We all have them… Those “haunts” that keep us up at night or make our heart pound or make us cringe in guilt after a wrong decision.

And man they get on my nerves.

I want to start getting on their nerves. Yeah. Yeah. I want to fight them in my own life… But, I can’t if I don’t know what they are. Right?

I think that’s the first step in fighting our demons: Find out what they are. Identify them. What’s that proverb (not Biblical, just proverbial)? Know thy enemy; thy enemy is self.

Or something like that. Maybe Sun Tzu and Pogo fell in love and got married and had some sort of quote-baby in my brain. But, you get what I’m saying…

If we don’t know our enemy (which may be within) then we won’t be able to smack it in the face with a wet glove and spit and walk away.

So, I’m out to discover mine. Call them out from hiding. It’s time for them to show their faces (I’m speaking rather figuratively here, y’all. Nobody panic.) I’m on the hunt for those things that just fray me. That wear me down. That tempt me and try me and test me and make me feel weak and weary.

Things like:

• Conflict: I absolutely fear it. I’m a bit too non-confrontational.
• Doubt: I sometimes wonder if maybe there’s a slight chance that somewhere out there “on the other side” of this world there really just might be nothing…? (cringe for honesty.)
• Anger: I think I’m entitled. Namely, to be able to start a family with ease. By not getting my way, I’ve become a sort of a spiritual brat. Not so good.

That’s a start. And there are more. And some of them may be easier to beat than others. And, you know, some of them just might be around for life. But if I know these “demons” and can see them for what they are, I’ve already begun to strip their power.

So, take that, demons. I acknowledge that you annoy me. And I’m not interested in cooperating.

What are some of your demons? Can you identify one or two? Even in that, you’re stripping their power!

I totally changed my mind on the interaction in this post. You know what I really want to see happen in the comments? Y’all share how you’ve fought particular demons in your own life. There are others who face the same, and could really benefit from your stories.

Feel free to be anonymous, just be sure to change your email: anon@anonymous.com works well.

Thanks y’all!