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Writer's pictureAnubhav Anand

Flavors of Daydreaming

Updated: Aug 5

Dear Readers,


Taking account of the daily ongoing processed thoughts, how well are you acquainted with daydreaming? How do you reckon it impacts your mind, and in turn your livelihood? Should we mark it as a yea or a nay? Let's have that established expressively some lines down from here.


People have weirdest of the thoughts, which can shape their mindset and allow them to pursue the same level of progressive ones. It often occurs in series. This procedure—most of the time turns out to be a daydream for them unknowingly. Sometimes it presents them with a solution, and sometimes it leads to overthinking.


A person in the process of daydreaming

Let's hold onto this and move to another scenario. You aspire to be somewhere—a space where you think you belong; a title, which you believe you deserve. By the time you are working on it to actualize it all, you daydream of the culmination and relive it bit by bit. A soothing visualization, isn't it? Keeps you elated, and motivated. This type of daydreaming is called Positive-Constructive.

For instance, you have always wanted to get a position in a unit of your organization, which has numerous perks and benefits along with opportunities in terms of learning, as compared to your present one. Now, you have begun preparing for the qualification process for that position, which is great; and, at the same time, you sometimes delve into the thoughts of the future where you have achieved that position and are able to use the benefits—the thoughts so clear as if it's all real and is achievable. Brilliant! Something to motivate you with, which consistently drives you to accomplish the goal.


Then again, at the same time, if viewed from another angle it can also fall under the umbrella of fantasy—a daydream, which looks delectable at its best. It makes you feel good, and wildly lures you with its temptation but lasts for a very short time. While there are countless examples for this layout, let's stick to the above one and delve into the extended version of the same where you imagine how the perks and the benefits of that position would suit you. It's a place where any kind of imagination is allowed to make you feel good, contended and yet it's a kind of fantasy, which might or might not come out to be true in the coming days.


But then, to be honest, fantasy daydreams are your happy place.

There's another subset of imaginative daydreams, where you relive an incident of the past—something that has happened according to the time and nature, but you have always yearned that should have progressed in another particular way by changing some courses of action. For example, at one point in time, you were making a speech with a certain audience of 100-120 folks. Since you had prepared well for the speech, it turned out to be great—of course! But then came the questions from the audience. Now, any question could be answered in several outstanding ways, and there are some, which are more apt and inclined to that particular question. You have answered it. And later, relive that incident where you think how beautiful it would have been if you had answered it in another way by including some more interesting facts—more suitable to the question.


Obsession or fixation on any idea, event, or trauma also has the opportunity to welcome you in a series of thoughts, which eventually has a way with your mind. It may lead to overthinking as well, until and unless your thoughts have been actioned or you have been absolved by any other means. This piece of drama is often called Guilty-Dysphoric Daydreaming. A scenario of this could be imagining vengeance on someone or something, or dreading an unforeseen event. This can also redirect you to be prepared for something, or plan it beforehand.


Moving on to an interesting and one of the most important types of daydreaming...Planning!

Planning anything—be it, a day schedule, work schedule, travel, murder, picnic, shopping, party, lecture, story, or any other hearty activities of your life that requires a series of continuous thoughts, which is formulated, then edited, and then formulated again and ultimately confirmed. Sometimes you get swayed away by your thoughts, and get captivated with your planning, awestruck by the possibilities of how any events could be planned in so many ways.


However, we also have a certain downside, for we all know that overstepping the boundary has rarely been a good idea. Overthinking or prolonged thinking is a waste of your precious cells, perhaps some good hormones; and time. This overstepping could also be marked as an addiction. Because you have to understand that daydreaming is a very tricky event, which could appoint you for as long as you are not dead. It can sometimes lead to sleeplessness, worklessness, and neglectfulness, where the thoughts definitely have no check with reality. Some call this phenomenon maladaptive daydreaming. Fascinating, isn't it? How daydreaming can control you...


Let's fiddle more with maladaptive daydreaming. You have to understand that some people are often more dreamy than others, and like to imagine and caress more on their thoughts. This allows them to relax. Well, if looked upon the plus side, it's all good and there are no cons in pursuing it. The only catch is that you are escaping reality, and adjusting to the awesomeness of a fairy tale. This adjustment eventually turns into a habit, and then...you are an addict! The daydreaming has taken control of you!


Except you need to control it!


It's not an easy aspect...agreed, for the life you are in and the life you want to be in, has quite a definitive space in it.


And despite the fact that you want it but you can't have it...you tend to daydream about it! Something that allows you to get on with the day.

If we scratch the face of the verdict, then of course, we will be let on by two pristine layouts from the promised 'yea or nay' on daydreaming above...


Layout one:

Daydreaming is one of the most beautiful processes, where we have the participants of more than 8 billion people on Earth! Spine-chilling, isn't it? It's part and parcel of your life. Sometimes, you start your day with it, and even end your day while actioning on it. Daydreaming is unavoidable, for sure. Agendas could be planned in advance, and mistakes could be averted in the process of it. This also is true when the element "Creativity" comes into the equation. Reflecting on a problem, contemplating further on it, and meditating over and over again in an optimistic way has the propensity to yield the result in your way. All-in-all, it could make your work the highlight of the day because you have pondered over and over to design a masterpiece. This category of daydreaming...well, everyone should order it!


Layout two:

Have your way with the daydreaming! Go for it! But then, come back to the reality. Whatever efforts you are putting into your thoughts in terms of daydreaming will only consummate if you come back, capitalize on your thoughts, and actualize them in real time. It's the only way. Being captured in the reign of daydreaming will be like a shag on a rock. Moment after moment, you will be immersed more into that reign and will be a definition of it—something that we have established earlier in terms of maladaptive daydreaming. Don't be its pet, rather make it yours.


When it comes to daydreaming, you have to make sure to take the rein of the process...to be able to customize based on your requirements.


P.S.:- Daydreaming structures one's existence. It has the power to form one's personality. It is and will always be a part of you. Therefore, let it be a part of you. Embrace it like a colleague, and hang out only as and when required. Refrain to stay with it, or make it extremely crucial for your existence. At any time if it's get addictive out of the boundary line as per your judgment, get in touch with an expert.

1 Comment


Ashish Animesh
Ashish Animesh
Aug 27, 2023

Well observed and summarized.

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