Last night when I got into bed, I decided to try MILD for the first time. I started repeating, “The next time I’m dreaming, I will realize that I’m dreaming.” over and over again. I must have repeated it over 100 times before I dozed off. I had a dream, where I was on a stage with my favorite band. I looked out into the crowd and said, “Wow, what a cool dream.” I knew it was a dream but I didn’t take any actions to try and control it. I think it was because I was having such a good time, and I didn’t want to change anything. But once I think I tried to fly but it didn’t work.
So, is this a coincidence? I went to bed repeating that phrase, and I had a dream where I realized I was dreaming. But I didn’t say that I would become lucid.
I don’t know if this was a MILD or not. Was this even a lucid dream?
I’m going to say the same phrase again tonight, but instead of saying that I will realize i’m dreaming, I will say that I will become lucid.
Well, it might have been a FLD… but if you were aware of it, it was a LD. Sometimes your mind invents such an interesting storyline that if you become aware that you are dreaming you would ruin everything. I had such things - it was as good as a LD.
It worked for you, as I can see… keep doing MILD and using mantras - next time, try to reach 200 times repeating that phrase, huh ? 
Yes, it was MILD.
And “I will realize that I am dreaming” and “I will become lucid” is actually the same thing in different words.
I did the same thing last night, & I had another lucid dream. I’ve tried so many techniques, and so far, this is the only one that works. 
I think MILD also improves my dream recall, because last night I remembered 6 of my dreams.
As Six said, becoming lucid IS relizing you are dreaming 
even if you didn’t control the dream. It might have been a low level of lucidity. With higher levels you not only realize that you’re dreaming, but you also realize what that means: you can do anything you want!
So just keep practicing, if MILD works for you, keep it up! 