Pretending is Exhausting!
First Listed March 26, 2011
How many ‘masks’ do you wear?
Do you have multiple personalities, using specific ones depending on who you are with?
How exhausting is that! Really think about it and then FEEL it……….I’m getting tired already!
Wouldn’t it be nice to just be YOU, no matter who you are with?
What’s the reason you are putting on a different ‘face’ for different people? Does it have to do with the other person you are with, or does it have to do with you?
I think I wore some masks when I was younger. And I think I may have wore more masks around my family more than my friends. Some reasons are I may not have wanted my family to worry if things were a bit stressful in my life, so at those times I wore the ‘things are great’ mask. Then at times I wouldn’t want my family to think I wasn’t successful at work, so I’d wear the ‘work is great’ mask. Each mask carried with it a different personality – it was still me, but not the true me.
As I got older, things changed.
A few life challenges appeared in my life and even though at first, I did not share these things with family, or even friends, those life challenges were great teachers and great gifts! These ‘darker times’ increased my awareness to life and helped me to heal many self-limiting beliefs. This further lead me to accept myself totally as I am, no matter what is happening in my outer circumstances. It also allowed me to peel away all of those ‘masks’ that used to appear in uncomfortable situations.
Now everyone gets the real me, nothing more, nothing less, pure me and it feels really good!
How many masks are you wearing? Have you been able to peel all the masks off? What’s coming up for you after reading this?
Jacqueline Dickman on Sun, 27th Mar 2011 9:22 am
Your article made me think of my job interview the other day. I got all dressed up in my gray suit, put on make-up and made sure my hair was as tame as possible. That is so different from the person I am when I go to work on a daily basis. It was all done to present this professional person, and yet, I find I’m equally professional and competent when I wear jeans and no-make up. I got to the interview and one of the guys was wearing jeans! So much for my mask. I think they got to know the real me after talking with me:)
gina on Sun, 27th Mar 2011 9:38 am
Hi Jackie! I bet they did see the real you
. I haven’t gone for an interview in such a long time, but you brought up such an important situation where masks are worn for sure. You are making me think of the times I did go for an interview and how I dressed and acted.
Of course various situations kind of provoke us to wear or act in a certain way. But is there a way that we can still feel ‘real’ in these situations?
I wonder and I’m curious, what could you have done to still feel confident walking into that interview, but still feel like ‘you’ were shining through? So that the mask was not as prominent?
Thanks for sharing!
Olivera Milojkovic on Tue, 29th Mar 2011 6:35 am
Oh yeah! The masks….I know them well. I know if you wear them long enough they start to manifest as illness…..but they also bring opportunity for change. I agree, it is exhausting to not be who we truly are.
gina on Tue, 29th Mar 2011 1:43 pm
hey Olivera!
I agree…..illness or change….I’ll take the opportunity to change any day!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
I love hearing others’ insights!
Gina
Growing UP | Vedasun - Pathway to Presence on Mon, 11th Apr 2011 6:37 pm
[...] quote really got me thinking about how much I agree with its message. It’s so much easier to wear the masks or decide not to show up in the [...]
pam on Tue, 12th Apr 2011 4:35 am
hi Gina ,thank you for all your lovely things you share .I love this talk about masks as i hide behind the ” i’m fine thanks ” when im falling apart or just feeling fragile .I feel like one of those russian dolls ,have taken off one layer but the real me is still deep inside waiting to blossom .
I have learnt de-pression in me comes from pushing down my true self and am trying to open up to being creative ,learning to like myself and putting the same value on myself as i do everyone else .love and peace Pam
gina on Tue, 12th Apr 2011 9:12 am
Thanks so much Pam for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
It’s ok to feel fragile or like you’re falling apart, as long as you don’t add stories on to those feelings and just ‘FEEL’ them. That is the way to Freedom…..to be aware so when those feelings show up, you can sit with them and truly feel them, no judging or labeling. Easy? No……it’s the toughest work you will do, but the most significant!
I would love to see your true self bloom….that is my wish for you.
blessings,
Gina