Learning to Daydream
Growing up, daydreaming was seen as a “bad habit”. Teachers would reprimand students who spent time daydreaming instead of focusing on the lesson being taught. But over time, I have come to realize that daydreaming is an important part of life. Yes, there is a time and a place for it – but letting our minds wander can be a great thing. In fact, when reading Sarah Centrella’s book #Futureboards, one of the first things she does is get you to decide whether you are a thinker or a dreamer.
I fall squarely into the thinker category. Then, in true “thinker” form, I started overthinking my lack of daydreaming and being hypercritical of myself. So, I decided to do something about it. In order to make the most of this whole law of attraction thing, I have to learn how to dream.
Wait…is this even possible? According to Michael Harris, author of Solitude: A Singular Life in A Crowded World:
“An annoying truth about daydreaming is that it takes practice to get good at it.
And we are sorely out of practice.”
So how do we get practice? I did my research and wanted to share with you some of the ideas that I came across:
People watch. Yes – put the phone away when you are on the train, grabbing a cup of coffee, or at the park. Watch those around you. And try and make up a back story for them. Perhaps you see a couple sitting together and you imagine what their relationship is and where they met. Or you see a parent with their kids and watch their body language to concoct a story as to what their relationship is like.
Read a fictional book or watch a movie and imagine what you would do if you were inserted into the situation. Would you have reacted the same way as the character or done something differently?
Imagine you had $100 to spend. How would you spend it if you had to spend it all today (anything you don’t spend will be lost). Then, each day double what you have. How many days can you keep going for?
Immerse yourself in a favourite vacation memory. Where were you? Who were you with? Where did you stay? What did you love most about it? Close your eyes and really immerse yourself in the memory and try and experience is once again.
Imagine you won the lottery. How would you spend that money? What would you spend it on? Perhaps you would buy yourself a dream home. Where would it be located – in the same place where you live now or perhaps another city or even country? How big or small would it be? What would the rooms look like? What type of style would you decorate it in?
If these ideas sparked some daydreams for you, I’d love to know. Drop a comment below or head over to our private Facebook group to let us know!