Don't Feed YOUR zombies (Banish Them From Your Brain)

We've all got metaphorical zombies in our lives. Those hideous life-altering forces that feed on our weaknesses and our doubts. These zombies could be people who rush to squash our hopes and dreams and deem our efforts pointless and of no value. You know those people. The ones who will make a comment on your blog post simply to point out a mistake or those people who when they see you succeeding where they still struggle decide to vanish from your life, taking a large chunk of you with them. We've all met these people--negative kill joys who simply can not be happy for you. Why do people do that to one another? Human nature? No, it's zombie nature, to feed on another person to make them weaker, to make them just like everyone else--shambling, mindless, hopeless. They enjoy it. They desire it.

But there are other zombies in our lives as well and these ones tend to be more vicious. These zombies are like the ones from the movie World War Z. Fast, unforgiving, destructive, and instant. These are the zombies we carry around within ourselves--the little voice that tells you to give up, you're useless, worthless, and will NEVER be good at anything. These zombies are harder to destroy, but that doesn't mean they can't be dealt with.

So how do we get rid of these zombies that surround us--the negative people, the voices of doubt?

For the people set out to destroy our work, our creativity, our hope to make a difference, it's much easier: we avoid them. Simple, but effective. You block them. You walk away from them. You delete their comments, their emails, their correspondence, you don't read their negative reviews. Wherever they are, you run the other way. Save yourself. Don't think they can be cured or changed. They can't. Don't believe that their voice has merit, not when they deliver their comments with such a bitter bite. Don't give them more value than they deserve.

As for the voices in your head that plague you, remember what it is you want. Do you want to be a writer? Then write. Do you want to create art? Then paint. Do you want to fly? Then start building your wings now. Surround yourself with positive people, people who want to help you build your wings, who will hand you the tools you need. Stop beating yourself up. We're not perfect beings. Remember, YOU ARE NOT YOUR DOUBTS. YOU ARE NOT YOUR FEARS. Yes, it's normal to be afraid and worry, but that should never define you and it should NEVER stop you. Change your attitude about failure and redefine your definition of success. Take small steps. Learn to trust yourself, because who knows you better than you do? No one.

Don't let the zombies in your life win and drag you down to their level. Take care of yourself--meditate, get out in nature, take a break if you need one, connect with others just like you--because ultimately, it's your choice whether to give into the hoard that wants to destroy you or to fight like a devil and come at them swinging.

I've got my zombie killing bat. I hope you have yours.