I have a 4 year old niece who I call the ”Peanut”.  Even though she’s just a kid, it cracks me up how much I learn from her – instead of the other way around. One of the Peanut’s many talents is the power of imagination. Sometimes she’s a ballerina, sometimes a singer, an artist or a basketball player.  In her imagination though – the Peanut is really good at whatever she does.

Funny thing is that I used to be that way, too. We all were. But as we moved through life and the many reality checks it brings, we didn’t exercise our imagination and it got weak like an unused muscle. So now here we are at midlife and self-help gurus are encouraging us to ”vision” what we really want out of life. Well the Peanut says that’s just another name for imagination and recently she gave me a refresher course on how to do it — and do it well.

We were in the children’s section of my neighborhood library. I sat half-reading a book and half-watching as the Peanut explored the stacks, selecting several books. She looked through them, picked one to read and settled herself on this huge floppy floor cushion.

As I watched, unnoticed by the Peanut, she opened her book and started reading the story out loud. Everyone was listening.  It was something to watch her gesture to her audience and engage them in a dialog about what she was reading.  Trust me when I say it – the Peanut had the audience mesmerized.  Never mind that I was the only one around and the Peanut can’t read.  She simply isn’t bothered by such trivial things.

Because on that day in the library, the Peanut’s imagination allowed her to travel from what I saw as the reality to that place where she was reading to a group of people who loved her and the story. What better vision is that?

It struck me as I watched the Peanut that she created her vision so effortlessly. She didn’t have to listen to CD programs, read books, watch DVDs or meditate to figure out how to use her imagination to transform her vision into reality. She just did it.

Well this aunt didn’t fall far from the tree.  I took the Peanut’s lead and now I’m doing that imagination thing too.  Inspired by the Peanut, I’m learning — all over again — to take what starts in my imagination and turn it into reality. I never knew it could be so easy until I saw the Peanut in action.

When was the last time you used your imagination to transform your reality? 

Karen Batchelor is a certified professional coach supporting women in midlife.  Visit her website and blog at Midlife’s A Trip .  She also writes at BlogHer, where she’s the contributing editor on midlife issues, and here at Midlifebloggers.