Halloween is the one time of year when we’re supposed to be afraid. We decorate our houses with ghosts and skeletons, tell scary stories, and watch movies designed to make us jump. If I’m being honest, though, I’ve never been afraid of monsters under the bed. The monsters that worry me are the ones that live in my head.
You know the ones.
The ogre that screams, “You’re not ready.”
The fiend that whispers, “Don’t speak up.”
The one that reminds you of every mistake you’ve ever made.
The one that convinces you that everyone else has it figured out except you.
The one that tells you to wait …
Until you’re more qualified.
More experienced.
More prepared.
More something.
And, before you know it, years have slipped by while you’ve been waiting for permission from a monster that was never qualified to make decisions about your life in the first place.
Does this sound familiar?
The Monster Called Self-Doubt
This one is sneaky because it doesn’t show up looking scary. Instead, it often disguises itself as logic.
It says things like:
“You should probably think about it a little longer.”
“What if it doesn’t work out? Think how embarrassing that would be.”
“People will judge you.”
The problem is that self-doubt rarely asks what might happen if everything goes right; it only wants to discuss what could go wrong. The scariest part is that if you listen long enough, you’ll start mistaking fear for wisdom.
The Monster Called Comparison
This monster loves social media and spends its days convincing you that everyone else is further ahead, happier, and more successful.
Someone else’s business looks more professional.
Someone else’s career looks more rewarding.
Someone else’s family looks happier.
Someone else’s life looks easier.
Comparison has one job: to make you feel behind in a race you’re not even supposed to be running.
The truth? Most people are fighting battles you can’t see. Like everyone else, they’re making it up as they go along. And — what you rarely see on social media — most people are carrying around burdensome monsters of their own.
The Monster Called “Who Do You Think You Are?”
This one may be my least favorite, because it usually isn’t even our own voice. It’s one from our past: a harsh teacher, an uncaring boss, a timid family member, a spiteful critic.
What they all have in common is that they’re someone who convinced you, intentionally or not, that playing small was safer than being seen.
Over time, their voice becomes your voice.
Their limitations become your limitations.
Their insecurities become your self-doubt.
Too many times of hearing, “No offense but …” or “I wouldn’t if I were you,” and suddenly you’re living life according to rules you never created.
Here’s the Good News
Monsters lose their power when you turn on the lights. In fact, the moment you identify them, they start shrinking.
When you recognize that self-doubt is talking, stop treating it like truth.
When you catch yourself comparing, redirect your focus back to your own path.
When you hear that old critical voice, ask yourself a simple question: “Is this really my belief, or does it belong to someone else?”
That’s when everything starts to change.
Most importantly, know that you don’t need to slay every monster.
You just need to stop handing these unhelpful backup singers the microphone. Fear will still show up, and doubt will pop in for a visit from time to time. Comparison will still rear its ugly head on occasion. They’re all part of being human.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all the monsters in your head. Instead, the goal is to stop letting them run the show.
The people who achieve extraordinary things aren’t fearless.
They’re simply unwilling to let fear make their decisions.
They trust their own voice more than the monsters.
And this superpower is available to every single one of us … including you.
So this Halloween, while everyone else is worrying about ghosts and goblins, I want you to pay close attention to the monsters in your head.
Name them.
Notice them.
Challenge them.
Then remind them who is actually in charge.
Because the scariest monsters aren’t under the bed; they’re the ones convincing you not to live the life you want.
Your secret weapon? Know that they only have as much power as you give them. Just like a scary movie, turn them off and choose to live life on your own terms with your own voice.
