Some time ago I had a breakthrough conversation with a couple of dear friends. Our meeting was supposed to be about re-branding a business. Sometimes conversations go their own way and we just need to follow. My inspiration afterward is this…
Our many masks
Fear creates a mask that blocks who we really are. We wear masks for different people, different situations and different reasons. I think we unknowingly wear these masks because we’ve done it for as long as we can remember. But, why do we do this? How did we learn we have to change our voice, our opinion or our actions? Why change these things about ourselves to appease other people? Is it a big deal that subtle changes over the course your life got you where you are today? I bet you didn’t even know you were doing it.
It is a big deal
Wearing a mask or a facade is exhausting. For so long, I worried about every word that came out of my mouth to every action, job, my circle of friends or to my children and all of their choices. I thought all those things made my image to others better. Better to people who really didn’t know me? How could they if I didn’t really know myself? The mask I wore the most was that of self-doubt.
I thought so little of myself and my insecurities came out as rebellion. I portrayed myself as the tough girl with a big mouth and lots of sadness and anger.
I have worn that mask all my life. I learned as a little girl that I needed to be “good for show” but inside I was in pain. I wanted to be free but didn’t even know what that feeling meant.
Show up for yourself
After the realization of the many masks I wear, I figured out it was up to me to put them away. It is still a work in progress but I feel bits of freedom in this realization. Slowly and only when I really focus do I see who I was meant to be.
Every day I make an intentional effort to take away the facade. I have to strip away all the layers of masks until I expose real naked vulnerability. If I take away all my facades then all I have is myself and all that I am.
Baptized in my truth and the freedom it gives me. Wow. I can only imagine. I am going to show up for myself today. Won’t you show up for yourself? You deserve it, so go for it!
