Imaginary Life

Today's essay in Sarah Ban Breathnach's A Simple Abundance asks the reader to explore who (s)he would be in another life and connect it to reality.  Brené Brown talks about the hyphenated life in The Gifts of Imperfection; Daniel Pink says "We are our story" and discusses connecting diverse and/or separate disciplines as a "Boundary Crosser" in A Whole New Mind.  So, as I walk the path of authenticity, it appears important to examine who I want to be as well.

Who would I be?  Who is the imaginary me?  How do I tell that story?

In my imaginary life, I am a hair and makeup artist.  Famous?  Not sure, but what I am doing is creating and designing.  I guess you could call me an "Exterior Designer"©™ (which is actually quite funny seeing as my actual self is in the middle of exploring my "interior").  I work with my hands, with color, and with aesthetics.  I provide a service:  I help people feel and look beautiful.  I help people present the "self" they want to the world.  In my imaginary life, my clients leave happy.

Now my job is to connect this imaginary life to my real life.  What is the wannabe trying to say to the actual me?

My first thought is that I have a lot of pent up creativity.  I want to create.  I want to design.  Personal aesthetics appeal to me.  My second thought is that I want to help others.  I want to provide a service for people to help them feel good about themselves.  Acts of service is my co-dominant love language, and to show love for others, I do things for them.  My other dominant love language is quality time.  In my imaginary life, I have a specific time-frame in which I focus on and am doing something with/for someone else: quality time and acts of service.  (Quality time is a huge deal for me at the moment since in my actual life I am a working wife and mother of three boys.  I feel a time crunch every day, and I'm certain someone is left out, and most recently, I've begun to see that someone is me).

Speaking of time, my imaginary self is able to create her own schedule.  That is crucial because it is also important that you know that I am an introvert.  I recharge by having alone time.  It is not lost on me that my imaginary self finds fulfillment in an extroverted way.  My actual life mirrors my imaginary life in that respect.

Another realization that has been born out of this exercise is that, like many others, I define myself by my career.  Ever heard the question, "What would you do if money was no object?"  I have often related to the main character in the movie "Office Space" when he says "nothing."  But I know that isn't true for me.  If money was no object, I would be a SAHM.  I would put myself through cosmetology school and earn my license.  I would design and create for my family and for others.

Now begins the process of designing and creating in my actual life.  Living a hyphenated life.  Connecting seemingly separate and unrelated things and ideas.

Allowing authenticity through the aesthetic.