Emily* had a fun idea: She could bring her typewriter to the coffee shop!
It would be fun to type poems around other people. Maybe some passersby would want one.
Emily’s a huge fan of play and whimsy. Her eyes sparkled with delight at the possibility.
Then another voice in her head cut in:
“You can’t do that! You’ll get in trouble. You’ll make too much noise and take up too much space.”
Her enthusiasm crumpled. A heavy feeling settled in her belly. She felt shame for even imagining it.
She didn’t know it yet, but Captain Fun Buster had arrived on the scene. 👮🚨
( 🎶 Dunh dunh dunh…)
****
In our coaching session the next day, Emily told me about the typewriter idea and the voice who crushed it.
“Sounds like you have a persona in there,” I observed.
“A persona?” she asked.
“It’s like a committee member who lives in your head,” I explained.
They train in one job: keep you safe. (In their own unique way.)
We all have them.
We all have a whole team of them, really.
They shut us down. They yell at us. They push us to perform.
The trick is to get to know them. Then they’re not so powerful.
“So,” I said, “what name would you give this voice?”
She didn’t hesitate. “It’s Captain Fun Buster.” 👮🚨
“Great!” I said. “Let’s meet Captain Fun Buster!”
I asked Emily to grab a prop to represent this persona.
She pulled a ball cap low over her eyes.
She stepped into the center of the screen with her arms crossed and a gruff look on her face.
“Ok. Here I am,” she growled.
“Perfect,” I said. “Play with it. The more you lean in, the better this works.”
I asked Captain Fun Buster a series of questions, one at a time.
This simple “persona interview” helps you understand the voice instead of fighting it:**
- Captain Fun Buster, what’s the most important thing to you?
- Captain Fun Buster, what are you most proud of?
- Captain Fun Buster, when did you make your first appearance?
- Captain Fun Buster, who did you learn your style from?
- Captain Fun Buster, what are you most afraid of?
- Captain Fun Buster, what do you most want?
Emily played along beautifully.
She stayed in character the whole time, grumbling about chaos, order, and the importance of the rules.
By the end we were both laughing. We understood that voice in her head much better.
“It feels less serious,” she said.
“Exactly,” I replied.
Until you can play with a persona, the persona plays you.
But once you can exaggerate and laugh about it, it softens. It even starts to get a little cute and silly.
I invited Emily to practice three steps during the week whenever Captain Fun Buster showed up:
- Notice. Become aware a persona has taken over. Emily chose to watch for that fast shift from excitement to tightness.
- Wonder. Ask, “What was that?!” with real curiosity. Add a playful, “Who goes there?!”
- Celebrate. When you nab a persona in action, celebrate it. A list fist bump or a “woohoo!” can do wonders. 🎉
I’ve met many of my own personas over the years. Time Cop. Little Miss Perfect. Sally Know-It-All.
It may sound silly. It works. Few tools bring faster relief from the voices in your head.
What about you? Do any personas show up in your life? Hit reply and tell me.
Playfully yours,
Rachel
PS – You could try this persona work on your own. Will you? My clients give themselves weekly support. They work with a skilled ally who spots small leverage points that spark big shifts. Don’t grind away by yourself. How much faster could you build your dream life with help? Hit reply and let’s schedule a free consultation to explore what’s possible.
*Note: Names and some identifying details have been changed to protect the innocent. 🕵️
**These questions come from the Persona Interview process developed by Gay and Katie Hendricks
