Imagination: Your Most Underutilized Tool
I believe that one of the main reasons that so many lifestyle and organization goals are dropped or only work short-term is because of a lack of imagination.
Do you remember the role of imagination in your childhood?
You “played house,” and simply by visualizing the elements of the story, setting, and atmosphere, the gameplay vividly came together. You formed pictures in your mind of the toys you wished for and the friends you wanted to see. You also imagined what you wanted “to be” when you grew up. Imagination was possibly the most important tool for interacting with the present moment and planning for the future.
Invoking the tool of imagination in adulthood is like working an important muscle that’s been neglected. Applying this tool towards your lifestyle goals personalizes the journey towards a home that supports your goals. Imagination also opens up pathways to flexible solutions when the journey doesn’t go as planned!
The role of imagination steps in for me when I notice I’m running short on motivation. What does that look like in practice? I take a few minutes away from the tasks at hand to visualize myself living in the home and at the pace I desire. Almost like a mental Pinterest board, I allow images to drift into my consciousness that resonate with a sense of peace and fulfillment in the home: organic produce, a structured prayer life, an uncluttered closet filled with only clothes I love…
The next step is to dig deeper and ask yourself, “what do these images signify?” The image of “organic produce” that comes to mind is merely an aesthetically-pleasing tiered basket brimming with produce. Without asking this question- “what does this image signify”- I’d likely succumb to consumerism and purchase a tiered basket without considering how it would help me fulfill my vision. “What does it signify?” In this example, the answer for me is healthy eating, by way of an organized kitchen that makes it easier to prepare whole-food meals and visually keep stock of the produce I have on hand. The deeper meaning behind the image in my mind offers purpose, which feeds my motivation in pursuit of this goal. The goal, however, was realized through imagination- and if I continue to strengthen my imagination, it will serve me in the face of novel twists and turns along my home-making journey!
The takeaway here is that visualizing the home you want, the lifestyle you desire, and the type of person you strive to be is a thought process made invigorating and effective with use of the imagination. When you approach your home without imagination, your goals may not be fully realized, resulting in short-sighted, frenzied attempts at organization, structure, and cleaning. Let’s put imagination back in its place and find joy in the pursuit of our goals!
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