Take Your Mask Off

I know it is almost Halloween and many are contemplating what character they will portray this season. I have seen several really funny, scary, and creative costumes. For some this is a time to have fun and let loose, to allow their alter ego to reign, and there is nothing wrong with that. For others it is a time to simply be themselves- crazy, kooky, confused ….whoever they happen to be.

Is it possible that this is the perfect time to take your mask off? After all, do we ever outgrow our own crazy? I mean, we all have demons, scars, and anxieties to fight, but will we ever really know our true strength unless we first take off the mask? What if for a day instead of putting on a costume, we first take our masks off and allow our slightly unsophisticated, slightly unnerved, slightly exposed self to be seen? Oh my, what will happen if we allow ourselves to be less than perfect? Well, for one, there could be someone observing you who becomes empowered by watching how you handle frustrations, challenges, and people. By being your authentic self, you just might encourage others to do the same – what a novel idea?

With the constant pressures to perform - to be faster, smarter, thinner, more beautiful, more everything, we owe it to ourselves and our sisters to finally take off our masks because when we show our own true authenticity, we give our sisters permission to do the same.

“Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive—the risk to be alive and express who we really are.”
-Don Miguel Ruiz

I remember a few years ago when I was delivered from people. It was not until I was transformed that I realized how much I had really cared about what people thought of me. When I gave myself permission to be me, to take my mask off, I learned to embrace my uniqueness and to keep walking no matter who might have rejected, disliked, or disapproved of me. It was a new level of self-esteem and a wonderful level of liberty that I did not know existed, but also one that I must have – there is no going back!

Take your mask off and chime in. Do you remember a time when you truly allowed your authentic self to shine despite limitations? Share your experience or any feedback to this blog by emailing us at www.lovemyhairitage.com

Demi