Wow this is a great topic. Dreaming has always been strange for me. Ever since I was really little (4 or so) I've been able to control my dreams. I can force myself to dream about something, stop a dream I don't like, change what's happening inside a dream, or force myself to wake up. I'm not really sure how I figured it out, it just happened. I've only recently found out that this is actually 'lucid dreaming'.As for waking up, it seemed to happen naturally. I'd focus my mind on being awake and ignore anyone or anything inside the dream. I would refuse to move along with it and sort of plant myself in one spot. After a couple minutes (I think) I'd be awake. I later found out that all this is a family trait.