Losing and Finding the Daydream
I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, I used to spend a lot of time daydreaming.
I’d let my imagination run wild, pondering all that I wanted to achieve and create for myself in the future, and fantasizing about what life would be like when I get there!
The vast number of possibilities and hypothetical paths I could take was not only endless, but so much fun to think about!
Lately, this has been at the forefront of my mind since I’ve been spending a lot of time with my 5-year-old granddaughter. We’ll spend hours together lying on a big fluffy blanket in the backyard, looking up at a bright blue sky, and chatting about all the wonderful dreams she is (unbeknownst to herself) manifesting for her future! Anything from owning a pet unicorn, or at the very least “a big house with a horse”, to unlimited ice cream for herself and her five future children!
I love spending these moments with my granddaughter, getting on her level (quite literally), because she reminds me of how much fun it is to lean into that childlike state of mind. A beautiful resource that’s instilled into our very being from the moment we are born, but something we quickly lose sight of once we reach adulthood...
This really got me thinking:
What happens to our ability to daydream? Where does it go? At what point between childhood and adulthood did we stop fantasizing about what we want to bring into the future?
I was so stumped by this question, that I began to ask the people around me...
My friends, my clients, and my peers would all look at me like a deer in headlights when I’d ask them the simple question “What do you dream of having in your life?”
“I don’t know” was the most common response.
And I mean, it makes sense right?
We get busy being busy. So busy, that we feel we don’t have the time to slow down and quiet our over-productive minds for long enough to let our dreams come out and play!
If it’s not a matter of having the time for daydreaming, then it’s this socialized idea that daydreaming is silly or a waste of time. That to devote any of your already limited time to fantasizing rather than acting, is just plain lazy.
You see whether we are aware of it or not, what we are doing here is giving away too much power to the fear-driven and anxiety-ridden part of the mind. Consequently shutting down our ability to dream!
The reality of the situation is that people who spend more time intentionally daydreaming (or meditating, manifesting, etc) gain more clarity and awareness of their future vision. The ability to really hone in on and see clearly what you want aids immensely in your ability to create the plan you need to make it happen!
Neuroscientists at Cornell University have studied precisely this concept, and discovered that “off-task” mental daydreaming can actually boost performance!
Hans Berger, the inventor of the electroencephalogram (EEG), was the first person to suggest that the human brain is at work 24/7! So my question to you is, why not have your brain work smarter vs harder and utilize some daydreaming!?
The real trick to successful daydreaming is to create a space for yourself that’s comfortable and suitable for some much-needed quiet time. Not too comfortable though, cuz you don’t want to fall asleep! But a place just cozy enough that you can relax and decompress. It could be inside or outside, and you may want to include some light reading or doodling material. Nothing that’s going to be overly stimulating though, the key here is to aid your mind in shifting from do, do, do, and go, go, go, to creating enough space within that you can let some of that precious creativity seep in!
I recommend beginning by doing some deep, intentional breathing. This will really allow your mind to drift, wander, and roam. Really try to focus on releasing preoccupation with daily grind as you exhale, and with each inhale, remind yourself that this is your special time to create openness for creativity.
Don’t forget to record whatever feelings, thoughts, or images that make their way into your mind, by writing them down on a piece of paper or in a designated dream journal. When finished, feel free to share your dreams with others! When we share things out loud, we create better connections with people (and with our own hearts) and we also significantly augment our ability to manifest our dreams!
As I was laying there on the big fluffy blanket with my granddaughter, listening intently as she shared each of her dreams with me, I too began to dream. I realized at that moment my dream was to spend more time like this with her. To spend more time with my family, more time dreaming and actually sharing my dreams with the people I love!
I’m happy to report that I now have a cozy daydream-space all set up right alongside my Zen Garden. I make the time in the morning to do about 10 minutes of daydreaming. And while it may not make it happen every morning, my goal is 3-4 days a week for now. Eventually, I plan on expanding this practice to an everyday ritual! And maybe I’ll even get to the point where I’m called to daydream twice a day!
The possibilities are endless when you’re off in dreamland! And I really hope to see you there soon.
Sending you warm fluffy wishes for the coziest of daydreaming endeavors!
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