We all wear masks, it's simply part of human nature. We dress in the costume of the role we think we should play —
a loving partner, an efficient worker, an enthusiastic volunteer — and we venture into the world adorned in what eventually becomes both our armor and an invisible cloak.

Often, the roles we play become more real than our True Self. Work and family are the two main stages where we appear in character, and because they consume so much of our time (sometimes all of it), these roles gradually start to completely identify with our True Self.
When people retire or are let go from work, the surge of depression and anger is astonishing. When children grow up and leave home, parents remain, staring at each other as if strangers. These aren't inevitable outcomes, but they illustrate the danger of letting our roles become us, while our True Self slumbers beneath layers of masks we deemed necessary.

Who am I - a question as old as time itself. Who am I? I think as humans, we crave a sense of control and complete understanding. We seek guarantees, black-and-white descriptions, categories, labels, and consistency. And so, when this question "pops up," we often seek something concrete. That's how we enter roles: I am an accountant in a factory, I have an ex-husband and two kids: I play video games, I'm fun. Things we can jot down in a notebook and keep track of. But life is far more elusive - and broader - than that description. You are not what you've done in the past (because let's face it, everything you've ever done is behind you), just as you are not your potential, those things you haven't done yet. Instead, you are a wonderful, dynamic being that defies logic, divinely given, divinely created, and will return to divinity after experiencing all the incredible things that a human being gets the chance to try. You are a true miracle, a miracle despite logic.

When we hide, we feel safe. It's a natural reaction of a threatened being trying to find a place as far away as possible from what threatens it. When we look at the world — at other people — as a threat, we seek a dark, safe place within ourselves, buried deep where no one can find us. Encouraging our True Self to emerge from the safety of our hiding place can be frightening, especially if it has been snug there for years. Fear of hurt and fear of rejection often motivate the desire to remain concealed. And let's be honest: not every attempt to venture out into the world as your True Self will be successful. Discouraging? Yes, but not a reason not to try.

One of the best ways to peek beneath your masks into the depths of your True Self is to do something that scares you. Something beyond your comfort zone, something, big or small. We thrive in our comfort zones. When you cross the first boundary into discomfort, you start learning about yourself and the world. However, if you delve too deep, you risk danger and the possibility of regressing, making your comfort zone even smaller. Keep learning, but don't force yourself into situations where fear blinds you.

The good thing about the comfort zone is that it expands. Soon, what was once learning becomes comfort, and what was once peril becomes learning. The key is to push yourself to do something that doesn't fit your previous understanding of yourself. You can make a list of things you swear you're not. I'm not a cook. I'm not good with computers: I'm not a communicative person. Then find something that challenges any of those statements and work on it with the idea that you just want to see if it fits. No one will force you to buy a new mask - the goal is to shed the masks you're already wearing.