Confessions of a Day Dreamer????

My trysts with daydreaming go all the way back to my school days.. I believe it is an evolutionary leftover ingrained in my genes, since even my uncles and grandfathers were deep into the art dreaming. I would often see them sitting on the open porch of our Kerala home, gazing into the distance, accompanied by the fresh breeze and the gentle rustling of leaves - trees, bushes, or any object at least 15 meters away, possibly that is the magic range where dreams start to feel realistic!???

At that point, they would look frozen in time, and if you tried to distract them, they would not even notice! They would glance at you for a brief second before slipping right back into their trance. It was like watching robots in the middle of an configuration update ??who may not respond until completion.

Their awareness only kicked in when someone interrupted them—fitting perfectly with Newton's First Law of Motion (or in this case, Daydreaming ??): "An object in daydream will remain in daydream unless acted upon by an external unbalanced force (typically my mother's broomstick in my case)." ??

As kids, we found it hilarious watching our elders drift off into space. But guess what? Karma got me good. My sister somehow dodged this "beautiful affliction", but I embraced it with open arms??.

It all began in my teens, around Class 8, when my mind started drifting more toward creative ideas than focusing on studies. ?? While academics demanded focus and attention—and I consistently ranked among the top 5 with a solid track record since preschool—this newfound superpower hit me like a lightning bolt?, pulling me into a world of imagination and daydreams.

I started following the footsteps of my dream-rich family members, and made the bold decision to embrace being a mediocre student- so I could devote more time to something truly extraordinary and nation building??, Boy I was enjoying it!!..now i finally understood why my family members used to drift..????

One moment i would be fixing the entire corruption system??, and in the next instant i would be coming up with brilliant ideas to clean our neighborhood and rebuild broken roads??. Ofcourse making money was also there but in these dreams, our happiness comes from doing things which elevates us to a higher level much beyond even Maslow's Hierarchy of needs??, a thumbs-up please if my fellow dreamers can relate to this.        

? The Science Behind the Magic: What Happens When You Daydream ?

When we daydream, the brain activates the Default Mode Network (fancy term for the “let's zone out” mode), which cranks up creativity, problem-solving, and emotional reflection. ?? Brainwaves shift to a relaxed state, and your body follows suit—muscles loosen, breathing slows, and dopamine flows. Basically, it’s a free, feel-good, mental spa session????

But beware! Daydreaming can warp your sense of time. (One minute you're saving the world, and the next... it’s been two hours!) ???

?Famous Dreamers Club ?? We’re in good company!

Albert Einstein used thought experiments to develop the theory of relativity, while Leonardo da Vinci's imaginative wandering led to artistic masterpieces and inventive designs. Nikola Tesla visualized inventions in his mind before building them, and J.K. Rowling conceived the idea for Harry Potter during a train daydream..These examples show how daydreaming can inspire groundbreaking achievements.

So, while my mom may have snapped me back to reality, I now see that I was this close to genius-level breakthroughs! ??

?Daydreaming Through the Ages ??

Greek philosophers like Plato championed the power of imagination. In Eastern traditions like Buddhism and Hinduism (500 BCE), introspection and visualization were closely tied to spiritual practicesy. Fast forward to the 18th century, and the Romantic, melancholic poets made imagination the heart of their creativity while crafting masterpieces.

Sigmund Freud (early 1900s), the father of psychoanalysis, saw daydreams as expressions of our unconscious desires and a form of wish fulfillment. Carl Jung, another renowned psychologist, believed daydreaming allowed us to explore the deeper layers of the mind.

While the explicit term "daydreaming" might be a more recent construct, the human tendency to mentally wander has been discussed in various forms across philosophy, religion, and literature for thousands of years.

Pro Tip: How to Manage (or Embrace) Daydreaming ??

?? Break tasks into small, focused steps ?? Practice mindfulness to stay grounded.?? Schedule dedicated “dream time” between tasks??.?? Stay Active: Physical movement can refresh focus ?? Build Self Discipline: Recognize and redirect daydreams when they arise

Marriage could be tried as an alterntive therapy, and healing has been proven with children coming into your life. Disclaimer: Kids may completely eliminate any future daydreaming... and sometimes even nighttime dreaming! ????

So, dear readers (and fellow dreamers), while life may try to pull us back to reality, let’s never forget the beauty of a good daydream. ??