The Secret to Discovering What You Really Want
Updated: Jul 25, 2023
Do you remember when you were younger and would act out scenes to become anything your little mind could dream of? You would sit alone in your room and daydream about all the things you would do and for some of you, envisioned your cast of (imaginary) friends who would help you bring your big adventure to life. Waking up with excitement the next morning, ready to take on the world and the newest escapade of the day.
Do you ever wonder what happened to it? Your imagination, that is. Unfortunately, as adults, many of us have lost this sixth sense of adventurism. Where we threw caution to the wind and just went for it! We’ve somehow let the enemy creep in and lie to us. Convincing us that big dreams are stupid because you’re just wasting your time, or my favorite (I’m being sarcastic of course) – no need to go after what you truly want, because success only happens for a handful of people and why on earth would it be you? Sadly, too many of us have believed these lies!
One of the reasons I write, is so I’ll never lose the ability to think beyond what I can see with my natural eye. It has guided me throughout my spiritual walk, helping me carry out my Kingdom assignment. Trusting God, taking Him for His Word, and walking by faith come easy to me because I never lost that childlike ability to see it before I see it (if you know what I mean). My husband often teaches our congregation that we should cultivate our children’s imagination (something we’ve always done). And we’re to never ridicule, belittle, or rein in their capacity to think BIG! God uses this awareness and creativity to help build their faith and prepare them for life. Something we as adults could use more of, don’t you think?
Imagination is how every invention and concept we know of today, was achieved. One of Albert Einstein’s famous quotes still holds true today, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”. Think about it. We can get degrees upon degrees, attend the most sought after seminars, and read the latest books, but if we can’t visualize and see ourselves successful at doing it, we’re just spinning our wheels!
Look at it this way. God has the most elaborate, extravagant, detailed, grandiose, and precise imagination we could ever conceptualize! There’s evidence of this all around us! But guess what? We’re made in His image and likeness, therefore He has already ordained us to do the very same thing!
The good thing is...we never really lost our imagination at all. As we’ve grown older, we’ve been taught by society to ignore and suppress it. Because (you know) other things like life happens. As a women's mindset coach, I challenge women I work with to use every option available to them, even those that may seem simple or mundane. I’m a proponent of practical teaching. Sometimes we can be so complex, we miss the big picture altogether. I believe God desires us to use every resource we have to teach us life lessons. With that being said, to help you rediscover your ability to visualize beyond what you can see naturally, below I’ve compiled a list of practical ways you can once again tap into the long lost art of imagination - so you can stop playing small and start walking in your highest calling!
Be a Kid Again!
Yep, I said it! Spend a day indulging in all the things you once loved when you were a kid. Go buy yourself a coloring book, watch the Disney channel, go get (not one, but) two scoops of ice cream! Remember that toy you wanted more than anything when you were a kid (but never got)...go buy it! I know, I know. Some of you are probably rolling your eyes by now, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Don’t lie! As adults, when we go to an amusement park like, Six Flags, Carowinds or Cedar Point...sometimes we’re more giddy than the kids. Why? Because it unleashes that inner child in us. Trust me, set aside one day to be a kid again and you’ll be blown away by how far your imagination stretches. Visit a park and observe a group of kids playing. Listen to what they’re talking about? What kind of make believe worlds do they create for themselves? Then, give it a try yourself. Try imagining yourself doing something big and grandiose. Don’t put a cap on it, let your imagination run wild!
Self-Brainstorming When we think of brainstorming, it’s usually in the context of a group or team of people sitting down together brainstorming for ideas. Instead, learn to brainstorm your own concepts. Take notice of your surroundings, they can lead to big ideas. Interesting fact. Walt Disney came up with the idea of Disneyland after watching bored kids and their parents play in a rundown park. Cool huh? Self-brainstorming cultivates imagination and imagination cultivates creativity and creativity cultivates concepts. Most importantly while self-brainstorming, take the limits off! Don’t play safe! Think outside the box and always try looking at your life and plans from a different angle. The best takeaway...you don’t have to worry about anyone at the table shooting down your ideas, because you're the only one at the table. Boom! The more you self-brainstorm, the easier it becomes.
Read Books
Awww, this is my favorite one! But I’m sure you probably already know that by now. One known fact about reading is that our brains translate words into pictures. Have you ever noticed when you see the movie version of a book; it never fails, more than likely you’ll always say the book was so much better? Why? Because while reading, our brains subconsciously play out the scenes (the way we envision them) in our heads. I truly believe this is why children’s imaginations are off the chart, because they read books so often. Pick up a book, kick up your feet, start reading and tap into your imagination!
Find Your Superpower
This one is fun! When you were younger, which superhero did you imitate? Why did you choose that superhero? Which power did they possess you most related to? Think about a superpower you would love to possess today and try translating it into something you would use to help others. Have fun with this one! FYI...mine was Wonder Woman. That gold headband, rope, and invisible airplane tho!
Do a Writing Prompt
Start a writing prompt to get your creative juices flowing. Writing prompts are a great way to stir your imagination. These are simply one or two sentences that lead and guide you to a concept. Then you take that concept and use it as inspiration to expand into a story or idea of your own. Google “writing prompts” to get some great ideas.
Using these practical tips to unleash your imagination can help you realize there are other options (than what you’re currently experiencing) for your life, opening up unlimited possibilities! And if you train yourself to use these exercises every day, they can lead to you discovering and unfolding your purpose so you can start seeing your dreams become a reality. Don’t ever settle for what life gives you. YOU are the determining factor on what you can or can’t accomplish in life and how far you can or can’t go. Remember, we were created by a God with an unlimited capacity to imagine and create and His expectation (better yet, command) for us (His offspring) is to do the same!
And if you need help uncovering or planning out your future, consider my latest program, The Design Your Future - Mini Life Makeover™. where I help you uncover, plan and map out your life, in no time flat.
Which one of these tips are you willing to try?
All Rights Reserved copyright© 2012-2018 michellpulliam.com "The Cultured Life" blog by Michell Pulliam
Having a blast serving Him!
For updates on blog post, free personal development PDFs and free mini ecourses, join my mailing list here.
%20(1).jpg)