“Jb tak kuat-e-takhiul h, ap hamara pehlu m betha h (Translation: As long as the power of imagination remains, you are sitting beside me)”.
- Janab Jaun Elia.
These famous words clearly express human mind and its ability to chase infinity. In every day life, we come across tons of imaginative ideas. We imagine those ‘never happened' conversations on daily basis. Maybe when we are in the shower, walking alone (even with someone else) or lying in bed at night. And, suddenly, your mind creates a completely detailed scene. Your are arguing with someone, having a political debate, explaining everything perfectly and you are winning. The moment where everything goes right. And the strange part is: none of it is real, but the emotions do feel real. You may feel excitement, some sort of relief, or quite the opposite. But, alas, you are living a moment which exists only in your head.
And at some point, almost everyone notices this pattern.
You are walking, sitting or doing something routine wise; and suddenly, you are inside your imaginative world. Such as replaying a moment from earlier, but this time, you say exactly what you should have said. Or, commonly, you jump ahead in time. You imagine success, fame, a future which you wished for, and it is finally here. And sometimes, it is the opposite. You picture things going wrong; people misunderstanding you; situation that haven’t even happened.
So innately, the question comes up: why does the mind do this?
On some research, I found out that this phenomenon is known as “mental stimulation”. It is brain’s way of rehearsing for things. Before acting, we imagine. Before speaking, we test various possibilities. This ability is one of the reasons humans plan, adapt and solve problems so effectively. However, once again, the same ability leads toward the problems. As William James says, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another”.
Automatic
It may sound easy, but in reality, most of there thoughts are not chosen one, they are automatic. The mind keeps running scenarios in the background. In many cases, these situations are not random; they are connected to something deeper. Sometimes, it is anxiety about the future, wanting to be prepared. And iff left unchecked, it will result in depression. Often, it is about control. Because, in imagination, everything makes sense. You say the right thing, and people respond the way you expect. The outcome is easily predictable.
Reel vs Real
Reality, however, lacks this predictability. Probably, that is why these mental simulations show up so often. They give you a feeling of control in a world that rarely feels fully in your hands.
Furthermore, if you pay attention, most of these scenarios of the imagined world fall into a known patterns: winning a lost argument, successful future or preparation for the worst. The main point is all of them are doing the same thing. You predicting and figuring out your life choices.
Honestly, imagination itself is not the problem. It is actually useful. People use it all the time - athletes, speakers, models or anyone trying to get better at something. Even in everyday life, mentally preparation for anything helps a lot.
The issues starts when action is replaced with imagination.
Thinking about a conversation is not the same as actually having it. Imagining success is not the same as putting in the work. Preparing for life is not the same as living it. In all these scenarios, the other characters are missing. When these characters join in, everything changes.
Beautifully Chaotic Life
Life, my friend, is something which happens while you are busy making other plans. And that is kind of what this is. You can spend so much time in your head, still the ultimate result will not be the same.
Just remember: if you catch yourself doing this a lot, it does not mean something is wrong. Usually it just means your minds is conscious, processing things, connecting lines and making sense of this beautifully chaotic life. The real thing is to be aware of it. Noticing when your imagination is helping and when you are just running in the circle.
Because, at the end of the day, the moments that actually matter would not happen in your head only. They will be in the harsh environment, messy conversations, risky opportunities. They might not be perfect, but at least feel real in a way imagination never quite can.
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Do share your thoughts 🤔💭
Peace 🕊