We let our imaginations run wild

This week, I'll be sharing some lessons I've learned as a wellness counselor. These are things I've observed in my clients and in myself—maybe you'll recognize them too.

5 THINGS WE ALL GET WRONG WHEN IT COMES TO WELLNESS:

3) WE LET OUR IMAGINATIONS RUN WILD.

Our imaginations are what make us human. We build entire systems and societies around shared stories, envisioning futures we then bring into fruition. For better or for worse, our collective creativity becomes our collective reality.

Yet this expansive imagination can become a barrier to our well-being if we operate from a place of anxiety, fear, or self-judgment.

When I was deciding whether or not to start my own business, one of my biggest concerns was what my friends or family would think. Will they think I'm crazy for walking away from that much success and security? Will my business be perceived as too woo-woo? I'm an Ayurvedic wellness counselor certainly doesn't sound as reputable nor easily understandable as I work at Microsoft. How will I be asked to prove myself?

The truth is that my friends and family have been nothing but supportive of my path. The minute I made the decision to leave Microsoft I was met with love and encouragement. Contrary to my anxious imagination, my community has only ever wanted my health and happiness. Both drastically improved with this change, so there were no more questions.

What I was doing was projecting my own self-judgement—my own fears and anxieties around identity—into the future and personifying it in others. I was anticipating something that never existed outside of my imagination. And that imagination was not benign. It was having a very real impact on my physical and mental health here in the real world.

When I see this come up with my clients, I encourage them to pause and reconnect with the tangible, physical world.

Bring awareness to the imagined state and acknowledge what it's trying to communicate.

Ground yourself in the here and now by returning to your breath and physical senses.

Metabolize and release the emotion with some intentional, physical act like journaling.

Remember: your mind can time travel, but your body can’t.