The Benefits of Daydreaming
“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”
- John Lennon
Are you a daydreamer? Chances are if you’re visiting Creative Journey Cafe, you are. You were the kid in math class who used to doodle on your book cover, or stare out the window watching clouds drift by, right?
Daydreaming gets a bad rap, though, don’t you think? To the outside world, it looks an awful lot like wasting time.
But think about it - what would life be like if we didn’t daydream?
You might enjoy this quick story about my friend Ted’s dad - a published novelist:
One day his wife saw him sitting at the kitchen table, staring out the window, doing nothing. After an hour of this she had enough; there was housework to do and she let him know it. He slowly turned his gaze from the window, looked at her and said, “I’m writing.”
It all starts with a daydream, doesn’t it? The novels, the buildings, the paintings…
I remember one bright weekday morning several years ago, I felt inspired to write a poem. I’ll never forget - it was 10am, and there I was “goofing off” - daydreaming - writing this poem while all my ‘responsible’ friends were at their 9 to 5 jobs, wearing ties and bringing home the bacon. I felt totally irresponsible at that moment, yet excited about what I’d written.
Later that day I discussed this experience with my friend Pete. I told him that I felt guilty for writing the poem at 10am on a workday. He looked at me, almost confused, and said, “But that’s your job.”
Coming from Pete, who is one of the most responsible corporate types I know, those words meant a lot. It was as if I finally had permission to daydream, to be an artist, to live a life different from most people.
Of course, daydreaming isn’t enough if your goal is to publish that book, or become a great actor. Daydreaming followed by action is when the real magic happens.
Turning a daydream into reality is one of the most satisfying feelings we can have.
So…are you a daydreamer? What did you daydream into reality?
Be sure to tell us by leaving a comment!
To be a daydreamer is a gift. To be able to dream your passions, whether it is writing, inventing, painting, or creating anything, it starts with allowing your brain the freedom to go into the undefined, boundaryless areas of your heart. And then to move past the dream into making it a reality, is there anything more fulfilling than that? That is the ultimate in intimacy. You’ve exposed your inner hidden place and shared it with others. It’s almost a holy experience. I find when I share what I have written, I am left very vulnerable. But at the same time it is so satisfying. It reminds me of being with your love.
I loved your post. Thanks…
Hi Mark,
I like to daydream. I stare out the window (next to my desk) and think. I often find creativity in my daydreams, and sometimes a smile or two. I sometimes feel like I’m wasting time, but in a sense, it’s often time well spent.
Yes, I was one of those kids that doodled on my english book and wrote word games on my math book.
Part rebel, part artist. Or are they one and the same.
Nice site!
Wonderful musings everyone. Loraleigh - welcome and thank you!
I’ve always been a daydreamer and it’s the way I write and write music. If I don’t have some daydream time I get very irritable! I dream myself alive
I worked a lot with dreams of all kinds over the years. Did you know that daydreaming can affect the amount of night-time dreaming you have? If you daydream a lot you can have less night-time dreams. When people tell me they don’t remember their night dreams, I tell them they can work with daydreams instead. They can be just as enlightening.
I believe dreams, both by day and night are the key for unlocking our greatest potential; creatively and spiritually x
I am always thankful for my daydreaming moments that could be interpreted as “goofing off” by some, but to me, they are often the most important moments of my life where some of my greatest discoveries and ideas are found again.
My idea for my book came out of daydreaming and thank God I was quiet enough and allowed space in my day for moments of quiet daydreams.
Great reminder!
Hi Amylia - that’s great about your book! Thanks for chiming in.
Every morning I give my children kisses and wish them happy daydreams. I hope this gives them the permission they need to indulge in the development of a very important skill, quieting their busy minds and letting the magic of the moment seep into their consciousness.
Hi Julie - welcome to the cafe! That’s a really sweet thing to do for your children. Kids need more down-time, or daydream time, in general these days. Bravo!