How to Create Your Own Reality

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” ― Albert Einstein

For many of us, life is simply defined by what we see happening “to” us and around us. Moreover, life can sometimes feel like it is something that we cannot control, so we go about our day-to-day hoping for the best as we deal with one happenstance after another. Now, at times, life will throw us a bone and we will feel happy for a moment. Yet, it can just as easily throw us a curve ball too, leaving us feeling victimized all over again. Unfortunately, this rollercoaster way of living is not really living at all. So, maybe it's time that we do something about it.

When we think about creating our own reality this might seem like too much of a fantasy for some people to wrap their heads around. I mean, if we can create our own reality why, then, would we create a reality that we don’t really like? And if our lives are truly within our control, why do we feel so out of control so much of the time?

The truth is, blaming the outside world, feeling like a victim of circumstance, and complaining about what’s going wrong is the most counter-productive way to live, as it ends up perpetuating the very same conditions that we want to change. And even though it might not seem like we are doing much in the way of perpetuating our life’s circumstances, in reality, that is exactly what we are doing, whether we are creating experiences that we like or ones that we don't like.

As such, I believe that one of the most important tools that we have to create our own reality is perspective. Perspective is everything because it demonstrates how we choose to see the world. And how we choose to see the world, and ourselves within it, is what will determine how our lives will ultimately turn out. And so, if perspective is our superpower, why, then, are more people not using it?

Everything in our lives is a choice. It may not always seem like it, but we always have some sort of choice in everything that happens in our lives. Will we choose to go right or left? Will we choose chicken for lunch or just soup and salad? Will we choose to forgive or will we hold a grudge? Will we choose to see the silver lining or just doom and gloom? Will we choose to be authentic or will we pander to others in order to gain approval? We are choosing ALL of the time, even when we are choosing disempowerment over freedom.

So, then, what does it really mean to create our own reality, and how does perspective (and imagination) play into it all? Well, when we choose to FOCUS on what we love and enjoy, and IMAGINE what it looks and feels like to be, do, and have what we desire, we end up changing our PERSPECTIVE and PERCEPTION from being a victim to being a creator. And when we do that, this is when we become empowered to create the reality of our choosing.

The world may look a certain way, events might unfold in ways that may not seem ideal, but that does not mean that our experiences must succumb to the pessimism that abounds. There is always a way for us to create our own perception of reality, but we have to want to, and then we have to try to. And the best way to start is to use our imagination.

Everything in this world is made up of energy, including our thoughts. And what this means is, when we align our thoughts, and subsequent behaviors, with the imagery of what we desire to experience, our experiences line up to exemplify those visions. As such, we need to focus more on what lies beneath the surface of what we see so that we can gain the perspective that we need in order to create our own version of events that we want to play out in our own lives. Can we control every aspect of everything that is outside of ourselves? No. Can we control how we perceive and then what we do with every aspect of everything? Absolutely yes! And, at the end of the day, this is what matters most because this is where our power truly lies.

When we use our power of perspective and our imagination to create the reality of our choosing (first in our mind’s eye), we are essentially at the beginning stage of creating something out of no-thing. Imagine yourself having a blank canvas and all of the colors you could ever want with which to paint. What would you choose to create? Would you allow someone else to come up to your canvas, take your brushes from you, and paint what they see for your life? Or would you shoo them away as you realize that this is your responsibility AND privilege?

The truth is, the universal laws of creation never go away, just like the sun always shines above the clouds. And just because we don’t always perceive that it is there, that doesn’t mean that the sun has ultimately disappeared, nor that the universal laws of creation have been nullified. Consequently, even when we are in the midst of a situation that seems hopeless, or navigating through a world filled with discord, the sun is still shining, the earth is still spinning, the universe is still expanding, and we can always choose to perceive it in that way as we move forward towards how we want our lives to unfold.

Creating our own reality is not about forcing anything into being or pushing our way through others to get "there" faster. It’s not about competing for space or asking for permission to be who we are or to want what we want. Instead, creating our own reality starts from within by molding our personal perceptions of life in the way that we want to see it. And when we figure out what we want from within, and hold that image and feeling firmly within our hearts, the outside world will simply have to follow.

What’s important to mention here, however, is that creating our own reality does not mean ignoring or denying our current one (for acceptance and acknowledgment are what actually precede conscious creation). Rather, it means that by being conscious and aware of the fact that nothing is happening by accident, this leads us to actually having a say in how our lives will turn out.

To be clear, accepting does NOT equal conceding. Instead, it’s about releasing your resistance to “what is” so that you can move on to something that you feel is better for you. Accept how things are right now without needing for them to change. But, at the same time, do something towards changing them (including changing your perspective about them). So, just to reiterate, accept things for how they are rather than how you expected them to be. But, focus on how you want things to be so that you can eventually change how things are. This way you will release the disappointment and resentment that has been holding you back from living the life that you've always wanted to live.

So, think about the type of perspective (and perception) that you are cultivating right now in this moment, and ask yourself the following questions:

1) How much of your time do you spend on complaining versus appreciating what you already have?

2) How much of your time do you spend focusing only on the happenings of the outside world versus imagining what you truly desire?

3) How much of your time do you spend blaming the world and others for your problems versus taking responsibility and then inspired action towards your solutions?

4) How much of your time do you spend in fear of being controlled versus exercising your God-given right and ability to co-create with the universe?

Remember, no one and nothing has any power over you if you do not give away your power. And so, own your perspectives, change your perceptions, imagine your reality, feel your joy, and then create the life that you’ve always wanted to live. Then the world will see your determination, and it will happily comply.

Bonus tip:

If you have never made a vision board or collage (or haven’t in a while), I would suggest that you give it a try now. It’s a really simple and fun exercise that gets you into the feeling of exploring your desires and narrowing down your goals to what feels best and right to you in this moment. You see, when we are clear about what we desire to create in our lives, somehow the energy starts flowing in that direction. And when we are immersed in good vibes, we are more open to seeing opportunities that will help our goals to manifest.

I've been creating vision board collages for years now, with some elements remaining constant, and some that I change up from time-to-time. And, yes, sometimes the things from my boards have come to life, while some other things have yet to appear. But, the purpose for these boards is less about making something happen, and more about getting into the essence, vibe, and feeling of what I want to perpetually experience, in addition to what I want to further create in my life.

The reality is, what you truly desire doesn't always manifest in the exact way, shape, or form that you spell out. But that's totally okay because the main reason for your imagination is not so much to control every outcome but, rather, to understand what your heart truly desires, and then immerse yourself in that essence so that you are aware of the opportunities that arise to help you to create the feeling of the vision that you desire to experience the most.

Remember, everything that has ever been created first started out as a thought, an impression, and a vision of what could be. So, use this as your motivation and inspiration, knowing that anything is truly possible when you know and believe that you can ultimately create it.