Have you ever thought about the masks we wear to gain acceptance or use to hide because of the constant thought of how you might look to others in the workplace, grocery store, or school? With Halloween around the corner, I thought this the perfect time to talk about the mask that we all wear in everyday life. When are we truly ourselves or are we always wearing some type of mask? Would anyone recognize us without our mask? How can we trust when we are always wearing a mask?
I think it is normal to wear a mask to show a specific side of ourself in areas of our life- like work. However, it seems more and more of us fail to ever take our masks off, even at home or when we are with our loved ones.
The Real Us
Do we even know who we are? Many of my clients tell me they don’t know who they are or what they like because they have been pretending to be someone else for others for so long they have now lost themselves or don’t know who they really are. I feel this is common for a lot of people.
The dreaded pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride said, “It’s just that masks are terribly comfortable. I think everyone will be wearing them in the future.” This quote speaks so much truth. Many have grown comfortable with their masks and are not able to take it off and be authentic.
Taking Off the Mask
When we take our masks off, we are vulnerable. Being vulnerable is extremely hard, and at times, it can be ugly. Being vulnerable shows our faults, things we don’t like about ourselves, but it can also show our beauty.
So why don’t we like being vulnerable? Isn’t that the part of us our friends, family, and loved ones see and love us anyway? So, if we are hiding behind a mask, scared of being vulnerable then who truly loves the real us? For this reason, many of us struggle with relationships because we are constantly showing a version of ourselves that isn’t true to who we are but who we think people will love.
What if we choose to be vulnerable and take our mask off with our loved ones? This brave act helps to strengthen relationships and creates joy in our lives. When we can be true to ourselves and love ourselves, we make room for that acceptance and true connections that we, as humans, all desire.
How To Begin
How can we begin the steps needed to take our mask off and be okay in our vulnerability? It starts at home. Learning to accept and love yourself. Sometimes, we need help learning to love ourselves because of past trauma. I’ve had clients ask me if that’s even possible. Trust me, it is! You have to want it and do the work it takes. Seek therapy, a life coach, or even turn to family member for help.
I am here for you. Dawn is here for you. If you need that extra support in learning how to be vulnerable, learning how to love yourself, and being able to take off the mask, contact us today.