I love Halloween. It is perhaps the most empowering holiday of the year. For fun, think of the person you admired most when you were a child. It could be Spiderman (or any other movie character - animated or not). It could be a favorite character in a book, a celebrity, a favorite Aunt or Teacher. Think back to when you were able to complete this sentence: "When I grow up I want to be _______."

Create a costume for whatever answer popped into your mind. Wear the costume on Halloween and really get into the part. Act as if you were that person. Have fun in that role.

"The thing about performance, even if it's only an illusion, is that it is a celebration of the fact that we do contain within ourselves infinite possibilities." - Daniel Day Lewis

When the evening comes to an end take off the costume. As you put the costume away think of the attributes of the person you embodied over the course of the evening. For example, if Madonna rocked your world when you were little, consider the attributes of confident, authentic, self-assured, talented, adored by many, unique, strong, comfortable in her own skin, controversial - or whatever it was about her that impressed you as a child. Whatever attributes you identify as meaningful, hold onto them as you show up expressing those attributes the next day and every day after that.

The truth is, whomever you aspired to be when you were little is a reflection of who you are. You love a reflection of you! If there are parts of you that you do not like know this is your conditioned self, your nurture not your nature. This is the egoic coping mechanism and what I playfully call the Inner Critic, that you invented to stay safe and loved in your formative years.

"People often become actresses because of something they dislike about themselves: They pretend they are someone else." - Bette Davis

Acknowledge, embrace and honor the attributes that make your heart sing and are your birthright. Show up in your life as the person you aspired to be. Soon the role won't feel like a costume as you become comfortable in your own skin!

I'd love to know who you wanted to be when you grew up! Use the comment box to tell me how you are showing up in your life today as the person you dreamed of becoming.

"Therapy? I don't need that. The roles that I choose are my therapy." - Angelina Jolie

Copyright (c) 2009 Valery Satterwhite