― Albert Einstein
My teacher David shared from his research that only 20% of children develop the full potential of their imaginations. STOP!! This percentage is alarming to me. That means that 80% of us have this untapped natural resource lying dormant. The best news is that as an adult you can reclaim this part of yourself and fully develop it. How you may ask? Keep reading my friends.
According to Diachenko (2001) an imaginary process has two stages: (1) the creation of an idea; and (2) making up a plan to realize the idea. So lets translate that into your current reality. Lets say that you have had an idea of starting your own business, but you have always placed it on the back burner. Perhaps what has been missing is the imaginative part of yourself that not only creates the idea, but then also makes up a plan to realize your idea.
Another essential component is play. Play becomes vitally important to the development and containment of our innate need to 'play." According to the work of Guerra (2013), As a therapist or life coach we need to create "bounded spaces" in which clients can feel free to safely engage in play. Just peer into your own life for a moment. What do you do to 'play' and what have you deemed your 'playspace?' I have the great occasion to watch my niece play, and as I was listening to our lecture last evening it occured to me that when she plays, she is in a nuturing and bounded playspace. So where in your life do you feel 'nurtured' and 'safe' to play? Its great to bring this into your adult world, because play is vitally important to our ability to develop our imaginations. And see if you can't note a playspace that is different from your everyday reality, perhaps it's nature, gardening, using your artistic talents? See if this 'play space' can be outside of your usual routine.
As a coach, it is my job to help assist my clients in uncovering what already exists in them. This new language gives ample opportunity to explore imagination and play as clients envision the possibilities and dreams of this lifetime. What would you do if you knew that you could not fail; that success was guaranteed to you?
May you tap into the playful imagination that lives within each and everyone of us. Begin transcending your limitied thinking and allow yourself to open up to the amazement of NOW. As my teacher David shared, "The life you ordered has arrived."
May You Sweetly Seek:)
In Gratitude,
Sarah