The mask I wear, a poem read by Peggy Oliveira

We all do it. Sometimes it’s deliberate and sometimes we aren’t aware at all…

We may have several masks we wear depending on who we’re around or how we believe we “should” behave.

There’s the mask of smiles or humor. The mask of confidence or independence. The mask of perfectionism or containment. The mask of being “fine” or happy. The list goes on.

There are times they can be quite helpful in our lives, like when we need to compartmentalize or protect ourselves from disapproving reactions to what lies under the mask.

But, these masks become such a “normal” part of how we show up, that we lose touch with who we are underneath… the truth of who we are.

And, the people we have in our lives only get to know the mask we choose to show them. Which leads to feeling a continued sense of disconnection.

The path to healing requires connection. We can only be truly connected when we allow our true selves to be seen.

I often share a poem I came across before I began my healing journey about the masks we wear. A couple of years ago I recorded the poem for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. You can find it below.

In this video I shared on YouTube, I talk more about how and why we wear the masks, the impact it has on our sense of self and our relationships, and how to begin to release the need to wear them.

The Mask I Wear...

What are some of the masks you wear? It might be just one or many. I’d love to hear from you.

Categories: : Blog