Jim and I have a big dream about starting an aquaculture farm and retreat center on a gigantic piece of land. Our dream is called The Mermaids Garden. As we get closer to that dream becoming a reality we were talking at dinner about what we should do if we have a mountain lion on our land.
Sean (in all seriousness): “Well we should get a hippopotamus because they are super territorial and really mean. The mountain lion would go away really quick.”
Jim: “Where would we get the hippopotamus?”
Sean: “The hippopotamus store.”
Me: “What will we name it?”
Sean: “Duh mom, Boo Boo Butt like in the Book With No Pictures.”
This got me to thinking, why don’t we let our imaginations make decisions for us as we get older? When do we turn that off? What would happen if we let our imaginations roam free? What kind of creativity would we invite into our daily lives if we imagined a world where hippos named Boo Boo Butt roamed free on farms in Oregon?
Here are some tricks I use to get more imaginative and less stuck in my thinking:
Be Present - Tap back into your body even if it feels super uncomfortable. Imagination comes from being present in the moment and not overthinking too much.
Have Fun - Fun doesn’t have to be a huge endeavor. Watch a video of lambs bouncing. Color with crayons. Do a puzzle. Turn on music from your high school days and dance around. Hold your partners hand.
Enjoy the Process - Life is not meant to be controlled, it is meant to be an exploration.
I am really excited to imagine my way towards The Mermaids Garden. If you want to follow us on this journey follow us here on Facebook.
In the meantime let me know what your imagination is cooking up.
Using your imagination is rebellion.
Carry on.
Love,
Dr. Melissa Bird