Halloween is coming this month.  And, no matter how old you are, it is always fun to wear a mask, dress up, and act like someone or something else for a night.   The interesting thing is, that many of my clients (including me at one time) put on the proverbial mask, dressed up every day, went out into the world, and acted like someone they are not.

Thousands of my clients have told me that their weight or body image made them wear “masks” of their own.  The image they saw in the mirror morphed them into someone they wanted to hide from others. They hid behind multiple layers or in the back of the room. Behind the smiling face was someone who was miserable.

Many of them talked about buying the same type of clothing because it made them feel comfortable but certainly wasn’t representative of who they really were.  They took the same actions over and over again. They could not get off the merry-go-round they felt they were on with their choices and the scale.

But, there is a better way, and it is time to take off your mask!

How can this be achieved?

When you learn to let yourself off the hook for past mistakes, past failures, past regrets, past transgressions, or offenses done to you and just love who you are, you can improve your health and well-being very quickly. Loving who you see in the mirror enables you to take off the mask and make different choices that help you be yourself again! 

So, start with your weight. WHY? Because it is affecting you on many levels, and this baggage from the past can and will go!  Girls, you will stop wearing black baggy clothes and diaper pants! And guys stop wearing shorts and hoodies in the winter, and get a new belt!

When I had in person seminars, one of my challenges to the audience was to do different actions totally outside of their box. 

This challenge encouraged two things. The first was to get them out of their comfort zone.  If they wanted to become a new and improved version of themselves, then they needed to move away from the old stagnant energy they were in.  Making a different choice with what they wore out in public was an easy step.  I told them that once they began losing weight and feeling better, they needed to ride that wave and wear something totally different which brings new energy into their life!  It might seem trivial, but it really isn’t!  Trying on something they would never have bought before, making it totally different – maybe a new style, material, pattern, bright color, or gaudy jewelry that everyone will notice! 

Then…post a picture online if you don’t normally do that!  See yourself being proud of what you are doing and accomplishing!  (NOTE: Putting that out there also brings up another side benefit.  When people start complimenting you, accept their accolades, and DO NOT throw yourself under the bus!  “Thank you, I should have done this a long time ago.” or “Thank you, I still have 30 more to go.”  Think about how you feel when someone doesn’t fully accept your compliments.)

Doing this challenge helps our clients think differently – not just how they perceive themselves, but how they position themselves in the world, their workplace, their capabilities, and how others see them.  Wearing something that helps them represent their flair and style is an easy way to begin the process of being confident and secure again! They are choosing to let the world see them differently;  see them in something that represents how they really feel, not wearing black, and not wearing 3 layers or a hoodie to cover up and feel like they should be hiding.  This action made them more aware of how they showed up in the world. 

More importantly, it supported the desired energy of being different, doing different, and choosing differently.  I always encouraged my clients to be aware of the fact that they should shop in other areas of the store – not the plus or big and tall section. I also asked them to physically position themselves differently whenever they had the chance.  For example, if they had a meeting to go to, do not sit in the back row; sit up front where everyone can see them, where everyone can hear them and their ideas. 

It takes strength to step out and take off the mask that has helped you feel safe.  And most times, the adversity you feel isn’t coming from the outside world, it’s coming from within.

It takes courage to step outside of your comfort zone because (in most cases) it isn’t the people around you that will make it difficult, but it’s your own subconscious mind that will fight with you. 

It also takes an understanding that the universal law of attraction is always at play and you have the capability to control your energy, and your outcome!  So if you begin sending out NEW vibes of energy, you will attract that back. This positive momentum will snowball and you won’t ever want to look back or put on another mask.