Imagination

I am a singer by training. Music is my first love, but it was through improvisation that I truly learned how to activate my imagination. It is a funny thing that as we grow older we just don't allow our self to engage our imagination.

As a child, we imagine everything spontaneously. We create cities, towns, friends, creatures and sounds that just exist inside our imagination. It is real and immediate. It is a huge part of what young children do when they are playing.

As adults, we hardly ever just play. Okay, the momentary horsing around with our kids or being silly with our partners, yes that is a type of adult play. We just never really create a spontaneous something that is totally created from the depths of our highly active minds. Well, maybe sexual fantasies, but that is engaging our imagination for other purposes.. (smile)

I can remember very well the first times that I engaged in the games that involved improvisation. I was afraid that I would do something wrong. What a silly concept. One can never be wrong in improvisation. That is the beauty of playing. Nothing is ever wrong. Can you imagine that you are at work and that nothing you did or say could be wrong? This is an amazing feeling. This is why I am addicted to improvisation.

When I began improvising on a regular basis, my imagination began flooding me with all kinds of ideas, melodies, poems and stories. It was like something was unleashed. The weekly playing around with others from all walks of life gave me a different perspective about how I engage with others in my life. It empowered my ability to be stronger at work by seeking to listen and be present in the moment.

Being present is a powerful sensation. You are not thinking about the past or contemplating the future you are just there doing what needs to be done or what doesn't need to be done. It is a feeling for me of both emptiness but incredibly full at the same time.

If you feel that you are not connected to your imagination look around and see if there is a local improv class for beginners or better yet you can play games alone as well. Send me an e-mail and I will share with you some improv games you can play alone.

Okay, do something - anything that will engage your imagination. It provides a rich arena for playfulness and creativity that we all lose sight of in our hectic lives. If you do something now, please feel free to share. We all could benefit from hearing how others engage the imagination.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach