The scariest thing (and how to avoid it this Halloween)

The scariest thing isn’t a ghost, vampire or werewolf. It isn’t a crazed and starved cannibal. And it certainly isn’t the latest meme, pop culture reference or anything sexy.

No one will dress up as this. Maybe because it’s too unsettling, or maybe it’s too difficult to explain your costume. Even so, it’ll stalk you through the shadows and the light. You won’t be able to escape it.

It’s there when you’re alone.

It’s there when you’re getting drunk at a party.

You can’t even save yourself by spending time with friends and loved ones. (That may spook it off or distract it, but it won’t go away.)

This terrifying creature doesn’t need fangs to cripple you. It doesn’t need tentacles to tie you down.

No, it’s far trickier to fight than that.

Loneliness is a fickle foe and it prays on people like us the most. Maybe we have the sweetest meat… or maybe it knows that we walk alone. Personal development is… well, personal. It takes time and commitment to build something hard to share.

You might create a breakthrough for yourself and not know how to describe it. You know it’s important – that’s more felt than calculated, though. So when someone asks you what you did on the weekend, you might share that. Or you might keep it to yourself. Either way, there’s a barrier between your experience and the description.

They won’t really get it. Not unless they’re well on the path of their own personal development.

We’re like the protagonists in a young adult story. We’re sucked into a strange world, we defeat the beast and free the kingdom. It’s the greatest achievement we could ever imagine… but we can’t share it.

We’re not working on ourselves to be cool, but that doesn’t mean we’re happy to be alone.

I certainly wasn’t, which is why I created a space for us to hang out. People driven by personal development and mind training can come together, hang out, share tips and drink wisdom.

Most importantly, we’re there for each other.

I might not know your situation but we do know growth. Your challenges and wins matter, and you’re free to share them with me here:

What can the 8Ps do for you?