Imagine your way to happiness
Imagination, according to George Bernard Shaw, is the beginning of creation: ‘You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will.’
It’s a compelling idea – that we can harness our imagination to create a life we love. And it makes sense when you think about how often we use our imagination – albeit not always to positive effect.
How often have you heard your phone ping with a message and found your mind racing ahead to imagine the contents? You create an instant story about what the message might be before you’ve even read it. Sometimes those stories can be helpful. But, often, we make ourselves anxious by leaping to a worst-case scenario.
Our ancient ancestors would have gone into fight-or-flight mode only when they sensed a sabre-toothed tiger or similar actual threat. But, in 2022, just the thought of something stressful can trigger the same flood of
