions in life competing for our attention, including worry, self-doubt, and the opinions and expectations of others. If we don’t direct our awareness with focus and intention, it’s easy to get swept away by the storm. 

Just as you can focus on what you want, it’s all too easy to focus on what you don’t want. This could come in the form of judgment, jealousy or feelings of lack or unworthiness. This is the shadow side of imagination, where we fixate on disempowering narratives and problems that don’t actually exist.

The mind is a magnet. Instead of fixating on what you don’t have, be grateful for what you do have. When you start from a place of gratitude rather than worry or lack, you attract more goodness into your life.

Imagination is the gateway to the future you want to create. Every new thing, from a billion dollar business to a scientific breakthrough, began as a tiny seed of imagination. The mind is a garden that can grow both flowers and weeds. Focus on what feels expansive rather than contractive. 

Give your dreams the sunlight and water they need to grow.

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Go deeper:

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