· By S. S. Coulter
Imagination - Power that Shapes Our Reality
An Exploration of Imagination (Part 3)
We have a giant swing set in our backyard … the kind you see at parks. The story of how it got there is a story unto itself. But this story? It’s my third installation about imagination (see Part 1 and Part 2).
How do I know kids still have wild, wonderful imaginations? The awesome 6th-grade girl who lives next door comes over by herself to use our giant swing set. As I’m typing this, she’s out there. All alone, she’s swinging as high as she can, then lying on her stomach doing Superman. Now she’s swinging sideways, coordinating her movement with one of the empty swings. It’s so awesome to watch. I don’t know how long she’ll be out there, but what I do know, is that her imagination is making her time “alone” amazing.
I think back to my childhood, and I can remember hours alone on my swing set, setting up challenges against an imaginary friend. I’d spend hours enjoying the challenges and all the make-believe obstacles, crowds, and events I concocted in my head.
You might say, “Well, that makes sense for you, you grew up to be a writer.” But no – think! I know you did stuff like this too. In fact, I recently read that we cannot go anywhere in the physical world that we haven’t been in our imagination. WOAH! We plan what we’re going to do in our heads before we go with our feet. This can lead to really great things, and it can lead to some bad stuff too.
Really think about it. Let’s take a work assignment as an example. You are presented with something you’ve never done before. Now watch what happens – depending on where your imagination takes you:
Scenario 1: You decide you are going to rock it. You picture yourself nailing the project, earning praise, and feeling confident. You’re energized. You research, read, reach out to experts. Your excitement and energy build. You skip the Instagram scroll during lunch and hit the gym, where even more insights flood in. Obstacles arise? No biggie. You’re resilient and motivated. You know you’ll succeed. Boom. That’s imagination working FOR you.
Or…
Scenario 2: You decide this is too much for you. You panic. You imagine your boss yelling, picture yourself drowning in unfamiliar material, and convince yourself it’s too hard – before even opening a browser. Anxiety kicks in. You head to lunch and binge YouTube shorts to avoid the thoughts. You never even get started. Now it’s a monster of a task with three heads. You’re stuck between missing the deadline or admitting defeat. Ugh. That’s imagination working AGAINST you.
We all have done this in different ways … it’s flu season, and you’ve already imagined yourself getting sick so “who cares if I wash my hands.” You just helped that little bug. Or… you picture yourself healthy, and suddenly you’re sleeping better, eating right, and yes – washing those hands! Amazing!
Really think about it (positively, of course…ha). When you wake up in the morning, you can shape your day with a single thought:
“I’m so tired.”
Vs.
“This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!”
I’m telling you, try it!
I wanted to lay this out for you because when I think back through my good vs. bad days, my successes vs. failures, and my health vs. sicknesses, I can absolutely look to where my mindset was and see the difference. Isn’t this amazing?
And now, back to our kids. Because this is the part where we can make an even bigger difference.
Imagination is a really big deal. It’s not just silly daydreaming – it’s life-directing. When we encourage our kids to play, to pretend, to dream up whole worlds and challenges, we’re helping them build the very skill that shapes how they’ll face the real world.
Let them swing. Let them soar. Their imagination just might be the most powerful tool they have.
For more on imagination:
An Exploration of Imagination (Part 1): A Healthy Imagination: More Than We Give It Credit For
An Exploration of Imagination (Part 2): Encouraging Creativity: Why Imagination Matters
15 Reasons Why Imagination Is Important? by Curious Desire
The Power of Imagination by Andrew Wommack
Imagination by Psychology Today
Imagination: Definition, Benefits, & Examples by Berkely Well-Being Institute