Are You Wearing a Mask?: Four Steps that Will Help You Take it Off

Are you wearing a mask? Do you limit yourself when it comes to expressing your thoughts? Are you hiding your true self and pretending to be someone you’re not? Do you avoid expressing your feelings when you talk to people? If so, you’re not living your life to the fullest. It’s better to share your emotions with the people around you. If you want to feel free, you should read this article. We explain four steps that can help you take off your mask. Keep in mind that this isn’t something you can do from one day to the next. However, we’re sure you’ll succeed eventually!

First of all, you need to understand that wearing a mask is a defense mechanism, a way to protect yourself. Putting it on only feeds your feelings of guilt and insecurity. In fact, it’s very common for people to build “protective” barriers. Perhaps you wear a mask so that no one can hurt you. You think that this mask will protect you from unpleasant emotions like fear or sadness.

That feeling of protection is what may keep you from not wanting to take it off. Your mask may make you feel in control, like you can take it off and put it back on whenever you want and need. However, sooner or later you’ll realize that you’ve become used to it and that showing yourself as you are isn’t an easy task anymore. You’ve gotten so used to feeling protected that you don’t even know how to show your true self to others anymore. That’s when you start feeling trapped in this mask instead of protected by it.

1. Prepare yourself to stop wearing a mask

Realizing the fact that you’re wearing a mask is the first step to be able to take it off. You may not even remember when you started wearing it. Maybe you haven’t realized that you’re trying to protect yourself or maybe you’re wearing it for another reason. Fortunately, there are amazing ways to prevent your mask from damaging you. First off, you need to learn to take better care of yourself.

Here’s an important fact: you have to want to take off your mask. In order to do this, you need to negotiate with your internal conflicts as positively as you can. Don’t hesitate to be in tune with what you need.

2. Be patient, courageous, and have company

Patience is a valuable quality because it helps keep you motivated. In this sense, it also gives you the necessary space for your transformation to take place. And we’re talking about that deep transformation that focuses on the root of the problem and produces long-lasting changes.

Solving internal conflicts requires a lot of motivation. Additionally, another powerful and essential quality that will allow you to face this situation is courage. Lastly, you shouldn’t forget that having the company of someone you love while you’re going through this (such as friends, siblings, or even a psychologist) will help you stay strong to keep pushing forward until you finally manage to take your mask off.

3. Know and accept yourself

To be able to accept yourself, you need to know yourself. Getting to know yourself means knowing what you want, what you like, and what you want to achieve, among other things.

We encourage you to spend some time alone. There’s nothing wrong with being by yourself and spending time with your own thoughts. Don’t get too distracted and focus on your main goal: discovering who you are as a person. This may help you get in tune with your emotions. Allow yourself to feel your emotions instead of repressing them.

Some people don’t like spending time alone because they’re scared of facing their own emotions. However, this is completely necessary for self-acceptance. Once you know how you feel, who you are, and what you like, you can begin to accept yourself instead of judging yourself. Accepting yourself means not being ashamed of the person you are. Wearing a mask when you’ve accepted who you are is useless because there’s no point in hiding now that you’re not ashamed of who you are.

4. Love yourself as well as others

Once you’ve advanced in the self-awareness and self-acceptance processes, self-love will come naturally. Forget who you used to be. Love yourself now and encourage yourself to be even better in the future. Wearing a mask is only necessary when you don’t accept your qualities and faults.

This step consists of loving every single part of your being. If you want to change something, consider it a growing opportunity. This will help boost your self-love.

There’s no way you can truly love someone else if you don’t love yourself. Loving ourselves is all about knowing our worth and not being afraid of people leaving us.

We hope you feel strong enough to follow these four steps. It’s time to grab the bull by the horns and be yourself! If you’re already aware of the fact that you’re addicted to wearing a mask, it’s even better. Don’t waste any more time trying to be someone you’re not or holding back. The world needs sincerity, acceptance, and self-love.