The Imagination Reset

We tend to treat daydreaming like a bad habit. Like drifting off in thought is something to feel guilty about—something that pulls us away from the “real” world.

But what if the opposite is true?

What if imagination isn’t a distraction, but a design tool?

A 2025 peer-reviewed study found that engaging your imagination—especially in a playful, constructive way—is a real-time way to reset your emotional system and build inner resilience. When done intentionally, daydreaming helps your brain downshift, reframe stress, and open up space for possibility. It isn’t just fanciful—it’s functional.

Imagination as Emotional Regulation

The study, published in the International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, looked at how something called “Fantastic Reality Ability”—basically your brain’s skill in using imagination to explore positive outcomes—relates to mental health.

The results? People who regularly tapped into playful or visionary imagination had higher emotional resilience, better coping strategies, and greater mental flexibility.

That means letting your mind wander in healthy ways is not only good for your mood—it’s a powerful tool for nervous system regulation. When life gets overwhelming, your imagination can step in as a soft buffer. Not to escape—but to reframe. To help you see challenges through a more creative lens.

What Constructive Daydreaming Looks Like

Not all daydreaming helps. Ruminating, spiraling, catastrophizing—those aren’t imagination. Those are mental loops.

But constructive daydreaming? That’s when you gently guide your thoughts toward possibility. Maybe you picture yourself succeeding at something hard. Maybe you reimagine a conflict with more peace. Maybe you give your nervous system a break by wandering into a beautiful internal world.

The researchers found that this kind of inner playfulness doesn’t disconnect you from reality—it reconnects you to it with more resilience. In their words, it “helps people adaptively regulate their emotions and respond to stress without becoming overwhelmed.”

In essence, imagination becomes a form of emotional breathwork.

Fantasy That Grounds You

This doesn’t mean denying reality. It means exploring optional ones.

Your mind’s ability to simulate different futures—safe, empowering, hope-filled futures—isn’t delusion. It’s practice. It’s a rehearsal space for your nervous system.

That’s why highly imaginative people often bounce back faster. They can mentally picture growth beyond the moment. They can play with outcomes. They create space between stimulus and response.

Even imagining a better version of yourself builds a kind of emotional scaffolding. One you can lean on when things get heavy.

Try This: The 90-Second Imagination Reset

Here’s a simple practice based on the study’s findings.

1. Sit somewhere quiet. Close your eyes or lower your gaze.
2. Recall a challenge you’re facing—but don’t go into the story.
3. Now imagine:
   • A version of you who handles it with grace
   • A future moment where it’s already resolved
   • Or a wise, calm part of you offering advice

Stay with that image or sensation for 90 seconds. Let it be soft, playful, even a little dreamy.

When you return to your day, notice if something inside you feels just 1% more grounded.

Closing Reflection

You’re not “spacing out” when you daydream with intention—you’re tuning in. Imagination is your inner architect. It sketches the energy you want to embody, even when life feels messy. A wandering mind, it turns out, can be the most powerful compass.

Let it take you somewhere softer. Somewhere clearer. Somewhere you haven’t been—yet.

Source:
Rubinstein, D. et al. (2025). Fantastic Reality and Playfulness as a Means for Adaptive Emotion Regulation. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 10(1).
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41042-025-00135-3