The Sad Story of Lost Imagination
And How to Bring The Sparks Back

‘To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.’ Joseph Chilton Pearce
There I was, in the middle of a bunch of crayz people — the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, Dodo, Tweedledum, Tweedledee and the Cheshire Cat up in the tree. We had tea together and filled Wonderland with laughter that left the Queen of Hearts green of envy.
I would imagine to save Wonderland from the evil queen, I would fly over the clouds, all the way to Neverland with Peter Pan and I was sure to have my own dragon one day, like Falkor from the NeverEnding Story.
That was the 5-year-old me.

Do you remember the days when the treehouse by the lake was your majestic castle? When the old lady next door was a mean witch that wanted to put a spell on you? When you went in search of the gold pot, as soon as there was a rainbow painted up in the grey sky?
As we grow older, our imagination dies.

Somewhere along the way, all the beautiful colours of our mind seem to fade away.
‘Creative’ ideas are considered unrealistic, crazy or totally bonkers.
The only thing you might get is a smile, out of pity, for your ridiculous idea.
We are forced to adapt to the norm of thinking.
Art classes judge your creativity harshly.
If you don’t fit in, you fail.
The outcome of our imagination, the creations that emerge, better fit into the expectations of society.
Being imaginative and creative becomes something scary.
To big is the fear of doing something wrong.

Have you ever read a book and felt inspired? Walked through an art gallery, wondering why you weren’t born with such a talent? Admired photography, wishing you could do the same?
Whenever we are confronted with imagination in the expression of art, there is this slight envy.
Why can’t I be creative like that?
You can be! Anyone can be. Somewhere, hidden in dusty depths of your mind, behind heavy, grey curtains, you will find them. You will find leftovers of the colourful sparks. The sparks of imagination that the child you were, was not afraid to embrace.
How to bring the sparks back

1. Find inspiration
A new cafe, a magazine you’ve never read, an art gallery, a stroll in the park — it can be anywhere. The first step is to open your eyes for the things that surround you. You’ll be surprised by how fascinating a sky full of stars suddenly is.

2. Change your perspective
Try to see the world through the eyes of the 5-year-old you. What would you have thought about the man in the suit across the street?
3. Finding your way of expression
When the greys in your mind start to respark with colour, you will probably feel the urge to create things. It’s about bringing your thoughts and emotions to life. There are countless options and it’s up to you, to find your favourite. I personally love drawing and writing, how does your imagination become reality?

4. Make it a habit
The more we do it, the better we become. You’ll quickly notice a change — creating for the sole purpose of creating, will give you a feeling of true satisfaction.
5. Be proud of it!
No matter whether you do it for yourself or decide to share it with the world — embrace your imagination and be proud of your work.
Creativity doesn’t require knowledge, nor talent, only courage.

Imagination: the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality.
It all starts in the head. We must break through the grey walls of our logic driven minds, forget about rules and limitations — there are no such things when it comes to art.
Dare to live a creative life! Dare to be beautifully wrong! Dare to be proud of it!
It’s not too late to recolour the mandala of our imagination and let creative sparks fly again.
