Make Believe

There are many things in our life that we may be pretending about, which basically means it isn’t real. Children love to pretend when it comes to games and activities that they engage in. You may have to explain to them the differences between real and pretend though in some instances. For example they may be afraid of Halloween or a movie on TV because they don’t realize that the events taking place are pretend.

Many people love to be a part of plays and they get very involved in their roles. Even though it is only pretend, they can give a very believable performance to the audience. In fact, some plays and movies are so realistic in nature that we find ourselves completely submerged in what is taking place in them. For that period of time, we are oblivious to anything else that takes place in our lives.

Sometimes pretending isn’t something that benefits us in any way though. Many people pretend things are fine at work or in relationships, but inside they have a continual battle about what is really taking place. You aren’t doing yourself or the other people involved in the situation any favors by pretending. If they know you well enough, they will pick up on it anyway from your behaviors and your body language.

One of the most common types of pretending is to be interested in something when we aren’t. How may times have you been in a class or a meeting for work and been bored out of your mind? You may appear to be focused on what is taking place but you allow your mind to wonder. In most instances you can get away with it but it can be embarrassing when you get asked a question and you have no clue what everyone is talking about.

There are many faces and many hats to pretending. Many of them are just a part of growing up and having fun. Others can help you to escape from reality for a period of time. There are types of pretend that are actually bad for your physical and mental health. You need to work hard to identify these instances and then initiate a plan to remove them from your life.