Why Imagination is More Important than Ever (Week 5)

I’m gonna be honest – this has been a hard newsletter for me to write.

As your coach and guide, it’s important to me that I share ideas and inspiration to support you. Every week my aim is to bring what I know to you, in service of you and the authentic career and life you’re designing for yourself. 

At the same time, as a proud woman from California, it’s been devastating to watch the horrific ICE raids happening in my home state. My time spent on social media in the last week has skyrocketed – like rubbernecking past a car crash, I seem to have been magnetically pulled towards every breaking news alert. 

It’s taken a toll on me, leaving me feeling unbalanced and destabilized. I want to ‘be professional’ and yet nothing about our world right now feels normal.

In short: I’ve been feeling stuck. Much like many of us right now.

It’s especially ironic to be feeling this way during Week 5 of our Life Design Sprint, when we’re meant to be focusing on imagination. If I’m honest, lately I couldn’t have felt more disconnected from my own.

As I wrestled with this disconnect, I decided to put our Life Design Sprint tools to work.

I started with a perspective reframe (Week 1). Instead of staying stuck in “Writing about imagination feels impossible right now,” I decided to explore a more resonant and hopeful frame of mind: “Imagination is EXACTLY what we need right now.” 

I’ll admit, I was a bit doubtful… but I thought I’d give it a try.

From this perspective, I took a look at my values (Week 2). What are the values that are being dishonored right now? Empathy. Equality. Integrity. And then I asked myself: how might I honor these values more openly? In my case, I made a new sign for my front door (see it here).

Then, I turned towards asking curious questions (Week 3). In a conversation with two friends and fellow business owners, I asked them about their approach in this moment. How are they navigating speaking out, while also serving their clients and customers? 

I listened to their wise answers, and gave myself time to sleep on it. Finally, I woke up clear and ready to put pen to paper (Week 4). Or, in the case of this newsletter, to write down what I am ready to define – which is this:

Staying connected to our imagination is more urgent and more important than ever.

Now is actually the exact right time to turn towards creativity, visioning, dreaming and hoping. Because it’s actually our spirit of imagination and ingenuity that will bring us together. 

It’s asking ourselves, “What if?”

What if we could see the humanity in each other?

What if we could create systems and structures that prioritized people over power?

What if we could each design lives that authentically and uniquely reflected our truest selves?

Maybe the topic of imagination already resonates with you, or maybe you feel skeptical like I did. Either way, I hope you’ll give this a try and see what shifts for you.

Using our imagination isn’t trivial. And yet as adults, we often relegate imagination, creativity and play to the realm of little kids. I mean, when was the last time you actually imagined anything?

In my case, my imagination ‘muscles’ were very weak when I first started practicing Life Design. It felt self-indulgent, irresponsible, like I was being a Pollyanna who didn’t live in the Real World.. 

If I could go back to my former self and give her advice, it would be this: Nothing important has ever happened without imagination. 

Whether you’re scaling mountains, starting businesses, or rebuilding democracies – it all begins with vision.

It all begins with saying, “If I could wave a magic wand…”

So let’s start there!

This week your assignment is simple, but important. Grab a sheet of paper and pen, and set a timer for 5 minutes.

At the top of the paper write: “If I could wave a magic wand and wish for anything, I’d wish for:”

Then I want you to write as many answers to that question as you can in 5 minutes.

They can be big wishes (world peace) or small wishes (feeling rested). They can be wishes for you (healthier eating habits) or wishes for our collective (a stop to illegal ICE raids).

There is no judgment on what you’re wishing for. No one will see this list. So go full out and name all of it.

Once you’ve exhausted your list of wishes, consider this question:

Who is the ‘magic wand’ version of you that exists when your wishes come true?

What do they think and feel? How do they act? What choices do they make? What relationships or habits have they let go of?

I did this exercise recently and realized that the ‘magic wand’ version of me wears more colorful clothing. She also tackles those pesky phone calls and errands that have been on her to-do list for way too long. And so, one morning, I put on a coral-colored blouse and knocked out all those to-do’s!

Who is the future version of you who has made their wishes come true? And how might you begin to embody them today?

🔥I’ve got exciting news! 🔥

I’ve just opened up limited spots for Summer Sprint Sessions: 3 targeted hours of coaching with me to get unstuck, get clear and get going on your summer goals. Learn more and sign up! 

Here’s to you and all you imagine for the future.

Onward,