The Journey of Unmasking

My own journey of Unmasking started long before I discovered that I am autistic and it still continues. So far, it’s been both utterly challenging and beautifully liberating.

It‘s been hard work — gathering the courage to set boundaries, to express my needs, to say no more often and to show more of who I truly am.

It‘s been frightening.

To dare expose my inner struggles.

To make transparent that the competent me — seen from the outside — was actually having a hard time on the inside.

This self-exposure brought pangs of anxiety, loops of endless overthinking and sleepless nights. I had to enter that inner space where my fear of rejection and abandonment resided. This fear was raging. To tame it meant to look it in the eye and surrender to its power. What if I was to be rejected or abandoned? Could I face this reality? Could I let shame wash over me? I dared to risk it…

Unmasking is not a one-way street.

It’s not a solo expedition.

It’s a shared journey and a relational experience.

To me, Unmasking is about dialogue. It‘s about the willingness to start a conversation and to really listen and be listened to — with compassion and an open mind.

In a time where conversations can easily become reactive or polarized, I hope we can still cultivate a culture of compassion, curiosity and dialogue.

Let‘s keep doing the work.

Together.

Journeying toward an inclusive society where all of us truly matter.