Daydreaming is something usually frowned upon, at least when it’s teenagers doing it! Usually because they are supposed to be concentrating on a lesson, an instruction, a discussion about their behaviour or some other thing that at least you deem to be important. And they seem to do it so much. “Why can’t they just focus?” is a common desperate plea.
Yet there are good reasons why teenagers and children seem to spend a lot of time daydreaming. In many ways, rather than us sending out the message that they need to focus more, we need to take a lesson from them in that we need to dream more. While some work often needs to be done to get them to do their dreaming at more appropriate moments, there are good reasons why teens often feel that the world and life has more possibilities for them than we as older adults often do, why they take risks, and why they usually have the resilience to bounce back when things don’t go quite their way.
And particularly for those troubled teens who feel swamped in their current circumstances, rather than discouraging dreaming we need to be actively encouraging them. “But why?” I hear you ask. Well here’s why I’m a daydream believer…
If you dream, windows open, fresh air flows, breathing, deep soul breathing can occur.
If you dream, your today does not have to be your tomorrow.
If you dream, life becomes full of possibilities, and empties of restrictions.
If you dream, you free yourself to be capable of anything.
If you dream, any negativity that keeps you down can be drowned out by the force of your imagination, your vision.
If you dream, there is a part of you that becomes untouchable, unspoilable by others, all your own, your very own.
If you dream, you see whispers of where you should be going, what you should be doing.
If you dream, no holes in the road are going to get in the way, distract you, bring you down.
If you dream, your goals move closer, become realisable, achievable.
If you dream, your footsteps get lighter, your gait longer, you cover more ground.
If you dream, you become a creative force, never limited by the standard route, the ‘way it is done’.
If you dream, you practise; you rehearse with no fear of failure.
If you dream, you allow your mind to see yourself in your best light.
If you dream, it becomes less about thinking and more about believing.
He said ‘I have a dream’ and see what it changed and still changes.
So go on, dream. Fly in your mind and your feet will follow.
And I promise you, your soul will sing.
5 comments On Why I’m a Daydream Believer
Agreed on the value of dreaming. My client, currently in locked facility unfortunately, has so much hope, so much optimism. “I’m going to be famous one day, you wait and see!” He’s writing his autobiography, handing me legal pads full of his thoughts. He just may be right. Seems downright healthy for him to keep dreaming. Completely rational coping mechanism that indeed increases his resilience.
Ross,
This is such a beautiful poem 🙂
It conveys so eloquently the importance of dreaming – not just for teens – but for all of us.
I love it!
I SO enjoyed this post! Having teens is a whole different ballgame indeed.
I have tagged/nominated/recommended you in a post in my blog. Here’s the link:
http://ouradventureswithriley.blogspot.ca/2013/01/liebsterthe-sequel.html
Thanks for all you do! D
Hi Diane,
Thanks so much for commenting and for recommending me on your blog. Always much appreciated.
Sam
I found out by chance that I suffer from ADHD at the age of 45, but dreaming was my forte and still is – yes setbacks dont mean nothing to me.
Love your site and regularly share your blog with my colleagues.
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