---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dreams are not real; but when you are…"
description: "\"Dreams are not real; but when you are inside a dream, it is real to you.\" — Sherry Thomas"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/sherry-thomas-2738_dream_dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-ins_2762108.jpg"
---

#  Dreams are not real; but when you are inside a dream, it…

![“Dreams are not real; but when you are inside a dream, it is real to you.” quote by Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/sherry-thomas-2738_dream_dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-ins_2762108.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/sherry-thomas-2738_dream_dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-ins_2762108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/sherry-thomas-2738_dream_dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-ins_2762108.jpg)

> “Dreams are not real; but when you are inside a dream, it is real to you.”

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Dreams feel unreal, yet within them reality is subjective to the dreamer.

**In simple terms:** Dreams seem fake but feel real to the dreamer.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the power of perception in shaping experience.

Themes

psychology subjectivity reality dreams

Mood

introspective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- therapy sessions
- creative writing
- mindfulness practice
- nightmare coping
- storytelling

Key Concepts

consciousness perception cognitive bias

Questions to Reflect On

- What does a dream reveal about your waking concerns?
- How can you use dream insight in daily decisions?

A Different Perspective

Dreams may not reflect objective truth, only personal feeling.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/)

## Related quotes

> [Dreams are real as long as they last. Can we say more of life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/dreams-are-real-as-long-as-they-last-can-we-say-more-of-life/)

[Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/)

> [I think my story captured a wonderful feeling inside all of us. It's a dream that we can all do it. It's all possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-ruettiger/i-think-my-story-captured-a-wonderful-feeling-inside-all-of-us-it-s-a/)

[Rudy Ruettiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-ruettiger/)

> [“We try to get out of these cocoons and make our way down to where our bodies are. We try shoplifting and racist/sexist/ageist humor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-crystal-carver/we-try-to-get-out-of-these-cocoons-and-make-our-way-down-to-where-our/)

Lisa Crystal Carver

> [“Inside a dream. Within a lost city. In the shadow of an angel. At the brink of calamity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/inside-a-dream-within-a-lost-city-in-the-shadow-of-an-angel-at-the/)

[Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/)

> [“I know you’re just a rag doll now, sewn together with memories that we might have had. I know you’re just the dream inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pleasefindthis/i-know-you-re-just-a-rag-doll-now-sewn-together-with-memories-that-we/)

pleasefindthis

> [There is no need to dream in nature because you are already inside the dream!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/there-is-no-need-to-dream-in-nature-because-you-are-already-inside/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [“If only we could crawl inside our dreams and live there. Why can't I live inside my dream?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-howrey/if-only-we-could-crawl-inside-our-dreams-and-live-there-why-can-t-i/)

[Meg Howrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-howrey/)

> [“There was no denying the reality of this situation. The exquisite ecstasy of having an honest-to-God, flesh-and-blood c#ck inside. Dream symbolisms and explanations be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-dee/there-was-no-denying-the-reality-of-this-situation-the-exquisite/)

[Jess Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-dee/)

> [A dream inside a dream might not be a dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/a-dream-inside-a-dream-might-not-be-a-dream/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [“Inside a mist, inside a dream, a young man and woman were remade.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/inside-a-mist-inside-a-dream-a-young-man-and-woman-were-remade/)

[Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/)

> [“Life is full of secrets, and narrow-minded people, and sugar-coated, empty conversations that hold no weight. What’s real is what’s inside us. What’s important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-shen/life-is-full-of-secrets-and-narrow-minded-people-and-sugar-coated/)

[L.J. Shen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-shen/)

> [I just can't stand to look plain, 'cause that don't fit my personality. I may be a very artificial-looking person, but the good news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-just-can-t-stand-to-look-plain-cause-that-don-t-fit-my-personality/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [Im real inside and out- I will never talk behind your back always to your face- I will never disrespect you just tell the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-sartin/im-real-inside-and-out-i-will-never-talk-behind-your-back-always-to/)

[Megan Sartin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-sartin/)

> [Waking up and hoping that the dream you had was real and the nightmare you ad never happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace/waking-up-and-hoping-that-the-dream-you-had-was-real-and-the/)

[Ace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace/)

> [“ARTHUR: The only way to wake up from inside the dream is to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/arthur-the-only-way-to-wake-up-from-inside-the-dream-is-to-die/)

[Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/)

## More by Sherry Thomas

> [“Sometimes people change, said a voice inside him. And sometimes they don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/sometimes-people-change-said-a-voice-inside-him-and-sometimes-they/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“I always think I cannot love you more if I tried, but I always do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/i-always-think-i-cannot-love-you-more-if-i-tried-but-i-always-do/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“For the thousandth time he wished he’d just met her. That they were but two strangers traveling together, that such lovely, filthy thoughts did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/for-the-thousandth-time-he-wished-he-d-just-met-her-that-they-were/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“This is the story of a girl who fooled a thousand boys, a boy who fooled an entire country, a partnership that would change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/this-is-the-story-of-a-girl-who-fooled-a-thousand-boys-a-boy-who/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“Outwardly, other than her hair, she had not changed much. She was still more or less the same cool, aloof woman who garnered more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/outwardly-other-than-her-hair-she-had-not-changed-much-she-was-still/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“The buttons on her back gave way as if before a Mongol horde.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/the-buttons-on-her-back-gave-way-as-if-before-a-mongol-horde/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“Humans, herself included, held no interest for her except as living machines, mind-bogglingly intricate, beautiful systems that somehow housed individuals not quite worthy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/humans-herself-included-held-no-interest-for-her-except-as-living/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“...So far I have restrained myself. For how much longer, I do not know. I have never known such happiness, shot through with such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/so-far-i-have-restrained-myself-for-how-much-longer-i-do-not-know-i/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“You are asking me to give up everything for a cause that isn't mine. I don't want to be part of any revolution. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/you-are-asking-me-to-give-up-everything-for-a-cause-that-isn-t-mine-i/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“Friendship is untenable for people in our position.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/friendship-is-untenable-for-people-in-our-position/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“Just before the start of Summer Half, in April 1883, a very minor event took place at Eton College, that venerable and illustrious English…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/just-before-the-start-of-summer-half-in-april-1883-a-very-minor-event/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“A reflection of their story: imperfect, but to him the most beautiful of stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/a-reflection-of-their-story-imperfect-but-to-him-the-most-beautiful/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“For the next three seconds, he still dared to let himself hope. Perhaps she was making a grand entrance. Perhaps she would be carried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/for-the-next-three-seconds-he-still-dared-to-let-himself-hope-perhaps/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“He smiled at her. And it hit her like a mallet to the temple, the realization that she was in love with him. Stupidly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/he-smiled-at-her-and-it-hit-her-like-a-mallet-to-the-temple-the/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

> [“We will never accomplish anything worthwhile in life if we require the guarantee of success at the onset.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/we-will-never-accomplish-anything-worthwhile-in-life-if-we-require/)

[Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

[Explore all 150 Sherry Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/)

## More Dream quotes

> [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/)

[Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/)

> [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/)

[John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/)

[Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/)

> [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/)

[Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/)

> [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/)

[Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/)

> [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/)

[Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/)

> [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/)

[Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/)

> [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/)

[Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/)

> [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/)

[Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

[Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Dreams are not real; but when you are inside a dream, it is real to you.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sherry Thomas"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-inside-a-dream-it-is-real-to-you/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dream"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-inside-a-dream-it-is-real-to-you/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/sherry-thomas-2738_dream_dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-ins_2762108.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/sherry-thomas-2738_dream_dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-ins_2762108.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/sherry-thomas-2738_dream_dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-ins_2762108.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Dreams are not real; but when you are inside a dream, it is real to you.” — Sherry Thomas",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Sherry Thomas",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Dreams are not real; but when...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-inside-a-dream-it-is-real-to-you/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/dreams-are-not-real-but-when-you-are-inside-a-dream-it-is-real-to-you/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
