Who Are They?

Who are they?

When we were younger, we had fears about monsters hidden in the dark crevices of our bedrooms. They lurked in waiting, to pounce out and grab us when we least expected it. In the darkness anything could happen and each shadow formed on a wall had the potential to be life threatening.

Fast forward a few decades on and we no longer believe in monsters underneath our beds. We have replaced that with a much more logical and adult version of the story. We now have an imagined audience of ‘them’. They are people whom you fear, admire, dislike, have a high regard for and those you have a disdain for. They make up a set of characters that you feel your life and each move made within it is being dissected, judged and reviewed as though you are on an episode of The X Factor and there is a judging panel in front of you. They are unaware that they have these roles within the corridors of your own brain, but they do.

They may not seem as threatening to your life as those monsters did all those many years ago, but they do still dictate aspects of your behavior. You second guess yourself if say one of those members would disapprove of an action you are about to take. You look to their opinion of you when you want to break out of a pattern that you think defines you. On a very basic level you live out a life as though you are acting in front of an audience and you are seeking their applause and adulation. Yet they are a figment of your imagination.

It is true that some of these characters may have full blown living versions in existence on this planet, but they have no capacity to live inside of your head without your permission. The may also disapprove of some of your life choices but they can do that without entering into your head and affecting you so deeply that you change your opinion or navigate your life so that you get their nods of approval instead.

So let the choices you make be ones that are of your own volition and not because of an imaginary audience looking out at you and rating your performance in life.