As kids, we are all prone to be highly imaginative. We imagine ourselves as pirates riding the high seas in our grand ships, or as knights storming a castle, slaying dragons, and rescuing princesses. Our imagination finds expression in our creativity; we draw grand pictures with our crayons and paintbrushes, and we play act scenes from movies that particularly arrest our fancy. As we grow up, however, we tend to indulge less and less in those flights of fancy as real life takes over. But this makes no sense, really; indulging in a little bit of imagination does more good than harm. Here, let us see how imagination benefits us all life through.
Boosts problem-solving skills
Studies show that imaginative people are great problem solvers; in fact, the more imaginative you are, the better you are at finding solutions to tricky questions- be it in an exam paper or in real life. This is because imaginative people are more open to challenges; they are likely to think of an obstacle in their leisure time and come up with new methods of working their way past it. An imaginative person will naturally think out of the box and will come up with solutions to even the most difficult of problems. You can imagine the wonders this does for your professional and personal life.
It’s thrifty
If you are imaginative, you are likely to save a lot of money, as long as you are not too lazy of course. It is easy for you to imagine things differently from what they are at present, so recycling and upcycling of things are right up your alley. You will easily create beautiful lampshades and decorative items from a bunch of old CDs and other bric-a-brac and revamp your old shoes and clothes. Naturally, you will be able to save yourself a bunch of money, and not have to go through the pain of discarding favorite items.
It’s cash positive
And while you are saving money, you will be making a lot of money on the side as well. Look at the many highly successful writers, painters, sculptors, and filmmakers around us. They all are blessed with a vivid imagination. Your imagination coupled with your creativity will soon lead you to the big bucks. And if fame is not your goal, you can always open a little boutique- online or offline- and lure the world in with your little creations. Just take a look at social media, and you will see a number of such boutiques selling handmade jewelry, clothes, and whatnot. These entrepreneurs cash in on their imagination, which leads them to create items that will catch the public’s fancy.
It boosts memory
Recent studies show that imaginative people have better memory, and less likely to have degenerative memory loss. The more imaginative you are, the more neurons you have in your brain, and thus you are able to remember things more. This is being put to test in more practical scenarios; for instance, persons suffering from memory impairment due to trauma or illness are being put on a diet of self-imagination or imagining things surrounding one. This process has shown some positive results in helping to be back certain memories. This is because self-imagination helps in boosting memory function so that the person is able to recall specific incidents and information. Needless to say, this can be a great leap in understanding incurable degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
It’s a social glue
An imaginative person is a very valued member of every social group. First of all, there is not a boring moment with them around. If there is nothing to do, you can trust our imaginative friend to come up with a great idea for a game. If a game is not our cup of tea, it is likely that they will be able to regale you with stories; they can make up tales, and their natural curiosity also lands then in adventures that are fun to hear. Empathy is also a strong skill of the imaginative person; since they find it easy to step into others’ shoes, they are naturally more understanding of other peoples’ situations and behaviors.
It strengthens relationships
Being imaginative is an incredible boost to your personal relationships. As we discussed just now, a person with a vivid imagination is extremely fun to be with. Add to that that they are great problem solvers, and you can understand how convenient, if nothing else, it is having such a person by your side all the time! If you are blessed with a great imagination, you will come up with the most thoughtful and quirkiest of gifts for every occasion. You are the greatest person for arranging thoughtful and innovative parties and couple times. And your stints in the bedroom will become phenomenal, of course, because being imaginative means you are not afraid to push a few boundaries!
Imagination is a great gift, and we are all blessed with some amounts of it. Indulge in it, and revel in its glory, because it is the perfect companion for every person. It’s healthy and fine, and you only have to remember Dumbledore’s words: “It does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live.”