I kept waking up and reentering the same dream last night. Each time, I dreamed I was running late for an all-day event with a client that was a two-hour drive away. First, I overslept and knew I’d be two hours late for the early-morning start. Then something came up and I’d be there by noon. Then I realized I’d miscalculated the driving distance and I’d never actually get there that day. I kept waking up from the dream, stressed.
Pam Muller, a spiritual director interviewed for a Bustle article, offers different interpretations of what a dream like this – running late for work – could mean. And whether or not you believe that dreams can carry meaning, interpretations of them are interesting to consider, prompting some insight into subtle life experiences you may not be paying attention to. Life experiences that may be affecting you more than you realize.
So, why might you dream that you’re late for work?
Stress and anxiety are cited. (Got it, I’m in a continual state of practicing to reduce my anxiety levels. Thank you, yoga, meditation, therapy and mindfulness techniques.)
The possibility that you’re working through a new pressure related to life goals is also suggested. Like planning an upcoming wedding or adjusting to a new job path. (Mmm, not my deal at the moment. Both of those particular changes are behind me now.)
But I loved this third interpretation by Muller: “Another way to understand this dream symbol is that running late might be showing us that the dreamer has missed some signs, indicators or nudges in waking life, and the unconscious mind is trying to remind the person that they’ve already been given the green light to begin.”
Oddly, I recently got a green light to start a new project with the client that was in my dream. A project I’ve been pushing for and craving, that I finally got a chance to pitch. Now I get to execute it. But here’s where I’ve been quietly bumping into doubt in my subconscious: What if I screw it up? What if my deliverable isn’t strong enough?
For me, this running-late dream feels like a late-night reminder that I have some imposter syndrome to work through. And whether or not I believe in the meaning of dreams, this realization is real. And something I overlook. Got it.
You? What are you dreaming about? Work? Running late? Teeth falling out? Notice what it could say about you, even if you don’t really believe it. What can you learn from it?
