I’m sure there’s already a lot of threads on beginner’s advice out there, but I guess it’s always worth mentioning some basics:
In fact, the best advice can probably be found here: [Table of Contents Ordered By Theme)
That being said, I’d highly recommend a DJ if you don’t have one. It’s the best and, in my opinion, the only place to start if you’re not a natural. Writing your dreams down helps you learn to recognize them… both awake and asleep. Being able to recognize a dream, whether by dream sign or intuitive, greatly improves the amount of LDs you have. It was only after I got really serious with keeping my DJ that I started to have a lot more LDs than I used to.
So… do reality checks, yes. Maybe try MILD or WBTB. But I stress that almost everyone needs to keep a Dream Journal. Hope this helps!