“In a world where every one wears a mask, it’s a privilege to see a soul”
This line set me thinking. A paradoxical situation indeed, this life we are living today, where ‘putting on a mask’ is no longer a figurative comment on someone trying to shield their feelings. Masking up has not only become important, but a life survival accessory! Unfortunately, faces that are always half covered also obstruct clarity of expressions and emotions. Body language, gestures, eye contact and impactful words spoken in the appropriate tones, therefore become essential alternative mediums of effective communication.
But how many of us actually prefer this ‘doubling up of masks’ in real life? Chances are, many of us do..
Often the fear of being perceived and judged as weak, vulnerable, too sensitive, immature, unsuccessful and so on, conditions people to suppress their emotions. They don’t want their raw state to be exposed and therefore always prefer to remain guarded. This applies to all types of emotions that fall under positive, negative and neutral categories.
By never acknowledging or addressing real feelings, the individual also deprives themselves any scope for self improvement. And when things go out of hand, it leads to a ‘blow up’ situation not just for the mind, but the body as well. And this in turn has it’s repercussions on those associated with them too.
Accepting or owning an emotion, pleasant or otherwise, in all honesty is the key. One need not express, respond or react instantly as that may not always be the most prudent thing to do. A little restraint, taking a calming breath or even stepping back for a bit and then coming back to address the moment is a great thing to do too. But being in complete denial of the same is akin to being dishonest with the self and others concerned and thereby impairing the path towards personal/personality growth, well being and peace of mind.
One can express emotions without crossing lines of personal/social space and mutual respect also.
While openly expressing what one feels in a given scenario may not come easily to everyone, small steps in that direction can go a long way. If not possible in public, identifying even one trustworthy, empathetic sounding board to ‘let out steam’ or ‘pop excited/happiness bubbles’ with, in private, is very essential to everyone’s psychosocial well being. Else seeking professional help could also be an option.
It’s okay to not be okay, but it’s certainly not okay to bottle it all up.
We already live in highly competitive and anxiety driven times that are constantly impacting our life, relationships, self esteem, physical and mental health. While it’s essential to mask up against infections or pollution, it will serve better to not ‘mask up’ against emotions.
“Behind every mask there is a face, and behind that a story.” – Marty Rubin.
And these stories need to be heard/shared/exchanged for healing and happiness.
#selfcare #Emotionalwell-being #unmaskyourself #healing #SelfLove matters #PersonalGrowth #Expressingemotions #sharingiscaring #Peaceofmind #Psychosocial health #emotionalintelligence #emotions #mentalhealthmatters #healing #emotionalhealing #anxiety #love #wellness #mindfulness #wellbeing #therapy #mentalwellness #physicalhealth #health #motivation #Musings
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sowmya Sriram Yadav
An Ex- Communication professional with several years of experience with PR firms, Exhibitions industry and NPO’s in Delhi and Mumbai. She is now a freelance writer, an avid blogger and a very proud mom. She also likes to stop by once a while to smell the roses, capture small joys from behind the camera lens, sip the ‘filter’ coffee, reflect on life as it rushes by and pen down her musings.