Commands didn't work, just made me lose control

[Choogly]

So I realized I was dreaming last night in a bathroom(this is in the dream, i was sleeping in my bed). I looked into the mirror and said LUCIDITY NOW and INCREASE CLARITY, which only started to make the dream world shake and start to fade out. Interestingly enough, looking at my hands didn't help, but looking in the mirror did, and my reflection was completely normal. I also tried drawing a portal with my finger, but it didn't work. I know these things only work if you really believe them, but is there any way to make me believe them more? Or any techniques that you guys find more effective? Thanks

[Puffin]

Maybe it was just a one-time thing. Sometimes dreams simply aren't that stable, and that happens to me every once in a while: Some parts of my vision are blurred and dark, and sometimes the dream work vibrates in a sense. Something that helps me tremendously, dream-control wise, is daydreaming about what I want to accomplish in my next lucid. I think about what it'll look like when I turn around and expect a door to be on the wall, and what will be on the other side when I walk through it. Make these daydreams as realistic as you can, and it will help.

[Choogly]

Alright, I'll give that a shot. I definitely agree that thinking about these things during the day helps, as it made me feel more like I knew what to do. It just happened not to work haha