Imagination … this formidable capacity of the human being to conceive things which do not exist yet (or to dream those which will exist soon, as you prefer).

Napoleon Hill said: “imagination is the laboratory of the world” . I really like this quote because it is very true.

Imagination is the prerequisite for creativity , because we create what we first imagined.

But what does “use your imagination” mean ? And above all, how to have imagination? Does this amount to having a vision? To be creative? To have the ability to dream awake (which has been proven to boost creativity)?

Having imagination is a bit of all that, but above all it is a very powerful resource . It has the power to set you free, to help you find a solution to a problem or to give you perspective.

Developing your imagination allows you to better feel your passage here below by enriching your mental life.

And, good news, the development of your imagination is precisely the goal of this article!

Two imagination techniques

Stimulate your senses!

Imagination involves all the senses, not just that of sight. Here are two exercises you can practice, one for exercising your visual imagination and the other for your auditory imagination .

Find a photo or print a picture you like of a nature scene. Then find a picture of something that scares or disturbs you.

Strong emotions can boost imagination and creativity . Hatred, love, excitement, sadness – all these feelings directly affect the creative side of your mind.

Start with the first picture, the nice one, and look at it very carefully. Let your mind wander:

• What does this image remind you of?
• What is its deep meaning for you?
• What can you say about the place (forest, mountain…) / conditions (rain, good weather, night…) / season?
• What could be hidden just beyond the scene you are holding in your hands or next to it?

Let your imagination shape ideas of how this scene develops into a larger and more complex one. And above all, try to enjoy it .

Then grab the scary picture. Study it and, in the same way, react to what it tells you. What bothers you? Broaden your view of the scene and view images of what is hidden beyond. Imagine this by including specific details to form a true story in your mind.***

Let’s move on to your auditory imagination. You can get background music, for example (type “ambient music” in Youtube, for example) and listen to it through headphones, if possible. But if you already have music that inspires you in stock, don’t hesitate to use it.

Again, relax and imagine a chest of the size of your choice. Letting the music guide you, imagine what might be inside.

Pay attention and imagine the details, as if you were hypnotized. What is the size of the objects, their texture, their smell? What could be their story?

Continue viewing this scene until the end of the song.

7 tips to boost your imagination

Open your mind …

To unexplored ideas and the means to dig them out, rather than avoiding / abandoning what requires a work of imagination. Or delegate this task to others who are supposed to be more imaginative than you.

This is the first step to integrate.

Try it one step at a time. The idea is to make this little exercise a challenge rather than something boring , discouraging.

With a little habit, you will gain mental agility and your persistence will be rewarded.

Discuss these ideas!

Learn to love debates! Observe how creative people passionately discuss ideas; as they dare to assert their original, nonconformist views on all kinds of subjects.

This is especially because they don’t lack imagination on what things could be.

This attitude is at the base of the greatest human achievements, from the invention of the wheel to the uprisings against tyrannies.

Try, affirm your ideas : it is not excluded that you end up liking it in the end …

Meet children

Remember how imaginative you were when you were a kid.

It is because it is during childhood that our capacities of imagination are at the maximum. This is explained by the fact that children do not erect any barrier to their fantasy. Since they know much less about the world around them, it naturally leaves them more room for imagination.

Observing the state of mind of children can help awaken your imaginative capacities. This will help you remember your own childhood memories, and their way of letting their mind wander will inspire you.

After all, children spend their time copying adults, so this is just a fair return! You can take your childhood experiences as the starting point for a story you create.

Meditate

Meditation can help you boost your imagination.

Since I meditate, I have changed the way I function. My mind being clearer and having more self-confidence, I take things more lightly and creatively.

Formerly I was always looking for the solution to a problem, I was only analyzing. Now I know that with patience and more letting go, I get better results. For example, using visualization has helped me a lot in writing blog articles.

What do I want to send as a message? How will readers feel what I say? Etc.

If you want to learn meditation, I recommend this great method (the one I used) which allows you to do it in just 5 minutes a day !

Read!

And fiction, preferably 

Take your inspiration from the novels and let your imagination develop from those of their authors.

Reading creative writing like poetry or novels can spark tons of ideas. Not only are you witnessing the breadth of another person’s imagination, but you are fueling your own at the same time.

In this, poetry (which is expressed through images, metaphors) is a great source of ideas because it forces us to think in a non-linear way.

So relax, grab a good collection and see where your imagination takes you!

Read interesting new things to think about. Unpublished information or perspectives are excellent for arousing the imagination.

The other day, for example, I was reading an article discovered on Google+ about a spacecraft that could theoretically travel faster than light by distorting space-time.

Unbelievable, right? And above all, unstoppable to get carried away in a whirlwind of imagination

Enjoy some art…

Discovering new ideas and images offers endless possibilities for the imagination.

Go visit a museum, an art gallery or expose yourself to another form of visual artistic stimulation . It can help you relax your mind and open up your creative senses.

If you find a work of art that inspires you, take a physical or mental photo and use it as inspiration.

Let your mind wander and develop its own images from what you have seen. Your fantasies are a resource, and the place where they transform and mingle in your mind is where ideas are conceived. You have to capture, retain and exploit them.

Bring a friend with you to discuss all of this. See how he himself reacts to the stimuli that mark you. Having someone with whom to debate willing to open new discussions will encourage you to use your imagination.

Exercise

Exercise your body and mind to help creativity in you.

You can try drawing, writing, dancing, making music, scrapbooking, or whatever you like.

Physical exercise is also a preferred way to stimulate your imagination. Personally, this puts me in a sort of “  flow state  ” conducive to the generation of ideas… and the imagination!