Imagination tools - Giving your mind a fun project, it actually wants to work on.
The what -
Work on one of these projects in your mind, just for a giggle. Pick one of the below. Try a different one each day, or even make up one of your own. Try to create as much detail as possible and don't be afraid to dream big, get silly and really have fun with this. There are no rules with these projects!
Design the most amazing fantasy workplace. This is a place where people absolutely love to come to work! Maybe your office entrance is a thrilling slide and every meeting is accompanied by a flowing chocolate fountain and puppies to cuddle?
Create an exciting game. It could be a board game, a sport, an app, a computer game or even a puzzle book. What would the game be about? How would it look? What are the rules? How do you win the game?
Invent your own robot. If you built a robot, what would it do and how would it look/sound? What is the robot's name?
If you owned the most luxurious holiday resort, that you can stay in for free as much as you want to (you do own it after all!) What would it be like to stay there?
What would your dream school have been like to attend? Is it break time from 9am to 3pm? Do you achieve A grades by pranking teachers?
What if you opened a theme park and built it with magic and absolute wonder?
If you imagine your dream pet, what would it be like? What amazing skills and talents would your pet have?
If you discovered a magical forest, what would it be like? What enchanting creatures would live there? How could your discovery help the world?
The why -
We all spend time and energy on projects in our lives and often, these projects are about necessity, function or achievement. So we can forget to really make use of our imagination and enjoy the process of a project. Fun mind projects with no rules are a way to exercise your brain and get you thinking about things you enjoy and lift your mood.
Mind projects can also be effective calming exercises if you're travelling or need to sleep. You can even use them as ice breakers when you want to connect more with someone you are close to and you need something new as a bit of fun to talk about together.
Allow your mind to make glitter waves
You don't have to stop using your imagination for fun just because you have some very grown up (but let's be honest, often pretty boring) projects to work on. Why not spend your commute imagining what it would be like to take your new pet T-Rex, (amply named Harrison) for walkies and see what wonderful mind adventure you can have before you've even arrived at work today!
Let your mind have as much fun as it did when you were a kid. Let yourself be silly and push the boundaries of your own creativity. The project only exists in your mind after all, so it’s not like anyone is going to judge you for it.
In fact, just this morning a mind project I’ve been working on allowed me to travel to an undiscovered mythical forest. I stumbled upon an unknown species, not dissimilar to a unicorn but with purple polka dots and webbed feet. The incredible creature introduced herself to me as 'Pookkalasaurus' (but her friends call her Pookka for short). She then began to demonstrate her amazing talents. The most incredible of which, being that my new mate, Pookka has the magical ability to create calm and peace all around her with a kind of glittery air wave that emulates from her unicorn horn. The glitter waves make anyone within a few miles of her feel totally chill and at peace.
I figured if Pookka wasn't too busy, she and I could probably do some good with these glitter waves of hers. So Pookka agreed to go on a little round the world trip with me. She really wanted to check out a TK Maxx anyway, as there isn't one in the mythical forest. So it just made sense really. So I grabbed us some fruit pastilles and a couple bottles of Lucozade and we set off on our road trip.
Everywhere we went, Pookka spread calm and peace to everyone around her. We had an amazing trip and governments the world over are praising Pookka for ending all the wars. Our new mate Rishi even invited us to number 10 and thanked me for discovering Pookka! You're welcome world ;)
Once the world's problems were fixed, Pookka needed a rest and fancied a change of scene from the mythical forest. So she now chills in my spare room. She's not paying any rent and she eats an awful lot of cheese and onion crisps which isn't ideal. But she's pretty cool and great at finding new stuff to watch on Netflix.
And this little Mind Project was an adventure I had this morning, all before I had even finished my toast!
So don’t let all that grown-upping you have to do stop you from adding some light hearted fun to your day. Enjoy a little mind project of your own, partly for the creativity but mostly for the giggles.
'The best use of imagination is creativity'
Our imaginations are never 'off' so if you don't give them something to do, they can get bored and restless and they will find something all of their own accord to focus on.
Dr. Deepak Chopra, the New York Times best selling author and guru on all things well-being can attest to the fact that in his view "The best use of imagination is creativity. The worst use of imagination is anxiety." So using Mind Projects as a bit of fun can help you steer clear of the anxiety inducing places you would prefer your mind not to wander.
Give your mind something exciting to do. Let your imagination do what it does best, give it a focus but also let your mind have some fun with a 'no rules' approach.
Tighty-Whities?!
When it comes to using your imagination as an adult, there’s tons of ideas out there on ways to put it into practice. A lot of them are designed as ways to cope with stressful situations.
For instance, you’ve probably heard the advice before giving a presentation to "Just imagine the audience is in their underwear". But It's possible your reaction to this advice is one of three thoughts;
Ewwww no thanks, I would really rather not imagine my boss in his tighty-whities
I've tried but my imagination isn't playing ball and it's becoming more of a distraction
That stuff never works. I will just power through the presentation and hope for the best
So I totally get it if you're thinking 'Mind Projects' sounds like a load of phooey. But these aren't intended to be a problem solver or a distraction from anxiety, like imagining your audience in their underwear is. That technique (and don't get me wrong maybe it does actually work for some people) is designed to change your perspective.
Sure that's a good thing - if it works. But have you tried changing your perspective dramatically when you are practically hyperventilating and nauseous with anxiety? Not the easiest of things to do!
So Mind Projects really are just for fun. They might by proxy change your perspective or lift your mood and even lead to some world-changing ideas. But let's be honest, they will probably just be a bit of light enjoyment versus the usual day-to-day.
So don’t worry about your Mind Project having any kind of purpose or finding the 'perfect' one. Even just try it once and then never again because you forget all about it or you really do still think it's a load of phooey. It's just for the fun of it so it doesn't need to be used for anything other than to give your mind a mini break. Just see what your mind comes up with when it has the opportunity to be creative, just for fun and not for function or purpose.
Feel free to comment if you have tried any 'Mind projects' and found them to be of benefit or maybe you have some scenarios you can share as great 'Mind projects' for others to try?
The Who -
These Mind projects come from an amalgamation of research around human imagination. Imagination is key to our emotions and personality and using it effectively can create a significant positive shift in our day. It also plays a massive part in how we learn as children, so why not keep using it in those same fun ways to keep growing our minds and lifting our moods as adults?
There is a ton of research and scientific evidence out there around this subject but a few places to start if you want to know more are;
So if you get a spare ten minutes today, don’t spend them thinking about the million things on your to do list. Instead, let yourself enjoy a mind project and make some magical glitter waves.
Lou @ Feathered Paths Xx
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