I jotted this note down from a speech I heard. Kids are imagination machines. Their world is a kaleidoscope in which reality and make-believe run together into a riot of fantastic patterns and colors. Why do so many of us lose this ability as we age?

How many of you had a delightful toy where you swiveled the end piece and bits of colored paper or plastic created new shapes continuously? Maybe you have the grown-up version using glass pieces encased in a heavier material than cardboard that you still point at the light and ooh and aah at. Perhaps it's time to go and get one as a reminder to let yourself be in awe of the wonder of how simple changes can be made and new solutions found through a little twist.

I worked for a company that named one of their post-production special effects products "Kaleidoscope" because of it's ability to take images and merge, convert, and generally perform magic. If you watch any movies or television you have seen the amazing results that technology allows people to achieve. Think of your brain as an incredible piece of equipment powerful enough to mimic this exercise. Study after study has shown that we use just a small portion of our brain's capabilities - and much of that is on the logical and analytical portion.

Want to know how to encourage the use of your imagination to create more instances of achieving those intuitive a-ha solutions and moments of knowing that you are on the right course? That flash of insight feeling? A direct knowing or comprehension. How about that spontaneous understanding of the how or why of something. Whether you pay attention or not is a matter of trust in yourself. Of being willing to accept that what you have just realized is valid. Even if it isn't the final solution - it's a step up the ladder to creating a better you and a new opportunity to reaching the goal you are currently pursuing.

Are you providing outlets for your creative senses and the need to stretch your boundaries? Allow yourself to feel and act beyond your typical innovative and inventive styles so an even more original strategy can evolve. This generally requires you to be willing to accept ideas from wherever they may emanate (the concept of allowing the universe to bring to you what you need and want). Is your mindset one of limitations or expansiveness? Are you willing to think bigger than "normal"? Or are your patterns of thought more in the realm of being squished inside a box because that is what you are used to?

Some people believe that you have to be very specific about what you want your outcome to be. It's true that some tasks or projects require an understanding by everyone involved. It's essentially the starting point from which you then work backwards to figure out the best way(s) to get to that level of achievement. This may be referred to as having a common vision or a shared sense of purpose.

I believe it's okay to be vague when you are starting out on a project. This allows you to be more receptive to possibilities. Brainstorming, mind-mapping, jotting notes, or just talking with others can stimulate your mind into new directions that you weren't even considering before. Try not to anticipate an outcome as that can be a mind closer. Another approach that may appeal to you is to consider your main topic to be the eye of a hurricane and as it swirls and builds force - more and more is brought into its fury until it is finally spent and settles down.

You have probably all heard that it is the quantity of ideas that is more important when investigating or exploring a new avenue. In other words, related and unrelated ideas are all important at this stage. It is then -- as you begin to sort, categorize, meld, piggyback, and organize all those comments and ideas into some kind of order -- that a stronger semblance of quality emerges. This is a good time to practice the infamous reporter (or 4 year old) questions of: who, what, why, when, where, and how.

I've been on task force teams that had the good sense to bring in "outsiders" who weren't involved with the project in any way because they didn't come in with preconceived notions. They listened and then added ideas based upon their experience and expertise. Also - since they had no personal stake in the outcome and no rivalry with the other members - they felt more free to toss out "wild ideas" that might trigger thoughts for those more intimately involved.

If you've really been open, a new solution may pop out and you know it's what you need to get moving. So get started and add on from there. You start to cull from the other ideas to add depth and width to the project. This is when the finesse shines through.

Other times, the challenge to figure out what needs to happen next takes a bit longer. That's good too. This gives your brain more time to digest and mix with all the other knowledge you have stored. Applying pressure at this point can be detrimental. As long as you give yourself time to consider other angles, this is when some of the best breakthroughs will appear in your subconscious and/or conscious mind. It's from this point that many people get their a-ha's, gut feelings, or dawn of realization solutions.

Let the intuitive and the rational be partners. The voice of our own "genius" can only be heard if you are listening for it. It's okay and actually necessary to allow some emotional feelings to come through. This can be difficult due to cultural, social, and family upbringing. Those hunches, the light bulb coming on in the mind, and the casual or serious observations of what goes on around you allow you to exploit opportunities to "birth" new ideas almost instinctively.

Why should you cultivate your imagination and intuition? Because it helps you to be open to "acting on impulse". These thinking styles draw from your storehouse of knowledge, skills, and talents. The subconscious mind holds even more treasures just waiting to be found, opened, and used to your benefit. Let these attributes act as a springboard to the normal functioning of your brain's capabilities. Value and nurture them regularly.

In reality, achieving those "yes!!" moments is due to an already extensive familiarity with the topic. You're permitting yourself to consider all possibilities from a variety of sources and resources. And, you are trusting yourself to know that whatever you have been seeking is there for the taking right now. I encourage you to peek around the corner and look over the edge - you might be pleasantly surprised at what you discover.

It's not really magic - unless you consider all of life to be a magically wonderful rainbow-colored, pot-of-gold seeking adventure! Now that's an imaginative picture and my intuition tells me it's time to go out and play!