Let Your Imagination Run Wild and Then You’ll Reach Your Dreams
By: Tori Nauer
Tags: Self Improvement, Advice, Mindset, Imagination, Personal Growth

Let Your Imagination Run Wild and Then You’ll Reach Your Dreams

The tools you need to break away from your self-imposed limits

Image courtesy of the author

If you had all the time and the money in the world what would you do? Don’t hold back, think big, unleash your wildest dreams and set your soul on fire!

Without financial boundaries or imposed time limits, where does your imagination take you?

How often do you let your mind take you on this ride? How often do you connect with these emotions and tune into your highest self and your fullest potential?

When it comes to self-improvement how can we grow if we can’t dream, be creative or simply try?

The problem with living your best life is that it often comes from stepping out from your comfort zone or striving for more (a.k.a a lot more) than what you are currently settled with.

As a society, we are told again and again to ‘settle down’ as if anything beyond the realm of a steady job and white picket fence is considered too outrageous, immature or just plain stupid.

But when you look around, when you think about those most inspiring and encouraging, those who are living to their greatest potential and making the greatest positive impact in our world, chances are they’re not playing to the ‘settle down’ rule.

These people are not playing small. They don’t care about society’s expectations and they certainly don’t fit into the traditional categories of a steady job. They are entrepreneurs, digital nomads and freedom seekers, looking for more and refusing to accept anything less than the fullest human experience.

So close your eyes and dream. If you could do anything, be anything, create anything what would it be?

There Are No Limits

Let’s hit pause for just one second. Before you jump into your wildest dreams, let me take a moment to remind you that you are worthy. You are deserving. And you are capable of anything. And so is every single human on our planet.

For years I lived my life, thinking that I was limited creativity, emotionally, spiritually. I told myself I was only deserving of a certain amount of happiness, of freedom and that I could only chase my dreams to a certain extent before I had to come back to reality. I was limited by a self-imposed glass ceiling.

Until it all changed.

I started to meet people from all over the world who were infinitely creating their dream lives, from scratch. They were limitless, free and contagiously happy.

I met an entrepreneurial family who had set off travelling ten years ago and since created nine online businesses, had two children and travelled the world. I met an incredible Brazilian woman who had quit law school, moved to Bali and became a vegan chef and pro surfer. I met couples who were paid to travel the world, stay in luxury hotels and take photos. I met other families whose children who had grown up on boats while sailing the world, learning solely from the languages, cultures and experiences which surrounded them every day.

It blew my mind.

For me, seeing these people not only creating but living the lives of my wildest dreams, with fun and ease, planted a seed of hope in my subconscious mind. It slowly chipped away at my self-imposed glass ceiling. Day by day, I gradually began to realise that if these people could live their lives to their fullest limitless potential, so too could I. The only thing holding me back was myself!

At the beginning of a journey, when the doubts creep in, such a life can feel trivial, scary and completely unattainable. I know, I’ve been there. But, dip your toe in, indulge your imagination for just a minute.

Here are some of my favourite tools to break away from the confines of your self-imposed limits.

Break-Away Tools

Vision Board

Cliche I know, but vision boards have been shown to increase motivation, improve follow-through and help individual’s gain clarity on what exactly it is that they want.

Use Pinterest, Instagram, whatever visuals you can find of exactly what you want. Get specific. And then put it somewhere where you will see it every single day- your bedroom walls, the fridge door, your laptop screensaver. Our minds are deep, complicated places, but they can also be guided over time to believe that which we surround ourselves with every day.

Hobbies

Think about what you enjoy doing most in the world. Even if you’re not ready to flip your world upside down. Even if you are feeling overwhelmed and/or stuck. Start with finding five extra minutes a day to do something you love- be it cooking, surfing, gardening, drawing.

I guarantee there is something in your life that brings you so much joy. Think about what you spend the majority of your free time thinking about? What do you spend your disposable income on? What topics do you love discussing? Now focus on that. Open your mind to the opportunities and endless possibilities of this topic and then sit back and see where it takes you.

Meditation

Another cliche, but for good reason. If you have trouble hearing your own unique voice or you feel creativity stuck when it comes to your goals and ambitions, try meditation.

Learn to still your mind for a few moments a day. Learn to listen to and reflect on your thoughts, conscious and subconscious. Questions the stories you tell yourself, are they actually true? Reflect on how far you’ve come and find strength from your past experiences.

Slowly as all the background noise starts to fade away, you might be surprised by what ideas come into your head.

Bucket List

Finally, write a bucket list, even if it’s outrageous, even if it feels impossible. If you can think of something that makes your heart sing, write it down! You are allowed to dream!

It can be corny (think sky diving or hiking Mt. Everest) or completely outrageous (say breaking a world record for eating pizza on a submarine- whatever floats your boat!).

Just be honest, open-minded and limitless with yourself because this is where dreams begin.