#36 What I'm Dreaming About

After my article last week titled I've Mastered Sleep, a discussion opened my eyes to a remarkable truth - how people nostalgically recall their passion for dreams. But as life progresses, many abandon their dreams amidst adulthood responsibilities. This has to change.

Regardless of age, everyone should dream.

Today, I'm about to share my personal dreaming rituals, why I daydream, and what I'm dreaming about.

What It Means To Dream

Dreaming takes thinking to a different level. Our brain slips into a beautiful state. We are still capable of processing thoughts, yet we are disconnected from reality.

This allows us to enter an entirely different world, where the rules of the waking world can be bent, and simulations of various “what if” scenarios can unfold. This process fosters creativity in discovering solutions, answers, and pathways we couldn't find while bound by reality.

There, we can connect with our inner selves and shape our lives. Whatever excites you but seems impossible or too distant in an awakened state can become lived experiences within our dreams.

And you don't have to fall asleep to dream these dreams. Many pathways exist to reach this state, including the art of daydreaming.

I'm A Daydreamer

To me, daydreaming means disconnecting from the world around me. This usually involves gazing into the distance, often fixating on a distant tree. I can't quite explain why, but trees have an almost enchanting quality, as if they hold the secret to finding answers.

Stepping into my own world through daydreaming feels like giving my brain a cleanse. It's necessary because, despite our belief that we comprehend what we see, we actually see little and assume a lot. The interplay of subjective perception and confirmation bias creates our unique view of the world.

Yet, daydreaming opens the gates to an alternate reality. To a fantasy world.

Where there is no knowing but exploring. Assumptions fade away because I know nothing.

And this ultimately leads to new solutions and answers.

It's Easy To Forget About Dreaming

I'm sure we've all experienced those moments when a thought, a memory, or a feeling suddenly wells up within us. Something triggers it, and we can't help but dwell on that particular something.

For instance, you might see a stunning blue sky and tell yourself you should go on a hike soon. Or perhaps you spot someone on the train engrossed in a book, seemingly lost in its narrative, and a longing for reading hits you.

But then commitments fill your schedule, and you can't go for a hike, and you don't know which book to read, and life’s demands are calling you, steering you along the path of responsibilities. Before you know it, the thought of that breathtaking sky and the allure of those captivating books starts to fade.

It's as simple as that - easy to forget.

Come With Me To Fantasy Land - This Is How I Dream

Like you, I often get struck by a sudden thought or emotion that emerges seemingly out of nowhere. A few weeks back, a very distinct feeling surrounded me - a sense of restlessness. This unrest was primarily physical, which, in turn, cast a shadow of unease upon my mind.

I've learned to embrace this sentiment, drift away, and see where it takes me.

This is how I daydream

Whenever such a feeling surges within, my eyes instinctively search nature, looking at some distant point. At home, my gaze often drifts toward my cherished palm tree, a symbolic source of magic.

Focused on that single point, I can delve deeper into the emotion. I don't see anything, I don't hear anything. And I don’t attempt to comprehend anything. And I gradually shift into the opposite emotional state.

Instead of unrest, I feel serene invigoration.

With this new emotional state, I then try to look beyond. I try to figure out where I am. And that’s tricky, as rational thinking tends to disrupt the process. The moment the mind shifts into analytical thinking like “Where could I be?”, the dream state slips away like sand through fingers.

Then I just keep focusing back on “Where I am.”

Sometimes I find the answer within seconds, sometimes, it takes a few minutes, and sometimes answers never arrive. Then you have to try again another time.

In this particular instance, however, the answer arrived rather quickly.

I was running.

And as soon as I knew this, I could seamlessly immerse myself in the feeling - the flow, the strength, and the internal warmth - that running brings me.

Daydreams Are My Key To Motivation

Without this feeling of delight and joy, finding the necessary motivation and discipline to achieve dreams is hard. That’s why daydreaming is so important to me.

When I adopted a more serious approach to running again, reality struck me. I worried about being chased by street dogs (which did happen); I didn’t know where to run; the tropical heat made it so hard; my knees were screaming. It was awful.

If You Don't Have A Dream

If you have nothing to dream about, your modern mind will wander into a different territory: worry.

How many of you frequently drift into daydreams? How many of you spend hours tossing and turning at night, unable to fall asleep? Perhaps not every night, but now and then?

And it saddens me to know that people turn too quickly to sleeping pills at that moment. While I'm aware that sleeping pills might be essential for some, I believe that, for many, they aren’t the ultimate solution. They might be the beginning of a new problem (troubling statistics from the US paint a grim picture).

If you forget how to dream, you have nothing to aim for, nothing to strive towards, nothing to learn. If you fail to look ahead, the past will haunt you.

Learn To Dream Again - Two Suggestions

During childhood, our imagination is effortlessly vibrant. As adults, the demands of functioning in the real world often make it challenging to let our thoughts wander freely.

To initiate the process, consider practicing a simple exercise: Whenever a thought enters your mind, and your grown-up brain kicks in with logic, pretend you are in a perfect world. In this world, you don't think about when to hike or what book to read. Instead, you are already hiking or immersed in the pages of a captivating story.

Recapture the sensation of joy - remember how it feels. Leave thoughts for blisters and broken reading lights for the actual moment.

Alternatively, start with a small experiment.

Whenever you go for a walk, a light jog, or any activity requiring minimal concentration, as yourself this simple question:

What I'm Dreaming About

A particular dream has been growing within me for quite some time now. While not every detail stands out perfectly, I see enough to know the course.

I´m dreaming of a house filled with art.

Where the Art of Pilates can be embraced.

Where artful walls create a home.

Where words become alive.

Where reality becomes a living dream.

Dear reader,

At the heart of my writing lies the intention to spark conversations, just as my last article initiated a discussion that made this post possible.

If you have thoughts to share or stories to tell, don't be shy - I'm all ears.