On Halloween, I salute all brave women who are shedding their masks. They are showing up bare-faced as who they really are, and speaking their truths.

I have two friends who are showing up courageously as themselves right now. Both of them are doing work to go deep inside to discover their true nature, and heal.

As they go inside, they are feeling way more love for themselves and others. This is spurting their transformation. And as that happens, they feel more power, more strength. They feel the truth of who they are.

As Oprah writes: “What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.”

They are waking up to how awesome they are, how much power they have inside.

They have begun standing up for themselves, as well as for others. They are speaking out for justice, for human rights, for women’s full equality and empowerment.

Sometimes they say things that are just so courageous and wise that I am in awe. Wow, I think, look at that woman go!

This is what my two friends stop doing as they stop wearing masks:

They stop dimming their own light to stay safe and not be noticed.
They stop hiding who they really are.
They stop pretending to be someone else so they will fit in.
They stop preferring to keep the peace instead of following what is their truth and wisdom.

It can be scary to tell the truth, and it’s not always welcomed by those around us. If fact, it makes some people very uncomfortable, and sometimes frightened and angry. Shedding your mask may unbalance the status quo of some of your relationships. Some people around you may benefit from your invisibility and silence, and don’t want that to change.

But what kind of life is it to keep your beautiful face hidden behind a mask? What kind of life is it to keep your beautiful and true words hidden inside you?

Some women, our Sisters, cannot safely tell the truth. They live inside a home, or in a country, where it is dangerous to do so.

But for us who can, let’s learn to shed our masks for ourselves and for them.

Only you can sing the song you were born to sing. And the world so desperately needs to hear your beautiful song.

My self-talk:

I give myself permission to be me.
I give myself permission to be vulnerable and say my truth.
I live truly as my most magnificent, most courageous, self.
Only I can sing this song. Only I can give these gifts.
I am free.

Thanks for reading.

With all my wishes that you know your truth today,

Maryse