When you do a reality check, what did you think to yourself EXACTLY. What are the EXACT words…?
You ask yourself, “am I dreaming?” Then take a few moments and look around and seriously consider the possibility that you might be dreaming. This sounds silly but it is very important that you take this exercise seriously. Look for proof that you are/are not dreaming. Then do a reality check to verify your findings. There are lots of different RC people use. You can get some ideas from the big reality check sticky thread. Once you are sure you are not dreaming tell yourself that “next time I will realize when I am dreaming. You will want to do this a lot in the beginning. At least 20-30 times a day.
Another option you might want to add to the above exercise is to take a moment to imagine that you are dreaming. What dream signs might you see? Than fantasies about what you would do if this was a dream.
Believe me, you’ll think it’s stupid in the dream too. (because you’ll believe it’s RL) The only difference is, it won’t seem as idiotic when you see a few extra fingers on your hand. 
The easiest RC you can do is this:
Hold your nose tightly, and attempt to breathe through it. If you can breathe through it, then you are almost definitely dreaming. If you cannot breathe through it, then you are almost definitely awake.
It very reliable, and not too conspicuous… well I like it, anyway.
My favorite RC is to read some text very carefully, then read it again and see if it changed at all. Ussually if I do this in a dream the text will shift around during my first attempt at reading it.
I do different RCs based on my environment…
Home (light) - Nose, birthmark on hand
School - Birthmark on hand, text change
Anywhere else - Mixture of the 3 based on whether it’s light/dark.
You all know that my question has nothing to do with physical action, right? WHay do you THINK to yourself EXACTLY!!!
i was thinking about it, and this question is actually quite Important, i mean i have missed chances for LDs by doing RCs just out of habit, and not really thinking enough about it . i guess in answer to your question, all i really say to myself is “is this a dream” or “am i dreaming”… is that what you mean CZChilla?
Well , I just do a RC when i.:
See soething strange.
Think off lding (haven`t been unsure if i am sleeping when im on this site )
Eats (from thime to time , used to be a dreamsign, but stopped.)
Then i just think like :
Strange thing , oh RC !
I usually look around and say in my mind, “I could be dreaming…”
Then I do the RC where I observe some words, look away, and look back a few times to see if they’ve changed…but I’ve never really become lucid with this reality check, I usually dream of something strange or impossible, then realize the answer is because I’m dreaming.
I hope all the reality Checks I’m doing will spill into my dreams. Maybe I should act more aware when I do them. That pobably would help.
Most definitely! The more seriously you do your RC ‘s the Better they will work IMO. It will help you develop you critical reflective reasoning and help you become more aware of when you are dreaming.
Also, in the beginning, you want to do this exercise a lot. At least 20 times per day.
Yah maybe I’m not doing them enough. But I’ll work at it.
Thanks.
The best RC for me is to seriously question the possiblity that I’m in a dream, I usually do this whenever something unordinary happens.
yesterday i made over 250 RC for sure, but i didnt do any RC in dream so i didnt get lucid 
pinch nose rc wont work on me, today i try “look at hands” rc
Keep trying, it wont happen in 1 day!
Keep up the good work !
I had my first after 3 moths !
I were`T as good as you to do RCs though 