Don’t you love going to costume parties and learning whom is behind the masks? Some are worn very well, others are easier to spot. Do you wear your mask well, or are others able to spot you pretty easily? Are you the same with everyone, or do you have to decide which mask to wear when? That’s the problem with many people, they feel the need to hide themselves because they’re unhappy with who they are. They wish they had done more in life by a certain time, or they’re discouraged with their body image. The list can be endless as to why people wear masks. Some have one for every occasion. For example, going to meet friends for a drink, they end up having three or four, and then the inhibitions drop and things get said or behavior occurs, boom, there goes the mask. With all the stress that comes in life, wouldn’t it be better to keep things simple?

Reducing stress and the anxiety that is associated with it needs to be a priority in our lives. Learning to accept who we are, but always desiring and working to improve is healthy and beneficial. Removing masks instead of creating new ones is one step toward becoming that person we were meant to be. Overcoming guilt or shame can help reduce the need for masks. Obstacles that either we have created or others have heaped upon us also cause masks to be worn. Having the inner strength to leap over them or push them out of our way helps us face life’s challenges, and enables us to look in the mirror and be thankful to see the face that no longer needs the mask.