When your head hits the pillow and you fall to sleep, we drift into dreams that can either guide us or hinder us. What do we think about right before we fall asleep? Are we worried about what we're doing the next day? Are we thinking about all the things we need to do or didn't do and rush to sleep so we can get up to do them? It's normal because I think most of us are guilty of this. Dream journals could reveal nightmares are caused by fear, anxiety, and stress. Sometimes we're so busy we don't even remember our dreams or just wake up during the wrong sleep cycle. These dreams do reveal themselves in other ways just in case we missed them: like experiencing deja vu, having an unexplained reason for having a certain phobia, or are put in a mood without knowing why. Brain chemistry is interesting and can explain a lot, but there is more than just hard science behind these answers. Think consciousness.
I have trouble sleeping a lot. There are so many things I need to do and want to do. It's hard to shut off my brain so I can relax and sleep, hence the guilt that was aforementioned. There's always melatonin, a warm glass of milk, or glass of wine that could help, but I usually use that as a last resort. Instead, I am constantly retraining the way I think. This includes my thinking patterns before I fall asleep. Besides the times I usually end up falling asleep, I have been building better habits... better thinking habits. All the things I would think about and plan for the next day, I would write in my planner or on post-its and make efforts to not perseverate on these tasks after 10pm. If I found myself thinking about it, I would force myself to think of something else like a trip or fun activity to plan. There is no sense in worrying about something I couldn't handle at the moment. Even if I could handle it at the moment, it's important to create balance with stress. If there is a big project or task that requires extreme focus and attention, set aside a few hours to handle it. No phone, no distractions, just focus and attention to the task. Then after those hours you set aside, reward yourself with a break. The trick is, using your breaks wisely too. Give them purpose.
This is not an easy thing to do, I understand. These habits didn't form over night. I am constantly working on this. I think about all the people and things I am grateful for. I think about how I am lead up to this moment for a reason and to keep following my soul's voice as I'm finding new ways to evolve through setting aside time to discover it and engage in it. If I was always hyper-focused on things that stress me out, I wouldn't have been able to explore and develop other interests.
Tonight, as I'm falling to sleep, I'm going to think about spending time with loved ones and how I appreciate them. I'll list off how they inspire me (like counting sheep). Hopefully, these thoughts will shape my dreams into a paradise I could visit nocturnally so I can wake up with a smile and a heart full of gratitude. A paradise with light breaking through the trees surrounded by waterfalls and budding flowers. These remaining February dreams will march us to March... where we can continue to let the Year of Light lead the way.
I have trouble sleeping a lot. There are so many things I need to do and want to do. It's hard to shut off my brain so I can relax and sleep, hence the guilt that was aforementioned. There's always melatonin, a warm glass of milk, or glass of wine that could help, but I usually use that as a last resort. Instead, I am constantly retraining the way I think. This includes my thinking patterns before I fall asleep. Besides the times I usually end up falling asleep, I have been building better habits... better thinking habits. All the things I would think about and plan for the next day, I would write in my planner or on post-its and make efforts to not perseverate on these tasks after 10pm. If I found myself thinking about it, I would force myself to think of something else like a trip or fun activity to plan. There is no sense in worrying about something I couldn't handle at the moment. Even if I could handle it at the moment, it's important to create balance with stress. If there is a big project or task that requires extreme focus and attention, set aside a few hours to handle it. No phone, no distractions, just focus and attention to the task. Then after those hours you set aside, reward yourself with a break. The trick is, using your breaks wisely too. Give them purpose.
This is not an easy thing to do, I understand. These habits didn't form over night. I am constantly working on this. I think about all the people and things I am grateful for. I think about how I am lead up to this moment for a reason and to keep following my soul's voice as I'm finding new ways to evolve through setting aside time to discover it and engage in it. If I was always hyper-focused on things that stress me out, I wouldn't have been able to explore and develop other interests.
Tonight, as I'm falling to sleep, I'm going to think about spending time with loved ones and how I appreciate them. I'll list off how they inspire me (like counting sheep). Hopefully, these thoughts will shape my dreams into a paradise I could visit nocturnally so I can wake up with a smile and a heart full of gratitude. A paradise with light breaking through the trees surrounded by waterfalls and budding flowers. These remaining February dreams will march us to March... where we can continue to let the Year of Light lead the way.
Love Always,
Lainey
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