This thought occurred to me this week, “Our job is not to change the dream. It is to wake up from the dream, and then dream the dream from that awakening.” Once we see we are the dreamer, we live in the dream in a completely different way.

All of the how to programs out there focus on how to change our experience in the dream — how to enjoy the dream more with greater inner peace or more toys. Inner or outer, it doesn’t really matter if we don’t know we are the dreamer. Whether we are trying to change our thinking or our circumstances, what has already been created is done. The hope and leverage comes from seeing that we can re-create again and again and again. Our potential for new thought is endless.

To understand that we create the dream is what heals and inspires. If someone is caught up in painful feelings of depression, seeing they are innocently creating and reinforcing this reality by bringing their own thoughts to life makes the experience less painful. Recognizing the transient nature of our experience that is based on illusory thinking points us in the direction of what is beyond our thinking.

We then become less gripped by the content of our thoughts, less compelled to look at them, and naturally new thought arises. It is as ordinary as breathing. New thought comes and goes. We are designed to have our thinking move toward health — move toward our highest potential. Just like our bodies are designed to heal and experience the highest level of health possible, the same is true for our thoughts.

The intelligence behind life has direction. It moves us to our highest potential. It is not an empty void. It is a loving essence with directionality and intention.

We all have moments beyond our thinking, outside of time and space. They might seem inconsequential or they could be peak experiences. These times are glimpses into the space beyond our personal intellect — the mystery of our essence that we cannot comprehend, but can feel.

When we understand that fact that we think is more important than the content of our thinking, we naturally identify more with the formless essence of our true nature that is beyond the content of our thoughts. This allows the natural course correction within our consciousness to take place. Seeing thought as thought takes the power out of it, and it becomes easier to look away. We relax our minds and open to fresh new thought.

The same is true for someone dreaming they don’t know how to make money. Rather than learning a bunch of how tos about how other people make money, it is enough to see that not knowing how to make money is an idea simply being dreamed up. We don’t need to change the dream.

The problem is not in the dream. The challenge lies in not recognizing the dream as a dream and taking it too seriously. Empowerment comes from seeing we make the idea up, and in knowing we have infinite potential to make up something new. Once we see that, we can use our creative potential to dream up another dream: one that, for example, includes knowing how to make money.

I remember having a very humbling call a few years ago with the Mastermind group I belong to. I had just seen a course being advertised about learning the three keys to making money. I shared how in seeing the advertisement I realized I didn’t know these keys and felt I was incompetent at making money as a result.

The other members of the group seemed dumbfounded by my statement. They had witnessed me go from strength to strength in building my business and increasing my income. Through their honest and loving feedback, it became clear to me there was no secret money strategy that I was deficient in. I was doing what was needed. I was creating my business from my wisdom, even while living in the dream of not knowing how to make money. I believed my dream more than the reality I was living.

I felt sheepish as I realized this, and also relieved. I was grateful to have my made up thinking called out and challenged. I appreciated being reminded that I am the dreamer and to not take my dream to0 seriously. This helped me to see more clearly that problems do not exist out there. We innocently create them in our minds. Fear, lack, insecurity, not feeling good enough are never fixed outside of ourselves, and we don’t even need to put energy into banishing the thoughts behind the feelings.

Instead, we can look to our true nature where our natural resilience resides. When we look to the truth of who we are, we tap into the infinite resource of creativity, love and compassion that is us. Consequently, transformation happens, problems get solved, and solutions appear.

We don’t need a how to guide on how to be ourselves.

We can simply look to our true power rather than looking outside of ourselves. Like the Henry Ford quote says, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.” With the addendum, you can always think again.

I spent so many years looking in the direction of trying to fix myself, change my circumstances, or shift my thinking before I realized what I was looking for was innately me. I hope this saves you time, so you can wake up more fully to who you are and experience the infinite possibility that is YOU!

Rohini Ross is a psychotherapist, a leadership consultant, and an executive coach. Rohini facilitates personalized three-day retreats for individuals, couples, and professionals to help them connect more fully with their true nature and experience greater levels of wellbeing, resiliency, and success. You can find out more about Rohini’s work on her website, rohiniross.com.