The Masks We Wear Long After Halloween

​Halloween is such a fun time of year, we get to dress up like anyone we want and galavant around town unapologetically. But this blog isn’t about that. It’s about the masks we wear long after Halloween is but a distant memory.

A silly example for me was way back in Grade 3. I had plans to be a witch for Halloween, but the moment I was asked to the school dance by my crush I rushed home frantically looking for a prettier option for my hot date. The night of the dance I had my bangs curled (lol), makeup done, tiara on, and off I went as a pretty little princess.

This example is much more relevant than you may initially think. I believe we often wear masks, in our day to day life, as we try to accommodate people and situations in our lives. Some of us have been wearing masks (or personas) for so long we’ve lost track of which mask is real and which is made up.

We’ve become social chameleons, who transform in each room to best suit the needs of those around us, while completely selling out the needs of our authentic self. It’s difficult to practise self love when you don’t have a firm grasp on who your true self is.

We all want to be perceived as perfect princesses and princes, and fear that someone might see us on a bad day and believe we are a witch instead. We make life decisions to avoid conflict with others, because they may not understand. We choose safe routes to take for fear that we may fail and be judged by those around us.

Basically, we have no authentic backbone. We haven’t yet realized how fucking magnificent we truly are. Because if we did, we would walk around authentic AF, waving a flag reading “I Love Myself!”, and we wouldn’t give a damn who saw it. 

The truth of the matter is, some people will like you, and some people will not. And most of that will have nothing to do with you. People are struggling to like themselves, so how can you expect everyone to like you too? 

But I’ll tell you this much: I’d much rather someone dislike me for who I truly am than like me for someone I’m pretending to be. When you make the decision to love yourself wholly and completely, even on your very worst of days, you become so much less dependent on other people’s love and acceptance. It’s secondary, because you already love and accept yourself.

We must stop accommodating everyone else and ask ourselves what we desire in this life. Our life choices don’t really have to make sense to anyone but ourselves. That’s why it’s OUR life.

​I am challenging each and every one of you on November 1st to officially unmask. Embrace all of yourself. The Good. The Bad. The Ugly. It’s all you. You are absolutely lovable on your worst day. If you aspire to be a better version of you, fantastic, but always know that you are good enough just as you are. Right now. As you’re reading this blog.

I know it’s spooky being authentic in this life, but what could possibly be scarier than living a life that wasn’t truly yours? What could be worse than looking back on your life with regrets because you lived your life according to other people’s standards ahead of your own?

Don’t let that happen. Be you, and love you, every step of the way.

Happy Halloween!
​-L.K.