Our Dreams and Self-Care

Lately, I have been thinking about the power of physical and mental dreams and how they manifest it reflects of our level of self-care.

When I think of physical dreams, I think of ones that we have when we sleep at night.  These are visions of what our mind, body, and soul desires. In these dreams, our subconcious mind unleashes messages from deep within and we can either choose to listen or not. 

We also have mental dreams of what the future might become.  These dreams are our hopes, passions, and goals. They are deeply routed in our value system. 

As I embrace life in 2025, I am wondering what are my physical and mental dreams for my future as an educator, friend, and family member. Some are easily pictured in my mind based on my personal desires.  While others are buried deep within due to fear and vulnerability. 

I recently had a dream that literally woke me up in a panic.  When I woke up to process the dream, I was rather disturbed by this feeling of abandonment.  I couldn't place the reasoning, but the feeling was so strong that I began to cry.  With a few days of reflection, I finally realized the cause and I'm actively working towards resolving it. These moments when our subconcious comes alive can impact how we operate in the world. 

How is this connected to our lives as educators?  It's called self-care.  This term has been used in response to burn out and work/life balance.  I believe our dreams speak to the our level of self-care.  When we have shocking dreams, it's our subconcious sharing that something is not quite right.  Conversely, when we have an affirming dream, it means that we are on the correct path. 

When these dreams emerge, are you listening to them?  Are you trying to decipher what they might mean to you?  They might be driving certain behaviors that you are unaware are happening. 

How does this impact our role as an educator? If we are not taking care of ourselves, it has a direct impact on how we treat our learners, how we think of ourselves as educators, and the learning that is happening.  Self-care is real.  It's about honoring your body and mind to recover from the pressures at work and home.  Our dreams often reflect this level of self-care. 

What are your dreams telling you about your level of self-care?  Mine are telling me that I need more balance between my physical, mental, and spiritual health.  What a great time of year to calibrate and be kinder to ourselves.