“Living your best life is achieved through executing your greatest ideas.” —Carolyn J. Braden, 3/25/2019
I often wake up in the morning while in the middle of a dream. Many times I will lay in bed for a few moments so my brain can finish it. I’m probably forcing an ending with my conscience brain through doing this, but it’s like being in the middle of a good television show or movie and being forced to stop watching to see what happens. We all like to see endings to good shows and movies, so it makes complete sense for one to want to finish a dream.
I’ve been fascinated with dreams since I can remember. My mom fed my fascination by giving me books on Freud’s ideas of dream interpretation and books about general dream meanings. I’ve kept dream journals for years, write about dreams in my regular journal, and now I like to log significant ones in a notes application on my phone. I’ll even sketch out dreams sometimes.
Many times my dreams serve as inspiration for my art and answer questions I have about my life.
One thing I have learned about dreams is that they tend to be very abstract. They are like an abstract painting that doesn’t really look like anything in particular. You have to really study and observe it for a while before you get the meaning. Flying dreams don’t necessarily mean you will be able to fly. Someone dying doesn’t necessarily mean you or someone you know will die. Being pregnant doesn’t necessarily mean you need to become pregnant. When you have a significant dream (one that you can’t stop thinking about) you should spend time with it. Study it. Really try to get to it’s roots and through that, you can determine a meaning or gain a better understanding of yourself and what’s going on in your life.
Many people will tell me “I never dream” and that’s not true.
Everyone dreams, it’s just that some have better recall than others. Getting better at dream recall starts with waking up at least one day a week without an alarm. When you allow yourself to naturally wake up, a dream memory is more likely to stick around. As soon as you have memory of a dream, log it. Write it down, sketch it, type it up or talk it out with someone. My husband and I will often have conversations about our dreams. Some are super silly and give us a good laugh, while others help us figure each other out (because, yes, even after 18 years of being together, we are still figuring each other out!).
I encourage you to start using your dreams to come up with answers and ideas for your life. I’m thinking if you are reading this, then perhaps you needed to and you are off to a great start! Here’s an online dream dictionary that can help ease you into learning more about dream psychology and interpretation: Dream Moods A-Z Dream Dictionary
Sending my light and love to anyone who needs it!
Behind the Art: Dreams Coming True?
Today’s art piece was definitely inspired by a dream. I woke up with an image of a light bulb and a rainbow. Then came the quote “Living your best life is achieved through executing your greatest ideas.” I dreamed up the idea to dedicate my life to writing, art and creating. Yep, that idea came to me in a dream…well, in waking up from a dream. It happened first in 2008 and again in 2016. It’s been a really slow process, but slow and steady wins the race, right?
Though I haven’t achieved my quote yet, I think I’m on my way to making it come true. And that’s the best I can do.
