For most of my life, I wore masks. The mask that said I was fine when I wasn’t. The mask that made me smaller, quieter, and more acceptable. The mask that believed if people saw the real me—my intensity, imagination, emotions, and quirks—they would leave. One of the greatest gifts in my healing journey has been having one relationship where I can take that mask off completely. For me, that’s with my partner. I can be goofy, laugh until I snort, talk about strange spiritual ideas, dream up impossible worlds, cry unexpectedly, and even be a little crazy sometimes. And I’m learning that being “too much” doesn’t automatically lead to abandonment. Last night, I cried without really knowing why. There wasn’t a story behind it. The tears simply came. That was healing too. Another mask falling away. These days, I’m trying to live more authentically every day. I’m nurturing my soul through creativity, spirituality, nature, learning, and the passions that make me feel alive. Healing isn’t always beautiful breakthroughs. Sometimes it’s crying for no reason. Sometimes it’s laughing too loudly. Sometimes it’s admitting you’re scared, weird, joyful, messy, or human. Maybe healing is remembering who you were before the world convinced you to wear a mask. 💜 Tonight at 7 PM EST, I’ll be facilitating Reconnecting to Your Authentic Self After Trauma. Together we’ll explore the masks we wear and gently reconnect with who we truly are. Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87309458480