Personal Growth: Enjoy Monstrous Screams

A child screamed. Both parents rushed into the bedroom and asked the obligatory, “What's wrong?”

The frightened child stated he saw a monster. One parent quickly dismissed it and said, “It was in your dreams.”

Now annoyed, the child said, “my eyes were open.”

Although this is a movie snippet the opposite is true in real life. Monsters really are in dreams. They are blocking the doorway and saying, “Don't even try it.” Some monsters are inside your dreamspace, the “What if” monsters.

Then there are the real monsters – self-doubt and people who will cosign your fears and donate some of theirs if you don't have enough.

These are the practical people who save up fears for their friends just in case they lose touch with reality and start to slip into the dangerous world of dreaming. They will gladly help you brainstorm all the scary and monstrous reasons why not. Their philosophy: “There are monsters everywhere but if we stay together, the monsters will get the few who venture out.”

There are many approaches to dealing with self-doubt and other people. Simply put, distractions from dreams in, distractions from dreams out. Spend more time with yourself, letting go of bad things and taking in good things, avoiding some things and people and then seeking out some things and types of people.

Most importantly, know there is fun to be had while dealing with the monsters. I enjoy having my own little make-believe massacre with each one. It begins with believing these monsters dream too. Their greatest fear - what if no one dreamt them up? It ends with the sound of their screaming as it trails off behind me.

P.S.
I also enjoy annoying/torturing monsters by responding to all the scary thoughts they try to get me to accept.
Monster (using self-doubt): What if you don't sell any books?
Me: It's better to have a garage full of books than a mind full.
Me again: It's better to have a record of attempts than a history of regrets.
Monster #2: (using others) “But what will people think...?”
Me (cutting them off, annoyed and focusing on what I choose): If there is any uncertainty associated with dreams, there is definitely a lot of certainty without them. These are life's terms and I won't allow you fake as# monsters to confuse me with what's really at stake.
Monster (super desperate, sulking away, still cocky): The American dream is all about the mo'ne', not living. Don't be stupid! I'll be back when you're starving.
Me (with lots of responses but keeping silent because I know the monstrosity will be back with reinforcements, hanging around on the corner)


Recognize the pattern? Without self-doubt or other people, monsters got nothing. Without self-strengthening thoughts, you got nothing. The better your thoughts, the better your actions. It all starts with what you tell yourself. I am more than capable. Somebody screammm!