How Intuition And Inner Wisdom Can Strengthen You During Difficult Times
If you're feeling lost, unfocused, or like you just don't know what to do with your life - it may be time that you start listening to yourself. The world can be confusing and chaotic these days. It's so easy to let the noise of society drown out our own inner voice, the one telling us where we want to go and how we want to get there. We say that we need guidance – but are too afraid or aren’t sure how - and yet guidance is always there for us when we decide that it is. Guidance is a gift that we can give ourselves, and it’s not something you have to wait for someone else to give you. It's something you can create within yourself.
You might say that's great in theory – but how do you even start? That's where this article comes in handy. I think we all have access to the tools needed to take charge of our own lives, and these tools come from being intuitive, listening to our inner voice, and having an active imagination. My purpose for writing this article is to help point out some of the best ways for utilizing imagination in everyday life - especially when it comes time for finding your answers or knowing what your next steps are going to be.
“What is imagination? It is a vivid mental image that brings a new awareness of the world, opening doors to our understanding and experience. Imagination is the faculty that separates us from the animals, giving us the ability to create new things, understand abstractions and appreciate beauty.” ~ Dr. Judith Orloff
Imagination opens up our minds to possibilities we would never have thought possible before. It leads us down paths that we might not have even known existed until we started walking them. Instinct is like a compass: it gives us information about what direction to go in but not necessarily why we need to go there or how we get there. Imagination is the tool we need to fill in the blanks of curiosity and instinct, to find out where we want to go and how we want to get there. You might not know why you need guidance or how it's going to help you get there, but if you think about it long enough hopefully it will start coming into focus.
Some people think imagining is useless because they're feeling helpless and like they have nothing in their power at all. As my daughter says, "It's more useful than brushing your teeth." I believe that thinking helps us make sense of our lives, so I give that a big thumbs-up. It's being able to see how the pieces fit together that helps put our lives back together again. If we can't figure out how everything fits together, then we might as well be missing half the logic behind our actions. Imagining gives us a place to start putting the puzzle pieces together - and where could be more important than that?
The truth is, imagining is an active process. It's not just going through random thoughts in your head - it's an active process of choosing what you want to focus on and paying close attention to it. It's charging your batteries with positive energy so that your imagination becomes a powerful force within you. It's a way to actively think about your life rather than letting it go by without knowing what you'd like to see in the future, or what your next steps are.
In order for your imagination to be helpful, you don't have to invent any specific scenario - just let yourself wonder. Sometimes we need to just let our minds wander and not worry about how to get from point A to point B, because it might end up taking us down an unexpected path that leads us somewhere else entirely. Imagining a specific path is helpful but not necessary - I find that imagining something more general is most valuable. You don't need to chalk out a plan for the next 14 steps. Just let your mind wander and start imagining in general terms about where you want to be and what you want to see in the future.
As a kid I used to pretend I was at a fancy party - that's how I think of an imaginary scenario. I didn't have any specific plans or agendas, except that I wanted to be having fun and eating good food. That's it! That simple desire was what guided everything else in my day-to-day life: my academics, my social life, who I associated with and who my family friends were - it was just all about making sure that I had fun and enjoyed myself. That's all I had to do and it was good enough. You don't have to create a specific scenario or even specific people you meet, because you're imagining an outcome in general terms.
You can think about other things too - like being in the middle of the ocean, or floating over the clouds on a magical dragon, or walking through the woods at night and feeling completely safe and warm. You can imagine anything! The more interesting your own imagination is and the more imaginative it starts to get, the more beneficial it will end up being for you. Just make sure that you're imagining things in general terms and that they're things you'd like to see and experience.
Imagining is always going to be a little different for each person, because everyone has their own way of experiencing life. But one of the benefits of being imaginative is that it will help you live life more fully. You'll never know when a change in scenery, a new perspective on your situation or something altogether new will pop up out of nowhere and surprise you with a brand new view to take in. This can be a huge start to the next chapter of your life and the better you get at imagining, the more choices you'll have in how to respond.
“What is imagination? It is a vivid mental image that brings a new awareness of the world, opening doors to our understanding and experience.imagination is the faculty that separates us from the animals, giving us the ability to create new things, understand abstractions and appreciate beauty.” ~ Dr. Judith Orloff
Imagining is specifically about creating a vivid picture in your mind with no set agenda in mind: it's just something that comes naturally to some people while others seem to need an instruction manual.
Imagining allows us to dream about our lives and possibilities and to imagine certain things we would like to experience. It is a creative process that can help us see what could be and possibly, yes, even become. It can help us step out of limiting realities and into new and fresh possibilities.
The better you get at imagining in general terms the more you will get back from the imagination in the form of positive results with no strings attached - it's just that simple!
Holding on tightly to our imagination or letting it go completely is just going to lead you down one path or another - this is as true for life as it is for relationships.