Masking And Job Struggles

I pondered the mask I wore for a long time. I couldn’t remember ever “putting the mask on”. It was just always there. It was never a conscious choice to hide who I really was. It was just a reaction to being smart enough to know what’s expected of me and knowing that I couldn’t produce it the way everyone around me wanted it. I can’t explain to you what it feels like to take off a mask you never knew you were wearing in your thirties. I can’t fully explain what it feels like to realize that you never let yourself just be you out of fear.