What's Under the Mask?

What’s Under the Mask?

Battling yourself is one of the hardest fights you'll ever fight. Being in a ring where it's just you and your potential, it's tough. Especially when your current situation is not where you wanna be in the end destination. It's an unfair fight. While fighting one on one(at least you think) you are getting punches from uninvited guest. Emotions, hormones, people's opinions, etc. Fighting all these things in the wrong mindset and training can have you KO'd before you can even have the chance to throw a punch.

In this case, you gotta address something that most of us do not want to acknowledge.

YOU ARE REPRESSED!

A lot of you read that statement, and continued reading like I wasn't aiming at your head when I said what I said. I forgot, you have it all together, you're the perfect human being that is basically an angel, dare I say God. Right? That's cool, however comma, if you think that the implementation of perfection is applied to you, you're wrong. Here's why:

Repressed: (adjective) characterized by or showing the suppression of impulses or emotions

Lottie, Dottie, and everybody can/should be able to identify something in their life that could be acquainted with the definition. Most of us can say it's a characteristic about ourselves that we are unsure about how other people would react to it. In some cases, we have shown other people this trait and was ashamed when it wasn't accepted. Now, I cannot tell you what your "it" is, but we both know it exist. Whether you are public about it or not is completely up to you.

For some, sexuality, for other it could be beliefs/morals. There is a variety of things it could be. It varies from person to person and should be brought to the spotlight. Before I get into anything with a suggested solution let me help some of you out. I literally cannot stress this enough...

YOU ARE PHENOMENAL WHEN YOU ARE YOU, YOU'RE ONLY AVERAGE WHEN YOU TRY TO BE ANYONE ELSE BUT YOURSELF!

The you we see, nine times out of ten is not the same as the you behind the mask you live in.

Shamefulness.

Condemnation.

Guilt.

Regret.

Embarrassment.

Hurt.

For me, I know what my "it" is. Well, for me, I am one of A LOT that can say we have multiple "its". Yes, plural. One of the things I have realized about myself is that I hide who I am, because I'm scared of others opinions, I put on a mask over who I really am. This is because it forces me out of my mask and makes me uncomfortable. I will be the first to admit:

I am repressed.

I want to be free now. I have got work to do, people to help. I believe the first major step of coming out of repression is to stop suppressing who you really are. Saying this leads me to the question we have all probably asked ourselves at least once in our lives...

WHO AM I?

Dashaun. Latrell. Archer. Someone who has kept a mask on. Time and time again pretending he's okay with what is going on around him, simply to make sure no one gets mad. Dashaun, the people pleaser. Dashaun is someone who is very emotional. I give my last even when I know I need it. I'm extremely insecure. I don't like my body mass. I don't like my laugh. My voice I think isn't deep enough to social "norms". I tend to talk about my feelings, but I like to keep things to myself. Why? I have trust issues. I love being one someone's priorities, but I will NOT force myself on to anyone. I'm a writer, clearly, but that's because I communicate better through my written words. If I tried to talk my feelings out, I probably would cry before I even started saying anything, Saying this, Dashaun Archer is a crier. I will cry in a pen drop. I love people, but can't stand people. You know what I mean, I love my friends, but I have a "people meter" that once it's full I have to get a break from people for at least 12 hours.

Overall, there is more to me that meets the eye and even more to what I just shared with you. I could go on about who I am a long time, as I am sure some of you could if we gave you a chance. I'm receiving my deliverance from repression publicly. You do not have to do the same, if you are not comfortable. If you would prefer, I suggest getting a group of friends or even a best-friend, and talk. Talk about any and everything of who YOU are. Take that muzzle off, take that mask off, and show them who they've been dying to meet. Let them in even when it starts to get hard, and don't look back! Maintain your healing!

The world is waiting for you and I'm routing for the NEW you!

#MaskOff