Nudge Challenge Week 43 = Dreaming
NUDGED: "Keep a dream log and research what they mean"
BACKSTORY: The idea of writing down your dreams to get a glimpse into your subconscious mind fascinates me. I have heard stories of people who write regular dream journals and find a lot of meaning out of it. It has always been something I wanted to try to see if it makes a difference in my life. With the nudge that was selected this week, it was time to try it for myself.
QUOTE: "Yet it is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top." - Virginia Woolf
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I had a lot of questions going into the week. Would this prove to be very insightful or boring? What do my recurring dreams mean? Do I dream more when I am really tired or really stressed? Do I even remember my dreams? Do my dreams have meaning or are they random?
In short, I found out the answers to the above questions were: mostly boring, something I worry about, no and yes, sometimes, both.
The longer version...
The first morning I made the mistake of getting up and using the bathroom before writing down my dreams. By the time I had paper and a pen in my hand, I was mostly awake and most of the substance of my dreams had been forgotten. I vaguely recalled a yellow lab and a park with grass, but that's it. Per the internet, dogs in dreams are symbols of loyalty and protection...or it could just be a random dog I encountered in my lifetime.
The second morning didn't go any better. I wrote my dream down as soon as I woke up, but then struggled to read my rushed writing (ha!) and didn't understand what I was trying to say (ha!). My dream made no sense to me when I was awake, making it impossible to research the meaning further.
The third morning I remembered part of a dream as it elicited a strong reaction from me. I dreamed I lost my wedding ring and I panicked. My heart was still beating fast and I was shaking when I woke up (sidenote: my ring was exactly where I left it!). This is a dream (nightmare) that I have occasionally and is based on a fear I have of actually losing my ring. My wedding ring was my mother-in-law's that I received after she passed away. It is full of sentimental value and cannot be replaced. I'm always paranoid of losing it regardless if I am awake or asleep. Oddly enough, the internet weighs in on what this dream means, stating it could be unresolved issues, communication problems or wealth coming in the future (what?!).
My dreams from the other nights this week seemed to be comprised of random images and conversations compiled from my day. My brain processes information overnight apparently. I didn't discover deep and meaningful truths from the random dreams.
LESSONS LEARNED: Dream logging and finding their meanings is not meaningful for me. It may be great for others but it was not beneficial for me. I can always search online for meaning when a particular dream intrigues/bothers me, but it is not something I will be doing regularly.
NEXT UP: The new nudge for the week is to "focus on my posture". This is a good (hard) one! My posture is not the best and it is something I have always wanted to work on (but don't). Hopefully with focus and attention this week, it will be improved.
BACKSTORY: The idea of writing down your dreams to get a glimpse into your subconscious mind fascinates me. I have heard stories of people who write regular dream journals and find a lot of meaning out of it. It has always been something I wanted to try to see if it makes a difference in my life. With the nudge that was selected this week, it was time to try it for myself.
QUOTE: "Yet it is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top." - Virginia Woolf
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I had a lot of questions going into the week. Would this prove to be very insightful or boring? What do my recurring dreams mean? Do I dream more when I am really tired or really stressed? Do I even remember my dreams? Do my dreams have meaning or are they random?
In short, I found out the answers to the above questions were: mostly boring, something I worry about, no and yes, sometimes, both.
The longer version...
The first morning I made the mistake of getting up and using the bathroom before writing down my dreams. By the time I had paper and a pen in my hand, I was mostly awake and most of the substance of my dreams had been forgotten. I vaguely recalled a yellow lab and a park with grass, but that's it. Per the internet, dogs in dreams are symbols of loyalty and protection...or it could just be a random dog I encountered in my lifetime.
The second morning didn't go any better. I wrote my dream down as soon as I woke up, but then struggled to read my rushed writing (ha!) and didn't understand what I was trying to say (ha!). My dream made no sense to me when I was awake, making it impossible to research the meaning further.
The third morning I remembered part of a dream as it elicited a strong reaction from me. I dreamed I lost my wedding ring and I panicked. My heart was still beating fast and I was shaking when I woke up (sidenote: my ring was exactly where I left it!). This is a dream (nightmare) that I have occasionally and is based on a fear I have of actually losing my ring. My wedding ring was my mother-in-law's that I received after she passed away. It is full of sentimental value and cannot be replaced. I'm always paranoid of losing it regardless if I am awake or asleep. Oddly enough, the internet weighs in on what this dream means, stating it could be unresolved issues, communication problems or wealth coming in the future (what?!).
My dreams from the other nights this week seemed to be comprised of random images and conversations compiled from my day. My brain processes information overnight apparently. I didn't discover deep and meaningful truths from the random dreams.
LESSONS LEARNED: Dream logging and finding their meanings is not meaningful for me. It may be great for others but it was not beneficial for me. I can always search online for meaning when a particular dream intrigues/bothers me, but it is not something I will be doing regularly.
NEXT UP: The new nudge for the week is to "focus on my posture". This is a good (hard) one! My posture is not the best and it is something I have always wanted to work on (but don't). Hopefully with focus and attention this week, it will be improved.
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