lost object anxiety as a trigger

Last night I dreamed that I was at a drum circle and couldn't find my favorite djembe drum. I remembered bringing it with me and putting it down but when it was time to play I couldn't find it. I started getting anxious as I searched for it and finally woke myself up and realized my drum wasn't missing in waking life.

I've had this kind of dream before and I've started wondering if it could be used to trigger lucidity. Misplacing or losing something isn't really an inconsistency, as this kind of thing happens in waking life as well as in dreaming, but there is a way to use it as a trigger.

When I lose or misplace something in waking life, instead of becoming anxious I can pause and ask myself if I'm dreaming. This pause will probably help me find the missing object if I'm awake because it will center me. It will help me become aware that I'm dreaming if I realize that it's not the drum that's lost, it's me.

Well, just like any other dream sign, something out of the ordinary happening is a good trigger to cause lucidity. For example, I was being chased by cops once, and realized how out of the normal that was for me, and realized I was dreaming. So yes, missing an object you just had would make a good trigger. Also, the fact it's a repeated dream gives and even better chance for becoming lucid, because your brain becomes more and more aware it's dreaming when that chain of events happens.

Good luck with using it as a trigger!