I'll try to keep this short and to the point, but last night, I performed several reality checks in my dream. However, I did not turn lucid, as a person in my dream told me that I was sick, and so pinching my nose and being able to breathe was normal while having this sickness. So in the dream world at that moment, I was convinced that the dream I was in was reality, which was the exact opposite of what should happen when you perform a reality check in a dream, and it proves ineffective. I was thinking about it the whole day, and I was wondering why this happened and if this will ever top me from LD'ing in the future. Is my subconscience trying to stop me from taking control over it? Am I over-abusing reality checks in reality, rendering them helpless in the dream world? Do I just need an overall understanding on what to do next once I reach the "dream conscious" state?

If I can get some tips on what to do, I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance.