I love to celebrate holidays! I don't have an April Fools' pot luck or send Columbus Day cards. But Valentine's Day, 4th of July, Halloween and Christmas - I'm all over those with food, decorations, and parties. Over the years, I've expanded my Halloween collection so much, that I'm in the "spirit" (pun intended) from the first day of October. And it's all in preparation for the night when the little goblins come to my house to Trick or Treat.
Unfortunately, Halloween isn't the only season when we're susceptible to tricks. Our minds play tricks on us all the time, telling us we're not courageous enough to tackle the tasks in front of us. And those kinds of tricks leave us feeling as deflated as my neighbor's inflatable ghost will look on November 1st.
So in the "spirit" of the season (again with the puns!), I've listed here three common tricks our minds often play on us, each followed by a Courageous Treat that will help to overcome them (and they won't add an inch to your hips!)
Trick #1: The job in front of me is enormous and overwhelming. I don't even know where to begin.
Courageous Treat: Break a monumental task into smaller pieces, not just in your mind, but by writing them down as a list or on index cards. You may even find that the original task wasn't as big as you thought. Then check off each completed portion. Remember, you can even eat an elephant a bite at a time!
Trick #2: I'm sure I'll fail at something I have to do.
Courageous Treat: Everyone fails some time, no one is exempt. Step out of the picture and take an objective look: what's the worst that could happen? Write down your fears and next to them list how you could work through them. You'll gain courage and confidence in seeing that there's almost always an alternative. News flash: we always think we're going to feel worse than we actually do!
Trick #3: Change terrifies me.
Courageous Treat: While change may mean we momentarily lose control, it doesn't necessarily mean things will end badly. Rather, change could provide new and unimagined opportunities. Again, use visuals. Write down the change you're facing and then the possibilities radiating out from it. Just like the Scouts, if you're prepared, bad weather will just roll off your back.
With a few Courageous Treats, these tricks are sure to stop haunting you!
