The masks we wear

​Are there times in your life when you feel like you’re wearing a mask?

To put it another way, do you sometimes present what feels like not your truest self?

For example, a dear friend asks you to go to a party and, as much as you don’t want to go, you say yes because you feel you would let your friend down. This is the mask of politeness and obligation.

Or someone at work gossips about another co-worker and, even though you don’t agree with what’s being said, you stay silent and nod in agreement. This is the mask of peer pressure.

Or, as some of my clients experience, you show up at a job you hate and stick with it because you can’t see yourself giving up the pay or the benefits. This is the mask of living in the rat race.

In some cases it might seem easier to keep on wearing the mask, but at what cost?

Whether you realize it or not, the more you wear your mask, the easier it gets to forget who you really are.

And the more you’re unsure of who you are, you’re more apt to live your life according to someone else’s rules.

One of my coaches, Andrea Lee, has this saying: 

"Confusion occurs when you allow someone else’s energy to come into your field."

In other words, if you feel confused about anything in your life, it’s probably a sign that you’re letting someone else’s opinions contradict what you know to be true for you.

To be more blunt, if you feel like you “should” be doing something and it’s not resonating with you, you’re probably feeling the tightness of a mask.

If you realize you’ve been wearing a mask, how do you take it off?

You start by listening to and honoring your own heart’s whispers and guidance.

It can be as easy as going to a restaurant, looking at the menu and asking yourself, “What do I want to eat?”

As you peruse the menu, let go of the pressures that say “this is what I should eat” or “this is the most popular dish, so I should eat that.”

Ask yourself, “If I take a moment to listen, what do I really want?”

And sometimes, you might have to ask yourself the question at least a couple times to get to your real heart’s longings. 

You may think, “Ooh, I want to eat this dish,” but after asking yourself a few times, you realize, “No, what I really want is this.”

As you start listening to and honoring your own inner guidance, living life on your terms gets easier with each authentic choice you make.

Eventually, the mask starts to fall away.

So, for this week’s coaching assignment, check in with yourself and see if you’re feeling like you’re wearing a mask anywhere in your life. If you do find a mask, ask yourself:

• What’s one thing I can do to bring more of my authentic self into this experience?

​The world is crying for more authenticity and for more realness.

What can you do to be more authentically you today?

Abundant Blessings and Namaste.

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