Guy Reams (00:01.038)
This is day 151, the monster in the closet. When I was a child, I was convinced there was something lurking in my closet. Some great and terrible beast waiting in the darkness poised to devour me the moment I let my guard down. I remember lying in bed, heart pounding, staring at the closed door, too terrified to move. The fear felt enormous, all-consuming, until eventually exhaustion went out and I drifted off to sleep.
Then morning came, sunlight filled my room and as I opened the closet door I found nothing. Just clothes, shoes, and few scattered toys. The monster had never been there at all. It seems from a young age we humans have a remarkable ability to catastrophize. Our minds take something uncertain or unknown and paint it as something much bigger, scarier, and more dangerous than it actually is. Perhaps this is an evolutionary trait.
a survival mechanism designed to keep us alert to potential danger. But as useful as that instinct may have been when avoiding predators on the savanna, in modern life it often works against us. We don't imagine monsters in the closet anymore, but we do imagine worst-case scenarios in our careers, relationships, health, and everyday challenges. The difficult conversation at work becomes a looming disaster.
The financial setback becomes an inescapable spiral. The unexpected change in plans becomes a catastrophe. But just like that childhood fear, most of what we dread turns out to be far less frightening than we had imagined. Why do we do this? The tendency to overestimate risk and exaggerate future problems isn't random. It happens because of deep-seated cognitive bias that all humans share.
Fear and uncertainty. When we don't have all the information, our brains tend to fill in the blanks with worst-case scenarios. The unknown feels inherently dangerous to us. Negativity bias. We are wired to focus more on potential threats than positive outcomes. Our ancestors, who assumed the worst, were more likely to survive, so we've inherited a brain that leans towards caution. Lack of control.
Guy Reams (02:20.824)
The less control we feel over a situation, the bigger and scarier it seems. When we imagine future challenges as insurmountable, it amplifies anxiety. These mental habits serve a purpose, but if we're not careful, they can keep us stuck, afraid to take risks, reluctant to make decisions, and overwhelmed by problems that aren't as big as they seem to be. So how do you stop seeing monsters in every closet?
How do we stop ourselves from turning everyday challenges into imaginary beasts lurking in the dark? Well, can reframe your perspective. When you catch yourself spiraling into catastrophic thinking, label it. Acknowledge that your mind is exaggerating the situation. Often simply recognizing this pattern can help diffuse any fear from it. Reality. Ask yourself how likely is this really?
And if the worst did happen, how bad would it actually be? Most of the time, the worst case scenario isn't as devastating as our minds are making it out to be. Historical perspective, you can look back on your life. How many times have you faced a situation you thought would be unbearable, only to come out on the other side, often stronger than before? Remembering yourself, reminding yourself of past resilience can help bring today's worries into a much needed perspective.
Stay present. Fear thrives in the imagined future. Mindfulness, focused on what is real and happening right now, helps stop the mental projection of doom. So you can take small concrete actions. The best way to shrink a fear is to face it head on. When we take even the small step towards addressing a challenge, loses its power over us. Action turns fear into clarity.
Simply open the closet door. Fear feeds on uncertainty, but the moment we turn on the light, the monster disappears. Most of the things we dread never come to pass, and even when challenges do arise, they are rarely as overwhelming as we first had imagined. The next time you find yourself staring into the darkness of an unknown future, remember this. The monster in the closet is almost always just a pile of clothes.
Guy Reams (04:48.045)
and you are more capable than you can possibly imagine.