Imagination Overload

Is an over-charged imagination a good thing or can it be harmful to, let's say, one's spirit?

I know, you probably just went... "What?! What is she talking about?"  For starters it's an odd question and might not make sense to you at all.  I am sure a lot of people are thinking the words 'imagination' and 'harmful' do not belong in the same sentence.

So I'll skip the jibber jabber and cut to my point.  I have a very BIG imagination which leads to all sorts of ideas, odd thoughts and TONS of day dreams.  If I were to keep little note pads everywhere and write down all the things I think of and shared them with you I think you would find me to be a little crazy.  (Crazy in the good kind of way though, I promise none of my thoughts are morbid... except when I day dream about my funeral.)  My imagination has concocted about 20 different novel ideas, literally novels, like fiction books you read. All of them romance- go figure.  In another life I'm pretty sure I was a fiction writer.

So how is this harmful you ask?  Well I'm wondering if my day dreams and big, bright ideas let me down sometimes.  For example... I day dream a lot about getting into different magazines with my photography. Like the editor at Sunset Magazine calls the editor at 1859 and asks if he knows of a good photographer in Oregon.  Of course (since this is MY day dream) Kevin (editor) says that I am the best and gives the editor my contact information.  Before you know it I'm hitting the front cover of Sunset.

My day dream prompts me to some sort of action that might make that lil dream a reality.  Of course I'm sensible enough to know that the editor of Sunset is not going to contact Kevin and even in the RARE case he/she did I'm pretty sure I would not be number one on their list.  So I know I need to do something else to get their attention.  So I looked into what magazine editors like to receive as far as promotional items from freelance photographers.  I made such promotional items, I made a list of magazines to mail to and now I will sit back and hold my breath.

What's happening though is I've got myself so psyched up from all my day dreaming that I think all these magazines are going to call me.  (So now we've gone from just Sunset to like 12 different magazines.)  I'm now day dreaming of Mix contacting me and the editor at Portland Monthly saying "This is the girl who had that awesome front cover on 1859... she wants to shoot for us!"

What happens when every single one of those promotional photo cards gets tossed in the trash?  Or better yet, not even opened?  What happens when my day dreams don't turn into reality?  Will this kill my spirit?  Will it slowly, over time, bring me down to the point where I don't listen to my dreams anymore?

It's not just my photography business.  I swim.  I practice 4-5 times a week, I enter in a few meets through out the year.  My day dreams do not consist of me having a great practice or a best time in my 50 fly.  Noooo.... my day dreams are taking me to Nationals in 2013 back to my old stomping ground, Indianapolis IUPUI.  I'm swimming in Nationals.  All of my friends and family are there watching.  I'm seeded first in one event and second in another.  I'm talked about on the TV and the radio.  They talk about how pretty my butterfly is and how fast my flip turns are.  I swim.  I win.  I go out and celebrate with everyone.   It is actually very possible for me to swim in Nationals in 2013.  Partly because you don't necessarily have to qualify.  It's possible that my mom and dad would come watch... maybe my sister and maybe a friend or two.  Everything else is just hype in my head though.

Am I letting myself down or am I holding myself to unattainable standards?

I'm pretty sure I can't suppress my imagination nor can I cut out my day dreams.  I've been like this since I was a little kid.  I just hope that I don't get lost in my world of day dreams and that I know the difference between my outrageous dreams and reality.  I hope that I keep trying and that those dreams don't break me.

...Here's hoping one of those magazines contacts me... and I swim at Nationals. ;)

Skipping,
Aubrie