The Water Dream

It came back.

For years, I haven’t had this dream. The one where the house is overrun by bugs through a hole in the ceiling, the space is ruined, and the only escape for everyone is through deep, dark water.

My turn comes to leave, and that familiar panic sets in: I can’t swim. But then, a calm. I remember holding my breath, deep underwater, as a child. Practicing. Just in case.

Why did I think I was I in survival training as a kid? LOL

This dream always hits hard, but today, I’m seeing it differently. It feels like the creative process.

Sometimes, ideas feel like a beautiful, safe “house,” only to be bombarded by doubts, distractions, or outright failures (the bugs through the ceiling).

The “ruined house” is that feeling when a project goes sideways, or imposter syndrome takes over.

And then, the “deep water” – that terrifying leap into the unknown, starting something new, or trying to navigate a creative problem you’ve never faced before. The panic of “I can’t swim” is real.

But what about the childhood practice? The quiet, unacknowledged preparation for something you didn’t even know was coming?

That, my friends, is every journal entry, every doodle, every half-finished experiment. It’s the “hodgepodge” of learning, growing, and unveiling your own unique ways of breathing underwater. It’s the “intentional living, profound self-discovery, and purposeful experimentation” that makes you resilient.

We’re all in survival training as creators, aren’t we?

Building our own unique toolkit for holding our breath when the deep water comes.

What’s a “childhood practice” or an unexpected skill that has helped you navigate your creative waters? Share your insights below!