How can I restore my childlike imagination?

What a wonderful question! Our thinking is a product of many influences, history, family, external stimulus such as social media and how our environment "speaks." The beautiful thing to know is that we have an ability to "talk to our brain" and make conscious choices as to the script we are repeating to ourselves. Our thinking, or the way we think becomes habitual. So, if we have been in an environment of "negative" thinkers from our past or present, unless we choose to reject those thoughts we will think negatively. It is within our power to think in a more positive "childlike" way. In a moment I will explain how. 

First, let's examine a child's imagination. Psychology teaches us that a child's play is their "work," They are learning and curiosity is their teacher. They ask many questions and have a thirst to understand, turn over every rock and imagine. They pretend they are a princess or a prince, they "play" they are superheroes. Their play is practice for life. We also can reclaim some of this childlike wonderment and imagination by "allowing" our mind to go there. For example, the next time you are outside, slow down, look and really "see" what is around you in nature. In other words, slow down and take a look. We rush to our work, we rush to the store and school. Regimented, automatic driven. Take one minute and stop, focus on a bird, bug, tree and "wonder about that environment! Reteach your brain to be curious and imagine. It takes practice, remember negativity and lack of imagination is a non-helpful thinking habit. This practice will also help anxiety and the feeling of being over-whelmed. Now for a basic formula to help you regain your "child-like" optimism and imagination. 

I like to call this technique my three Rs plus one.

• 1. Recognize what your thoughts are, ask yourself what am I thinking and why. Say to yourself or even aloud, "is this thought helpful?" Mostly no if it's negative. Then go to step 2.
• 2. Reject, fire, dismiss the thought. Tell your amygdala, the area of the brain where this thought comes from, NO! I find it helpful to name your amygdala and tell it emphatically NO!
• 3. Now for step 3. Since your amygdala is very emotional and reactive it won't listen well so now you must REDIRECT your thoughts by preferably doing an action behavior to distract, or quiet the non-helpful thought. That could be cleaning the spice rack, getting up and walking outdoors, or if driving changing the channel and listening to music, a bit louder than usual. This behavior comes from the frontal lobe of the brain and as the CEO of your brain we must direct it.
• Finally, this is the plus one, REPEAT when thoughts go negative or non-helpful.

Claim your child-like imagination, it is still there just pushed to the side.

Good luck and I hope this process opens your world and gives you joy.