Unlocking the Meaning of Your Dreams
Don’t share your dreams with your family - they don’t care. Share them with AI!
A Step-by-Step Guide with AI Prompts
Last night I was a mess! Waking up, falling asleep again with the images of my last dream worming their way into my next one. WHy? Why was I dreaming of chiropractors, arrogant men, beauty products and my skin sloughing off? Do you have a 1/2 hour - I can go into detail… No? Not interested? I get it.. No one - and I mean no one - cares about our own dreams except us. And maybe AI…..
How about you? Have you ever woken up from a vivid dream, wondering what it might mean or how it connects to your life? But your spouse or best friend doesn’t have the answers? The thing is, dreams can be a powerful way to tap into your subconscious, uncovering hidden emotions, desires, and even solutions to challenges you’re facing. But deciphering those strange symbols and feelings can feel overwhelming. That’s where a little structure—and even AI—can help.
Here’s a practical, step-by-step approach to turn your dreams into insights and actions.
Step 1: Capture the Dream
Dreams fade fast, so start here:
Write it down immediately.
Grab a notebook or your phone as soon as you wake up. Note the key elements:
The setting: Where were you? Was it familiar or strange?
The characters: Who was there, and what were they doing?
The emotions: How did you feel during and after the dream?
Actions or symbols: Anything unusual or particularly memorable?
ProTip: Take a photo of your journal entry if you hand wrote it.
If you journal your dreams by hand, snap a clear photo (or two or three) which you can use to have your AI of choice (like ChatGPT) transcribe for you.
Step 2: Transcribe and Organize
If your dream journal is handwritten, transcription is the next step. I used ChatGPT 4.0. I simply uploaded the images to the premium ChatGPT app on my phone and had it transcribe the photos. It took a few tries as I do not have the neatest writing. In fact, ChatGPTs polite way of saying my handwriting sucked was…. “The text extraction from the images was not successful due to poor handwriting recognition” but then it tried again …. I’m actually a little shocked at how well it did manage to transcribe my handwritten pages!
AI Prompt for Transcription:
"Please transcribe this handwritten dream journal entry into text so I can analyze it further. If you need direct interpretation to transcribe it effectively to manually examine the test, you have my permission to do so." (You may need to ask it a few times in a few different ways - it CAN do it. I believe other AI tools can as well. As long as you can upload an image.
Once transcribed, break it down into key sections to make the story clearer:
The setting
The characters
The emotions
The actions and symbols
AI Prompt for Structuring:
"Break this dream narrative into key sections: setting, characters, emotions, and actions. Summarize each one in 2-3 sentences."
Step 3: Analyze Your Dream
This is where the magic happens—connecting the dream to your inner life.
Identify key themes and symbols.
Dreams are full of metaphors. What stands out? Recurring symbols, strong emotions, or conflicts can be clues.
- AI Prompt for Symbol Analysis:
"Analyze this dream for key symbols, emotions, and themes. Include possible symbolic meanings for each one based on common interpretations."
Connect the dream to your life.
Think about how the symbols or themes might relate to your current challenges, goals, or emotions. For example, a dream about crowded spaces could reflect feeling overwhelmed in real life.
- AI Prompt for Life Connection:
"Given my focus on [e.g., personal growth, career transition], how might the symbols and emotions in this dream connect to my life right now?"
Step 4: Reflect with Journal Prompts
Sometimes the best way to unpack a dream is by asking yourself the right questions.
AI Prompt for Journal Prompts:
"Based on this dream and its themes, create 3-5 journal prompts to help me explore its meaning and how it connects to my life."
Examples of prompts:
Where in my life do I feel stuck or neglected, and how can I refresh that area?
What old habits or beliefs am I ready to shed?
How can I better protect my boundaries in situations that feel overwhelming?
Step 5: Write Your Interpretation
Tie everything together into a clear and meaningful story.
Summarize the dream.
Bring the symbols and insights into focus, relating them to your life.
- AI Prompt for Interpretation:
"Write a 300-word interpretation of this dream, connecting its symbols and emotions to my life goals and current challenges."
Turn insights into actions.
Every dream contains a lesson. Use its themes to guide your next steps.
- AI Prompt for Action Plan:
"Based on this dream analysis, suggest 2-3 actionable steps I can take to address the themes of [e.g., transformation, boundary-setting, self-care]."
Examples:
Dedicate time this week to a self-care ritual.
Reinforce a specific boundary in your work or relationships.
Journal about the identities you’re letting go of and the new ones you’re embracing.
Step 6: Keep Exploring
Dreams aren’t one-and-done—they’re part of a larger story. Use these ongoing prompts for deeper exploration:
Track recurring symbols.
Are certain themes (like water, flying, or conflict) showing up repeatedly?
-AI Prompt for Symbol Tracking:
"I’ve noticed recurring themes in my dreams, like [e.g., water, crowded spaces]. What might these symbols mean in the context of my life?"
Expand your interpretation.
Go beyond the surface with help from psychology, metaphysics, or spirituality.
-AI Prompt for Expanded Analysis:
"Expand on this dream interpretation with insights from metaphysics, psychology, or spirituality."
Tie dreams to goals.
Let your subconscious guide you toward clarity and purpose.
-AI Prompt for Goal Alignment:
"Based on my dream and its themes, how can I align this with my goal of [e.g., creating a legacy, setting boundaries, or personal growth]?"
Why This Works
Dream analysis can help you discover clarity, inspiration, and actionable insights for your life. And while there are GREAT books on dream analysis out there, it takes time to rifle through the pages and find the descriptions and potential meanings. And of course, those books don’t know you like your AI knows you… (I know - that’s kinda creepy, right? #CreepyCool)
AND by using structure and tools like AI, you can transform the surreal into something deeply personal and practical.
ProTip: You can even “season” your aid by saying something like, “I really like the book The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud and The Alchemy of Your Dreams: A Modern Guide to the Ancient Art of Lucid Dreaming and Interpretation by Athena Laz. Please use those in your interpretations.”
Try It Yourself
The next time you wake up with a dream fresh in your mind, give you loved ones a break and use this blog post, and the points within to help you unpack its meaning. Whether you’re reflecting on past experiences, navigating a life transition, or simply seeking clarity, your dreams can be a powerful resource.
What’s your dream trying to tell you?
Sign up for future LinkedIn Live (and other) events here.
Listen to the #GreyMatters podcast here.
Work with me! Post Executive Coaching Programs
