Have you ever wondered what it would be like to step out of your character and allow yourself to be who you really are? It can be painful to live in the confines of the person everyone has gotten to know and expect. These roles can be so dominant with in us that we are tricked into thinking that we are being ourselves when we are far from it. Years ago my husband and I bought a couple of Harley motorcycles. We got all the gear to got with it. My son about 12 at the time came home from school and we both couldn’t wait to walk out dressed in all of our leather goods. He took one look at us and broke down into tears. I said, “What on earth are you so upset about?’ He replied, “You are not my mother, you look like someone else.” It was in this moment that I realized how strong the masks are that we wear throughout our lives and how difficult it is to change them without causing upset. How will this affect me and my life if this person is no longer who I expect them to be? People don’t like change and they especially don’t like it when you change. As long a we keep going along and remaining the same everyone can stay in their stories and never question the reality or true meaning of their lives. If you are willing to step out from behind your mask there is another side to you that will amaze, excite, and invigorate you. Behind all the should’s and preconceived ideas that people have about you is an expansive being struggling to express itself in any small way that you are willing to allow it to. It is not an easy thing to do, to disappoint and at times shock the people we are closest to by stepping into the truth of who we are. It is really amazing the sacrifices that we make to be loved and accepted. There is a deep seated fear in us that keeps us in hiding. What will this person think if I step out of this role I am in for them? Why is it so important to them that you be who they have come to believe you are? Often times our parents struggle the most with this. They know their child, they raised them. Suddenly out of no where the child goes out on their own and expresses a side of themselves the parent has never seen. They’ve changed, someone has influenced them, and they want them back to normal. What they don’t realize is that once they are out under from the parents influence it becomes time for them to express their own individuality. That for years the child has been acting out and doing what is expected of them. Embrace changes in all the people you are in relationship with and don’t be afraid of it. Let it add to your life and be an inspiration for you to see the people you love growing and changing. Most of all take a look at your roles in life and allow yourself to step out from behind them often enough so that you may know yourself as a creator and individual.