Did you even know you were wearing a mask? The more aware you are of social differences, the more you might wear a mask. Do you think you just need to try harder, find someone to imitate, simulate, blend in better? Are you disappointed in yourself once again for not getting it right, for talking too much, for not listening. Maybe, if you really paid attention to the small talk, you would see why it's interesting. It would have the answers, the connection, instead of frustrating you and sucking up all your energy.
This mask you wear isn't even right. Is it the eye contact or the smile? Maybe if you stop folding your arms. They say it seems defensive. But you're not defensive, you're trying really hard to pass yourself off as one of them. But why? You might feel like your brain is in a struggle. We are all humans in need of acceptance from the tribe. But this tribe? No, not this tribe. They fit you like an itchy sweater. Maybe it's easier to just hide alone in your room.
There has to be more than this though. There has to be a safe place. You need to be able to connect, recharge from the mental exhaustion. You need a tribe with a common bond that allows you to trust and share and be yourself.
It's here, and we are creating it every day that we choose to lower that mask. Every time we support one another, speak to our true interests, and share and accept our differences, we create allies. We can find our tribe members lowering those masks while online, playing games, watching our favorite videos, reading threads that talk about our favorite goddesses, and in many more places.
It can be scary to take that mask down at first. We may only do it with safe people or in certain places. The more comfortable we become with showing who we really are, the more authentic are the connections we will make and the quality of our tribes will improve.