Halloween is over, yet we're still wearing “masks” every day—hiding parts of ourselves to feel safe, fit in, and keep up with others. These masks once kept us safe or helped us get by, but then we started to believe the mask was permanent, our personality, and like-it-or-not, just who we are. When we take an honest look we find these layers of self also weigh us down.

TL;DR for those in a hurry (and don't-know-why):

• Why We Wear Masks: Many of us hide parts of ourselves to feel safe, accepted, or strong.
• The Impact: Keeping up these roles adds stress, tension, and disconnection from our true selves, creating dis-ease.
• How Yoga Can Help: Yoga gently invites us to release what doesn't serve and connect with our authentic selves.

The word persona means “mask” in Latin and is where the word “personality” comes from. These masks often form as a response to early life experiences. For instance, someone might become “the tough one” to hide sensitivity or “the caretaker” to feel appreciated. These masks become habits, shaping who we are as a way of protecting ourselves or earning acceptance. After a while it becomes so natural that we forget we’re wearing them, a may believe they're who we are.

The holidays can make these roles feel even more potent, heavy and all consuming. The "cheerful one," the "perfect host," and the "problem solver" all add to our stress, pushing us to veil our own needs and feelings. Then at the end of each day, beneath it all, we're left feeling exhausted, stressed, and disconnected.

Pretending creates imbalance in the body and carries the energy of dis-ease.

These personas, or masks, are so ingrained it's difficult to realize the toll they take. They cause tension in our bodies—tight shoulders, clenched jaws, or shallow breaths—that can lead to discomfort, pain and anxiety. While "faking it until you make it" may seem helpful, over a long period of time it can be trap, disconnecting us from our true selves and making it hard to relax, particularly in social situations.

I can find myself wearing the mask of “the strong one.” Trying to convince myself that I'm "ten feet tall and bullet-proof," I can do it all, don't need anyone else and nothing or no one can hurt me. These patterns are so strong that I can still slip into this old belief of showing strength means keeping emotions in and handling everything on my own. I also wore the mask of “the achiever,” pushing myself to meet everyone’s expectations while ignoring my own needs. These masks kept me feeling isolated, exhausted, and disconnected. Sound familiar? Through yoga, I’ve learned that I don’t need to prove myself to be worthy and when old patterns creep in I'm able to pause and make choices.

A yoga practice offers an opportunity to set down the masks, even if only for a moment. Through mindful breath and movement, we peel back these layers, letting go of tension, and connecting with a more authentic version of ourselves. Your mat can offer a safe space to release these roles and simply be. By tuning into breath and body, we see more clearly the masks of perfection, strength, or control. Deep breathing allows us to drop our “performance” and feel grounded in who we are with gentle reminders that our worth doesn’t depend on proving ourselves.

An Invitation: Take a moment to consider a mask you wear... Then, imagine setting it down, just for a moment. Notice any body responses that come. How might it feel to attend a gathering without the pressure to be perfect, or even to skip something you don't want to do? Here's a few suggestions to get you started:

The achiever | The helper | The good/nice girl or boy | The perfectionist | The responsible one | The protector | The Positive One |

As we move through this holiday season let's find comfort in who we truly are. Ready to live your life more authentically? Join our Homie community for at-home yoga practices that help you feel more grounded and authentic. Take the first step towards a practice that brings ease into your daily life.

Questions or thoughts? I'd love to hear them, email me! Mandy@homeandyoga.com