You know what it’s like… Standing there, looking at a woman across the bar that you’d like to meet. But you’re locked in place, unable to move. You feel like everyone in the bar will come to a complete halt. A hush will fall over the venue. A single spotlight will shine down on you. And they will all watch, and critique, and judge, and laugh at your attempts to met that woman.

It’s a common feeling that comes up when men feel Approach Anxiety. And the perfect antidote?

Halloween. Technically, it’s on the 31st of October in many parts of the world. But the key time is this weekend: tonight, Saturday, and Sunday when many bars and nightclubs and other venues will be having their Halloween parties.

Yep, this spooky holiday isn’t just for kids stuffing their bags full of candy bars and treats. It is also one of the best nights of the year for aspiring social artists. Everyone is out to have fun. People are more inclined to chat with strangers on Halloween and make new friends. But most of all, Halloween can help you bust through Approach Anxiety because you can wear a costume.

For this evening, think of your costume as a suit of armor, protecting you from all judgements, difficulties, and weaknesses. No one needs to even see your real face. If you normally feel Approach Anxiety because you worry about people watching you talk to women and judge you for it, then use a Halloween costume to be free of this hinderance.

Let’s take a somewhat silly example… Let’s say that you feel self-conscious approaching women because your skin is in bad condition and you’ve got a bunch of zits or pimples. In the long term, you’ll want to clear that up. But for Halloween, simply wear a mask or makeup. Zombies and other half-rotted creatures are cool on this particular evening.

As another example, suppose you normally feel Approach Anxiety because you don’t want people saying, “Can you believe that Matt thought he could get Jessica to go out with him!? He made a fool out of himself!” That doesn’t have to happen on Halloween because you can be dressed as Darth Vader and they won’t know who you are.

In short, a Halloween costume is an absolute antidote for whatever shortcomings of confidence you may have.

Using a Halloween costume, you can be anyone you want to be. If you like to pattern yourself after Tommy Lee, then dress like a rockstar. If you imagine yourself being a swashbuckling social artist, then dress like a pirate. In short, pick a costume that supports the persona you want to assume. But be sure to mix it up a little or else you’ll look like you just went to the mall and bought the same costume-in-a-bag as everyone else.

A good idea is to compile a list of 10 costume ideas, one spooky expert advised. Choose a couple of elements from each and mix them up. So instead of being just an average pirate (to continue our example from above) or from being an alien, you could be a pirate from outer space. Instead of choosing between a zombie or a politician, then mix them together and become the leader of the undead. And so forth.

Approach Anxiety troubles all men from time to time. But for Halloween, it need not apply. Use a costume and the general social attitude of the holiday to help you bust through Approach Anxiety.