Written by: Sarah Tricker Alchemy, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
You may be surprised at the different masks that you put on in a day. When you are home, the theory is that all your masks have been removed, and you are your true authentic self. Yet, that also depends on the relationships you are in with and the people you live with. Now, think about your work, family, friends, colleagues, how you are compared to the store versus the pub. Multiple times in a day we put on and take off these masks.
Why do we wear these masks? I believe that they begin when we are children as we are learning the socially acceptable norms of our culture. It is said the children hear the word ‘no’ an astonishing 400 times a day! When you think about why our way of life seems to be attached more to the negative side of life, I believe this may be an indicator! We also have to learn how to behave in different situations in our world.
Then as we get older, we may learn some of these lessons the hard way. Our peers may laugh or mock us for something we did. We soon learn that in this situation we cannot do this or think this. As you can see over time we have been told, and learnt so many different things, that they may even become intermingled and entwined that we have a completely distorted view of how we are actually supposed to behave.
There are obviously positive aspects to our personality too. However, we tend to focus on the negative parts, as mentioned above, these traumas compound over a period of time. If we tend to get the same feedback in several areas of our lives, we may think that there is apart of our personality that is flawed. This is how we create the different masks that we put on and take off to suit the situation that we are in ~ this is now normal.
How many of you out there have got to the point now where you are not really sure of who you really are? The many layers of your being, or the multiple masks have created a dichotomy of your true being. If you think about the film ‘The Mask’ in this respect the mask revealed his true inner being and in the real world he did not like who is was.
I am not going to tell you that becoming your authentic self is easy ‒ as it is not! There are many layers that you will have to work through to finding your authentic self. A good start is learning how to say ‘no’ and not doing what other people expect of you if it is not in your best interest or what you would like to do. Life is quite short and you shouldn’t waste it doing things others expect of you.
That leads me to the second thing you should do and that starts living your life for you! We are all put on this earth for a purpose. It isn’t always grandeur and your work with animals or the elderly may be just as important as the work of Oprah Winfrey! When we take our focus from other people’s journey, stop comparing, and center on ourselves, then we become our authentic self.
Authenticity has become a buzz word in our current society. There needs to be cautious here as you begin to walk this path. People’s authenticity often comes across now as an excuse to do just as they please. We have to grasp that we do indeed live in a society and culture. You may live where you were born or have chosen a place that suits you more. To be authentic doesn’t mean to be rude, obnoxious, or hateful. To speak your truth shouldn’t be at the cost of another.
Quite often when we begin the process of removing the masks, it will be one at a time. Carefully choosing situations where we feel comfortable removing a mask. You often see this when relationships part ways. One person may begin some healing and start to change who they are and how they show up. This may exasperate cracks that were already there then that person finds a new home and they become more who they are at home. When they are comfortable with that the next space maybe friends, then family, the career. You can see the picture as you probably already know someone who has gone through this process, it may even be you.
It is important to know that the masks that we wear in life are not bad. Much like the ego, they are there to protect us. The particular masks you have created and put on every day are the mosaic of your life. They each represent a part of you and your journey. For some this maybe a journey they do on their own or they may need some guidance. As a spiritual life coach Sarah specializes in helping you to start the process of removing your masks. It is completely possible to take off all the masks you wear right now and be yourself in all areas of your life. Want to learn more? Please connect with Sarah!
Follow Sarah on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and visit her website for more info!
Sarah Tricker Alchemy, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sarah Tricker Alchemy is a change-maker and has the ability to see what lies in the unseen and unexplained. After realizing her dream to become an educator, Sarah soon understood she herself was not fulfilling her life purpose. In 2016 she began the journey of entrepreneurship and had been forging her way to true authenticity. Sarah is a Public Speaker & Spiritual Empowerment Coach helping women who are in transition within their life. With her gift as a healer, she facilitates women in finding their authentic selves as well as their life purpose. Every moment is a miracle, and there is always opportunity even when you cannot see it.
