If you have a tendency to avoid reality by fantasizing about your dream scenario, then chances are you are an escapist. But it is not all bad being an escapist; like everything else in life, it does have its good and bad traits.
But believe it or not, there’s an escapist in all of us. But some of us tend to take escapism to the next level and this can be quite bad. In this article, I will identify 5 good and 5 bad signs of being an escapist. So if you want to know whether you are an escapist, check these 10 signs below.
The Good Signs
1. You daydream (a lot).
If you have a tendency to daydream (a lot), then you could be an escapist. Escapists are people who want to create their own reality whilst they go about their daily routine. And these day dreams don’t tend to happen purposefully; they actually happen quite naturally when you don’t expect it. And when they do occur, you welcome them. A lot these dream tend to revolve around your deepest desires, like being a rock star, celebrity or being able to stand up for yourself.
2. You are very creative.
If you are capable of making your own alternate reality in your mind, then you must be one imaginative and creative person. And because you developed this habit of imagining, you regularly exercise your creative muscles so you come up with new ideas all the time. If you think about it, some of the most creative works of literature or art (like Stars Wars, Batman—you name it) are all set in a dystopian universe.
3. You want to live life on your own terms.
If you are an escapist, chances are you are working in a job that you don’t really like. And you probably have this burning desire to quit your job. But being an escapist is not just about wishing to quit your job; there could be many things in your life that you wish weren’t there. They could be finance or family-related, and things which you don’t have control over. Escapists like yourself are longing to free from their shackles and live life on their own terms.
4. You love to travel the world.
You’re quick to be bitten by the travel bug. And by travelling, it is not your usual going to a beach and partying type of vacation (although you won’t mind doing that now and then). Your idea of travelling is to explore and to embrace the vibrant cultures that the world would has to offer. And since you are an escapist, you’ll be easily drawn to pictures being posted on Facebook where your friends are showing off their latest travelling adventures and you can’t help but to feel slightly envious.
5. You enjoy reading fiction like fantasy and sci-fi.
As mentioned in one of the previous signs, escapist are incredibly creative and they’re responsible for creating the greatest works of fiction, especially in the fantasy and sci-fi genre. And as a fellow escapist, you admire their work because it allows you be a part of their imaginary universe. It gives you a chance to escape.
The Bad Signs
6. Your desire to quit your job may lead you to under-perform in your job.
This is a classic sign for anyone who is an escapist. Chances are, if you are an escapist, then you may hate your job. There’s a part of you who wants to go on to achieve greater things, perhaps a better career, or you want to do something that you love. So you continue to daydream and lose focus of what you should be doing. And because of this, you are at risk of under-performing in your job.
7. You may be addicted to video games.
Video games have evolved so much recently that you actually feel as if you are a part of their pixelated world. Like many escapists, you are probably addicted to playing video games, and that is because these games allow you to escape into an imaginary reality. Games like the SIMs are becoming more popular because it allows you to create your own alternative version of yourself where you are living your dream world. And because you are so submersed in your universe that you have created, you don’t want to let it go.
8. You realise the world is a harsh place.
This is very common characteristic of all escapists, and it should be seen as a sign. As an escapist, you will have probably imagined this amazing future where you will be living the life of your dream. But when you go and pursue this dream, the shock of what the world is really like disappoints you. You will quickly realise this so go back to just imagining your dream world, where you feel happy.
9. You tend to procrastinate.
Although you may have all these aspirations to live your dream life, the truth is something is holding you back and it is preventing you from pursuing passion. The one thing that is holding you back is your fear of failure. In fact, you’re petrified of failure. You keeping asking all these “what ifs” and they all revolve around failure (e.g. “what if people all mock me because I want to be a writer?!”). And because of this, you end up staying where you are and you start procrastinating.
10. You can’t face uncertainty.
Similar to the last point, another sign which coincides with procrastination is your inability to face uncertainty. Your alternate dream world is where you go to escape the actual reality that you find difficult to accept. When you face uncertain situations, you tend to start procrastinating and start to fantasize. And that’s because you find certainty and security in your dream.
Conclusion
There good and bad signs when it comes to being an escapist. The good signs tend to lead to creativity and exploration, but the bad signs lead to procrastination and not being able to accept reality. If you do have difficulty in accepting reality and pursuing your passion, you could benefit from seeking professional help. But hopefully, this article has made you familiar with signs that are usually associated with being an escapist.
Featured photo credit: Petra via pixabay.com
