Okay so I kept having these weird dreams after switching jobs. Felt like my brain was looping random movie scenes. Decided to dig into why.
Grabbing a Notepad First Thing
Woke up one Tuesday feeling jittery – dreamt I was back in college but couldn’t find any classrooms and my teeth were falling out. Weird, right? Slapped my phone on the nightstand and grabbed this battered notebook I use for grocery lists. Wrote down everything I remembered, even the fuzzy bits:
- Running through endless hallways
- My old high school locker jammed shut
- Spitting teeth into my hands (gross)
- Feeling pure panic trying to find “Room 7B”
No filter, just dumped it all before coffee. Wrote the date at the top – May 2nd.
The “Wait, Does This Mean Something?” Phase
Sat on it for a week. Had three more frustrating dreams – lost wallet, missed trains, that locker again. Next Monday, cracked open the notebook feeling silly. Started skimming. Noticed patterns popping up:
- Everything was about being late or stuck
- Things failing – teeth, locks, schedules
- Old school stuff kept showing up
Started linking it to real life. New job probation ending. Felt pressure. Doubting my skills. Had a college flashback during that week’s team meeting. Bingo.
Why Bother Scribbling Nighttime Movies?
Honest answer? Felt cheaper than therapy! But here’s what actually happened:
- Spotted hidden stress: Didn’t realize job anxiety was simmering that strong until dreams yelled it.
- Made sense of feeling stuck: The endless hallways? That was me procrastinating on portfolio updates. Felt obvious afterwards.
- Got unstuck: When the locker jammed AGAIN in a dream, I literally yelled “Open!” at it. Next day, tackled my messy desk files IRL. Progress.
The Bottom Line For Busy People
Look, it sounds fluffy. But tracking dreams? It’s like checking your browser history for feelings. Mine showed a ton of search tabs for “am I failing?” and panic clicks. Once you see it written down, the messy stuff in your head clicks into place. Helps you tackle the real stuff bugging you.
Don’t overthink the meaning. Just write. Notice patterns. Connect dots to your week. It’s cheaper than a latte and way more revealing.
