Trick or Treat

With Halloween fast approaching, you’ve probably asked, or been asked: “What are you going to be?” or “Who are you going as?” Whether it’s a goblin or a ghoul, a pumpkin or a giant M&M, the latest celebrity in the midst of scandal, or a creative twist on an everyday object, cliché, or person, Halloween is the one day a year when we give ourselves – and everyone else – permission to be whomever and whatever we/they want to be. It’s a free pass to let loose, let go, and detach from outside norms and expectations. We laugh at ourselves much more easily; judge others and ourselves less critically; celebrate creativity and out-of-the-box thinking; and encourage, if not admire, those who push the boundaries on what may otherwise be considered taboo. On this one day designated for costumes, we step out from behind the mask of who we think we’re supposed to be and reveal something different, unique, sexy, bold, mysterious, funny, and maybe even brave, about who we actually are. The best and worst of it is that our walk on the wild side is only temporary - we immediately step back into the role we’ve always played, likely tucking away the aspect of ourselves that poked its head out on Halloween and, then, stays hidden the other 364 days of the year. We get comfortable again. This year, take the spirit of Halloween with you. Remember how great it can feel to imagine, play, and experiment with one of the many dimensions that make you, you. Don’t trick yourself out of that treat.