Make reality tests your daily curiosity habit

You’re torn between two menus at a diner and almost reach for the breakfast side, when you pause and ask, “Am I dreaming?” Your heart skips a beat as you stare at your coffee cup. In dreams it warps into a rainbow swirl. But this morning, it’s predictably white with a small chip by the rim. You smile at your reflection in the chrome sugar dispenser and settle on pancakes. That simple pause—your reality check—galvanizes your day. Later, when you’re writing an important email, you catch yourself reaching for the “send” button with sweaty palms, and you do another check. Sure enough, your vision momentarily blurs, almost like the familiar haze of REM. You catch yourself, save the draft, and decide to step away for five minutes rather than risk sending an accidental message. In the evening, you try the technique in harder situations. Did you really smooth the bedspread, or was that part of a dream fragment? You test your hands again and find they’re solid. Each time you successfully navigate reality, you grow more vigilant and deliberate—into the sort of wakeful clarity you’ve always craved. Scientists refer to these mindfulness loops as reality-testing: short, purposeful breaks in autopilot that sharpen your perception. Lucid dreamers use the same method while asleep: if they discover something odd in their dream, they’ll know instantly they’ve fallen into a dream. By planting these checks in your daytime routine, you prime yourself to notice more, remember more, and eventually step into lucidity when you’re asleep. Try adding three reality checks tomorrow morning and notice how your awareness lights up.

Next time you walk through your front door, pause to count your fingers or look for something amiss—a glow-in-the-dark switch, a floating object. Treat it like a friendly puzzle. Keep a tally of your checks to see your progress. With practice, you’ll catch more dream signs and stay present—day or night. Give it a go this afternoon.