11 Common Dream Symbols That Can Tell You A Lot About Your Career, According To Experts

Humans spend approximately one third of their lives sleeping (well, for the sleep-starved, overworked, caffeine-hyped, freelancin’ millennials like myself, perhaps that fraction is less — but I digress).

And normal sleep cycles include periods of dreams — aka the mysterious playground of our subconscious mind that comes to life each night via mental movies. Dreams speak to us through sometimes simple and other times complicated symbols and imagery.

Interpreting symbols in our dreams isn’t always easy, but if we take the time to try, we can learn a lot about ourselves, our lives, and the best ways to handle things.

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Anyway, back to these fun lil’ stats: If us humans spend approximately a third of our lives sleeping, then I’d venture to guess we spend at least another third of our lives working — I mean, assuming you also live in the 2019 hellscape that I do. Blossom spoke with intuitive Tarot reader Sarah Potter, who shares a bit of insight.

“We spend so much of our waking lives at work, it is not surprising that we will find ourselves dreaming about work and receiving messages about our careers there,” she explains.

In other words, it makes a ton of sense that we often have dreams that involve our jobs — and that we can use these dream symbols to help us navigate our careers.

But how the heck do we make sense of our dreams and use them to help us career-wise?

When it comes to interpreting dreams of any sort — career-related or not — there are some basic things to keep in mind. I spoke with astrologer and psychic medium Jessica Lanyadoo, who shares some insights into dream interpretation and what to look out for.

Don’t take things too literally.

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“When considering your dreams, remember that they’re rarely literal,” explains Lanyadoo to Blossom. “The language of your subconscious mind is largely symbolic, aka it’s not linear.”

Don’t take things too literally, or you’ll miss the important subtext that the imagery, feelings, and situations presented in dreams can really be trying to tell you.

Let there be light.

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“The quality and presence of light is meaningful in your dream life,” explains Lanyadoo.

“Dreams that take place in the night or in dark spaces represent things that you’re not as clear about, or themes that you’re not comfortable owning.”

This makes sense. Think about the word illuminate: It can refer not only to something that’s been literally brightened up under a light source, but also an idea or concept that’s become clear and realized. In that sense, light can be a major indicator of where you’re at with a situation that’s coming up as a dream theme.

The power of three.

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You’ll want to look out for patters in your dreams, especially if they involve the number three.

“Often dreams involve threes — three people, three adversities to overcome, three animals,” Lanyadoo continues. “These are often actually meant to be representations of different aspects of yourself, and can be a powerful insight into issues you’re wrestling with.”

Keep an eye out for anything that appears in a trio during a dream.

Trusting yourself on the tough stuff.

“Our dreams are full of symbols that relate to our waking lives. In this realm, we are often confronted with the situations and people we have been avoiding or have mixed emotions regarding how we feel about them,” explains Potter to Blossom.

Dreams can give our subconscious the opportunity to deal with things that we’re actively avoiding in our waking lives — but this is a good thing! Few problems get better by neglecting them, so facing things is a plus, even if it seems harder at first. “Dreams also contain messages from our own intuition as well as the greater universe,” says Potter.

OK, so now we know dream symbolism can be important when it comes to our careers and professional lives.

But how the heck do we remember our dreams if we’re so consumed with our jobs? If you’re one of those people that can never remember their dreams, don’t fret. There are some tricks to the dream-memory trade, and I chatted with some experts to get their tips.

Firstly, consider keeping a notebook next to your bed, aka a “dream journal.”

“Keeping a dream journal is extremely helpful in bringing your subconscious to light and puts a magnifying glass on areas you may need to focus on or release,” shares dream interpreter and Tarot reader Caitlin McGarry with Blossom.

I personally have kept dream journals at various points in my life, and I’ve found it really helpful for self-analysis and personal growth. Plus, the more I forced myself to jot down my dreams immediately upon waking up, the more dream details I started retaining over time.

That said, some dream interpreters suggest other means of documenting your dream imagery.

“I work with clients and their dreams often, and my immediate advice is to skip the dream journal and go straight to voice memos to record the dream,” explains Tarot reader and host of the Mystic Witch Podcast, Blue June, exclusively to Blossom. “This is so that you can go back to sleep while you’re still tired if it’s the middle of the night.”

For many of us, this higher-tech solution might be a little easier.

And it may make you more likely to actually take the time to track your dreams for later reflection.

Now that you know the importance of dream symbolism and some tips on how to remember your dreams in the first place, let’s take a look at some of the common dream symbols that can appear in your dreams that can tell you some interesting things about your career.

1. Swimming

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Have a dream where you’re swimming in a body of water?

If so, this could apparently be a really good sign career-wise. “Swimming in water can mean that you are going to have success at work,” explains astrologer Lisa Stardust, who spoke with Blossom about dream symbolism. “Water represents creativity.”

“When we see water it means that our artistic professional endeavors are on point — or a new creative project is coming our way,” Stardust explains.

So next time you dream about water, take note! You might want to be on the lookout for exciting new creative opportunities to open their doors to you.

2. Drowning

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Swimming during a dream is one thing — but obviously, drowning in a dream is quite another.

But it doesn’t indicate a situation as dire as drowning IRL. But it can mean something a little scary.

“Drowning in water can mean a lack of creative stimulation at work, resulting in anxiety,” explains Stardust.

While this is a bummer, take a dream about drowning as a sign that you either need to mix things up at work and find a fresh spark to keep you interested and stimulated, or consider going into a different line of work that’ll keep your mind and creative skills active.

3. Spiders

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Our eight-legged friends have the potential to creep us the hell out — but are they as foreboding in the dreamworld?

Nope. In a dream, they can be a really auspicious symbol for your career.

“People often get squeamish at the sight of an arachnid, but these tiny creatures are big symbols for manifestation (because they create their web from within),” explains psychic and witch Renee Watt, who also spoke with Blossom about dream symbols.

“When spiders pop up for you, pay attention to where you’re placing your energy because you’re likely on a manifestation upswing,” she explains.

If your manifestation skills are at a high, now’s the time to refine your goals and start working for what you want — in other words, weaving the web of your dreams. Perhaps it’s a sign to ask for that raise you’ve been working toward, or taking a leap toward your goal career field.

4. Transportation

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Planes, trains, and automobiles — whatever your method, transportation in a dream can reflect your intuition when it comes to your job.

“Many people dream about vehicles or transportation which mirror their feelings over career development and the speed of success,” explains June to Blossom.

But you’ll want to also pay attention to how quickly you’re moving when you’re on-the-go in a dream, as well as how you feel.

If you’re moving quickly (and having a good time doing it), this could mean your career is moving forward, you’re growing professionally, and things are going at a pace that works for you.

Conversely, if you’re moving slowly, feeling impatient, or feeling scared or upset by the speed, then you might be feeling stuck or unstimulated in your current position — or perhaps feeling overwhelmed, if things are happening too quickly.

5. Flying

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Almost all of us have dreamed that we’ve had the ability to fly at some point.

And the dream symbolism of suddenly having the magical gift of flight can mean really good things for your career and ability to adapt and succeed in various circumstances. “When you fly in your dreams it is a great omen representing your ability to rise above and conquer,” explains June to Blossom.

Potter also weighed in on the the symbolism of flying in dreams:

“Dreaming about flying is a good sign when it comes to work,” she explains. “Flying gives us feelings of freedom and major momentum instilled with confidence.”

“This feels like a moment of leveling up at work and conquering your goals,” Potter continues. “Since you are currently soaring so high, everyone around you has taken notice and looking up to you. Enjoy this feeling of accomplishment and revel in everyone else’s admiration! You deserve it.”

6. Babies

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What’s cuter than a dream about babies? Well, perhaps when said dream about babies indicates a fresh start at work.

“Dreaming of babies is an excellent sign of something new and exciting on the horizon of work,” explains Potter. “When we are creating something new whether it is a new solo project or with a team, when we are putting our all into it, it can feel similar to the idea of giving birth.”

“Babies represent potential, and a new life or fresh start,” she shares.

And if you just got a new gig, don’t be surprised to see babies poppin’ up in your dreams like cabbages in a cabbage patch — especially if things are going well.

“Dreaming of babies is very common for people who have just started a new job. Everything is laid before you with so much potential, just like the beginning of a “new life” for you,” continues Potter. “There is so much potential for growth and success.”

“Treat your new job or opportunity like a baby: nurture it, love it, and protect it. Do everything to the best of your abilities to see that it comes to fruition and meets its full potential.”

7. Water

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Water can appear in our dreams in many forms, but it usually relates to one thing.

And what is that one thing? Your emotions, and how you’re dealing with them at work or otherwise.

“Whenever you dream about water pay attention to the feelings that arise as this usually provides insight into how effectively we are managing our emotions,” explains June to Blossom.

If the water is threatening in some way (think a tsunami or flood), this might indicate that you’re too emotionally involved in work, suffering from compassion fatigue, or simply emotionally overwhelmed.

Conversely, if the water in your dream is serene, calm, and soothing, this could indicate happiness in your current line of work and an overall emotional stability.

8. Your Current Job

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If your dreamtime is taken up by visions of your current job, you’ll want to take note of the possible metaphors.

Dreaming about work is always a little annoying when you know you’re simply going to wake up and go to work IRL, right? But it’s still interesting to look at the meaning of dreaming about your job.

“When people are dreaming about the job they currently have it’s almost always metaphorical,” says Blue June.

For instance if you’re dreaming about equipment that isn’t working properly, it’s often you who isn’t functioning well, and it’s probably due to a lack of peaceful rest,” she explains. Up your self-care game (and perhaps even take a personal day, if your schedule permits) if you find yourself having stress dreams about your job. That’s a sign that you need some R&R so you can come back refreshed and with a more positive perspective.

9. Losing Your Job

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In most cases, this would feel like more of a nightmare — but it might not actually have to do with your career.

“Dreaming about losing your job is usually not about work at all, but that you’re just insecure in general,” explains Blue June. In our society, our work is a major reflection of our identities, so if we’re feeling insecure, that could manifest via our subconscious in the form of losing that kind of financial and social stability.

If you dream about losing a job, take some extra time to boost your confidence and surround yourself with people who uplift you.

10. Getting A Promotion

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If you’re moving up the ranks at work in a dream, take note.

“When you get a promotion in a dream it [may be] telling you that you’re the only person who can handle a certain situation in your life at that time,” shares Blue June with Blossom. This might be a work-related situation, yes, but you should also look at other parts of your life in which you feel a lot of pressure on yourself, as it could be a symbol of those situations, too.

11. Getting A New Job

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If your dreamlife serves you up a brand new career path or job, it might mean it’s time to make some actual career moves.

Starting a new job in a dream might indicate that it’s a good time to start making plans to pursue something new.

“Dreaming of a new job represents lack of fulfillment at a current job, making us rethink our current career and direction at work,” explains Stardust.

“It’s a rebirth of sorts, with the aim of allowing the dreamer to change up their professional visions,” she continues. If you are, in fact, unhappy at work, dream symbols like this can serve as a catalyst to start looking at other options within your company or at another. Don’t limit yourself!