How to Change Your Day “Nightmare” Into a Day “Dream”
You have a big imagination! We all do. 
Every day we use our imagination to create Day Nightmares or Day Dreams.
Day Nightmares and Day Dreams come to us at random times. They usually come to us when we are doing something repetitive and are not fully engaged, like grocery shopping, driving to school, running, or drying your hair.
Day Dreams
1. Day Dreams Start Young
Do you remember Day Dreaming when you were younger.
I do. It would go something like this.
I am in seventh grade and its 1:45 pm, and my history teacher’s voice drones on and on. Something magical happens. My mind starts to travel. I imagine Ben (the real cute boy in the back of my class) liking me. He is going to bring me a valentine telling me how cool I am, and sit next to me in class and all the other girls are jealous. (Something deep like that)As I go over the Day Dream in my mind I feel all happy inside.
2. Day Dreams Look Different When We Are Adults (Thank God)
I had a client Beth tell me recently that she never had a big dream. Beth had no idea where to start to find out what her dream was.
As Beth continued talking she realized that she had lots of smaller Day Dreams. As she told me about one Day Dream her face lit up and she had a huge smile on her face. Her Day Dream was about starting a business. Beth described her Day Dream. She could help other women and start a website. She had lots of ideas of how to market it. It was like she was downloading all these great ideas. Because of her imagination, she was living her Day Dream and feeling it. And that’s why Beth’s whole countenance was beaming.
I have had this experience. It is such a gift. I call it a download from Heaven. When we are in a clear place we will be more receptive to ideas that are fresh and bigger than we are.
Many times we miss these gifts because we are creating our own Day Nightmares. This crowds out our Day Dreams.
Don’t miss the gift of Day Dreams. I suggested to Beth to create a dream journal and start journaling all her Day Dreams.
Beth had a breakthrough moment in the session.
She realized that her big dream was revealed one Day Dream at a time.
Day Nightmares
1. As we get older we can ignore our day dreams and use our imaginations to create Day Nightmares.
2. Day Nightmares cause unnecessary suffering.
Sure, bad things happen and we need to grieve, but 80% of the time we are creating bad TV dramas in our head which will never happen.
3. Your Day Nightmares can be about you or someone else.
* They have been talking about layoffs at work. You imagine your boss coming in and telling you that you’ve been laid off.
* Your daughter failed a science test. You imagine that she is going to fail science this semester.
4. Our negative imagination will keep developing and obsessing over the story.
They have been talking about layoffs at work. You imagine your boss coming in and telling you that you’ve been laid off. If you lose your job then you won’t be able to get another job. Then you won’t be able to pay your bills. You will lose your house and be homeless.
Your daughter failed a science test. You imagine that she is going to fail science this semester. If she doesn’t do well she won’t be able to get into college. She will gain 100 pounds and she won’t be able to work and no one will want to marry her.
Day Nightmares are irrational!
5. Day Nightmares leave us feeling depressed, fearful and anxious.
Let’s compare
Day Nightmares Day Dreams
Your thoughts create a distressing story Your thoughts create a hopeful story
Predict something bad happening Predict something good happening
Comes from a muddled stressed place Comes from a clear place
Repetitive (nothing ever works out) story New and fresh story
Depletes you Energizes you
Leaves you feeling fearful and anxious Leaves you feeling happy and excited
3 Ways to Change Your Day “Nightmare” Into a Day “Dream”
1. Pay Attention
What story are you playing over in your mind?
What event or person is triggering you?
2. You Can Change the Story
Remember Day Nightmares are not true because your imagination has created these scenarios.
Since you created this nightmare you can change it.
3. Have intentional Day Dreams
A negative circumstance does not have to result in a Day Nightmare. You have a choice.
Example:
Your husband is stressed and blows up on you for no reason. You were looking forward to have a nice day together.
If you are not intentional this is where it goes south to Day Nightmare land. This circumstance will bring up lots of negative emotions. The brain gets the signal; we are going down the Day Nightmare road.
We will never make it. We are going to get a divorce. I will have to go to work. I will be homeless.
Ask yourself what do you want?
You intend to have a good day even if he is having a bad one. Now you’re on the Day Dream road. What can you imagine doing?
I’ll see my friends and have coffee. I can play tennis. I will start that project.
You imagine your husband coming home and apologizing for snapping at you.
You picture doing these things and imagine how good it will feel.
I know you will not have a good day if you are obsessing on your Day Nightmare.
In contrast, your Day Dream will motivate you to take positive action so you can enjoy your day.
***** Negative circumstances are fertile ground for Day Dreams!