Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “one can’t believe impossible things.”
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
- Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
Last night Chris found an old journal of mine where I documented our second year of homeschooling daily. On April 25, 2013, the page was full of notes. There is no title or reference for these notes. I am assuming I attended a talk or event that had something to do with the kids’ outdoor education program. I have zero recollection of writing these notes.
In the margin, I wrote the words: Costa Rica.
I have no idea why I wrote that. I also drew arrows connecting the following notes directly to “Costa Rica”:
Nature – a place not facilitated by people
Gratitude – live longer
Laughter – lots of humour found in Kalahari tribe
At that time, there were no solid plans to go there. The furthest we were planning to travel that year was Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
And now 6 years later, I find myself packing, getting ready to fly back to Costa Rica.
My kids think the most impossible and fantastical ideas because they imitate what they see – parents who think at least six impossible things before breakfast. Sometimes Chris and I have moments of anxiety about money and our life of uncertainty. We find the set point again that keeps us together on the same team moving forward instead of getting stuck.
This belief is our set point: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
When I meet my Goldilocks Conditions, I am relaxed. I easily slip into a solid creative practice, and my imagination comes to life again. Using my imagination means envisioning something that does not exist yet, playing with mental images.
If I can imagine it, then it is possible. I let go of the details: the exact how and when. It becomes more about the process of becoming solution-oriented versus problem-oriented. The act of using my imagination always leads to creative solutions or lessons in patience and focus.
TODAY’S PROMPT:
- Copy the Alice quote above or any other quote on imagination.
- With an “Anything is possible” attitude, write down as many whimsical dreams and goals for yourself with a playful tone. If it starts to feel like you are focusing on “what you don’t have” just STOP and switch gears. Let go and simply write, Anything is POSSIBLE.
- Draw your interpretation of six impossible things before breakfast.
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