You've built entire worlds in your head.Not the ordinary kind of daydreaming-the brief fantasy that flickers by while you're waiting for the train. You've built entire worlds. Characters with names and histories. Storylines that have evolved over months, years, maybe decades. And you've probably never told anyone just how much time you spend there.Hours vanish. Evenings disappear. You meant to clean the kitchen, call your mother, finish that project-but you went somewhere else instead. Somewhere more vivid, more compelling, more perfectly suited to whatever you needed in that moment.If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. And you're not broken.Come Back to Now is a gentle, research-backed guide for anyone who struggles with maladaptive daydreaming, chronic overthinking, or getting lost in their own head. Whether you've paced for hours while immersed in mental storylines, used music to fuel elaborate fantasies, or simply felt like real life can't compete with the world in your mind-this book meets you where you are.Inside, you'll discover:Why your brain does this (and why willpower alone won't fix it)The spectrum between healthy imagination and maladaptive patternsA practical framework for finding balance without abandoning your creativityHow to identify your triggers and meet the needs your daydreams fulfillStrategies for staying present when the pull to escape feels overwhelmingHow to build a life worth being present forThis isn't about pathologizing your imagination or demanding you stop daydreaming forever. Your inner world has been a companion, a comfort, a place of infinite possibility. That deserves respect.But if you're feeling the cost-the lost time, the disconnection, the sense that you're missing your own life-then it's time to find your way back.You can have a rich inner life and be present for the one you're actually living.Let's figure it out together. Sarah Mitchell spent seven years as a therapist specializing in anxiety and life transitions before turning to writing to reach more people. Her books translate psychological research into practical strategies for readers who are overwhelmed, exhausted, and skeptical of self-help that ignores real-world constraints. She believes in the radical idea that you're not broken-you're just human, living in a world that asks too much. Sarah holds a master's in Counseling Psychology from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband Ben, their two kids, and a rescue dog named Biscuit who has never once reduced her stress levels.
