How often do you daydream?

My wife is a daydreamer, my kids are daydreamers, and I am most certainly a daydreamer. We all spend our time drifting off into the clouds, but this is a good thing.
I recently came across this article that got me thinking more broadly about the concept. Now, I’ve known about “rehearsal” being a potent brain-based strategy. Before ever doing a workshop for our school families or staff, I often find myself imagining exactly what I will do and say beforehand, but that was a purposeful action. The article linked below talks about how daydreaming impacts critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, motivation, and many other areas. It was its mention of motivation that really captured my interest.

15 Reasons Why Daydreamers are Better Learners

After reading this, I thought back to my youth and how I always daydreamed about doing something honorable with my life. I always dreamed that when I grew up I’d be a teacher or a police officer (or some superhero hybrid that combined both…hey, it was MY dream). That dream is what forged my vision of the future and steered me toward my current labor of love. I asked a friend, who is about to start her career as an occupational therapist, if daydreaming ever inspired her along her path. She laughed when she realized just how often she did daydream about it, and how it was her constant motivation.

So the next time you see your kiddos drifting off in thought, just remember that you never know where those daydreams might lead them.