September 9, 2008

Get Juiced With Imagination   The new starts with imagination.  The imagination of someone who is thinking of the possibilities.  What if?  How could I make this better?  What opportunities exist out there for me?  What can I create?      Think about it.  What would life be like today if no one had the imagination to bring about the light bulb, automobile, airplane, air driven and electric dental handpieces, computer, cell phone, mp3 player, and everything else you can't live without?    "Your imagination is responsible for all creative effort.  New ideas are assembled here...Because imagination is responsible for creating everything new in the world, it is an invaluable tool for your progress along the path to success," said Napoleon Hill.   Yet, too often people put up barriers to their success by blocking their imagination before it even gets started.  They say to themselves, "Well, it's always been done this way, so what makes me think I can make it any better," or "It won't work because..." or "That's not possible," or "I'm just not creative."   It's those darn negative beliefs again, rising up to squash you down.  They keep you small.   Banish them!  Unleash the power of imagination within you.  Get juiced!  Give yourself a fighting chance to succeed.  Imagine that you can create the new.  Paint a picture of it in your mind.    Become a child again. Children don't stop themselves from dreaming what you think is impossible.  Their imagination knows no boundaries. They dream big, create stories, and make things up. You were like that once.  Use that childhood excitement to have fun with your imagination.  Let it run wild with possibilities and then chase those dreams with childlike abandon.   You will open the door to unlimited treasures when you unleash your imagination.  To paraphrase author JK Rowling's words in her commencement address at Harvard earlier this year - You don't need magic to transform your world.  You carry all the power you need inside of yourself.  You already have the power to imagine better.     "I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination.  Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge is limited.  Imagination encircles the world."             Albert Einstein   "Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination."             William Arthur Ward "The world is but a canvas to the imagination."             Henry David Thoreau   "Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.  But without it we go nowhere."             Carl Sagan   "First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality.  The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination."             Napoleon Hill     Imagination was forefront in my mind this weekend as John and I visited two art fairs in town.  The St. Louis Art Fair is one of the largest in the country and as I meandered through the booths I was constantly amazed at the imagination of the artists.  From ceramics to mixed media to photography, to jewelry, to woodwork I was bedazzled by their handiwork.  These artists certainly unleashed their imagination so that others could enjoy the treasures.   Our friend David Stine was exhibiting his craft at another art fair we attended.  He is a fabulous woodworker, who harvests the lumber he uses from family forests that he stewards himself.  We've been through his facilities and they are a sight to be seen.  Meet creative Dave here.   We're all artists in our own way.  I might not be able to paint very well or make pottery, yet I can transform a person's smile, write a book and more, and I have a pretty good eye for design and decorating.  How about you?   Have a fantastic week and get juiced with imagination.      Stephanie     We grow by "word-of-email" so please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone whom you think might benefit from and enjoy it. Thanks so much! Contact Us: stephanie@7steps2abalancedlife.com