Take off your Mask

Do you know what I mean when I say ” Take off your Mask?”

Everyday we head out the door to face the world, attempting to live up to the expectations of everyone else except our own. We have done this all our lives. We conformed to become the people our parents thought we should be, our teachers, our peers, partners, and employers, just to fit in. But somehow in the process of ‘becoming’ all things to everyone else, we abandoned our sense of self. We have either forgotten who we really are, or we are so afraid of reveling ourselves, that we stay hidden behind these masks. If you look in the mirror, do you even recognize yourself anymore?

This is not only emotionally exhausting, but it can also be a causation for illness. I have seen it many times in my practice, when a client comes in with several masks on, pretending to be someone that they are not. They have surrounded themselves with cars, a home, clothes, jewelry, money, lucrative career but are still unhappy because the one thing that they are missing and can’t buy is their identity or sense of self. They feel sick, tired, haven’t been happy in years. Something is wrong, they just can’t pinpoint it. They are missing who they really are, flaws and all.

Fear of being authentic is huge in my business. People fear being authentic for many reasons,but the most common response is because no one would like the ‘real’ me.

This is what I hear most often. When I ask them who the ‘real me’ is, they have to stop and think because they aren’t even sure anymore. Recognize that you are fearful, but honor who you are by slowly beginning to shed your mask and allow your true self to shine through. It is liberating, and powerful. Unfortunately, this means others may not like you now. If that’s the case, then it’s time to move on, and gravitate towards those who do. I can’t emphasis this
enough, so it bears repeating. Honor who you are, because if you don’t, no one else
will.

Until next time~