Unmasking ourselves: how Masks can reveal our hidden psychological truth
Have you ever noticed how a mask can sometimes feel like a key to unlock parts of your inner self??
As Mardi Gras and the spirit of Carnival come alive around the world this week, I got inspired to pause and reflect.
I’ve often noticed that when I’m completely disguised in a Carnival costume, I feel an incredible sense of liberation—like the mask itself gives me permission to unfold and just be. There’s a kind of magic in it, a freedom that feels rare in everyday life. But this experience also made me realize something: everyone is always wearing a mask. Unlike the ones we put on for Mardi Gras, these masks have taken years—sometimes a lifetime—to construct. We refine them, perfect them, and in doing so, often forget who we were before we started wearing them.
The truth is, we’re all wearing masks—just not the feathered and glittery kind (unfortunately). Over time, we carefully craft them, shaping how we present ourselves to the world. Some masks help us—letting us be professional at work, social at parties, or calm under pressure. Others, though, serve as armor, covering up our fears, insecurities, or parts of ourselves we’ve been told aren’t acceptable. And after a while, we forget where the mask ends and where we begin.
Mardi Gras, and Carnival in general, have long been studied by sociologists as a time of playful role reversal—a break from the norms where people can be anything they want. But the irony is, outside of Carnival, most of us are already playing roles every single day. And let’s be honest, some of them aren’t as fun as dressing like a mysterious Venetian noble.
As Carl Jung put it:
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
The challenge, of course, is figuring out who that is beneath all the layers. That’s where therapy, coaching, and self-inquiry come in. They help us peel back the masks we no longer need and rediscover the parts of ourselves that have been waiting to come out of hiding.
Mardi Gras may last a season, but the process of unmasking—of stepping into our true selves—is lifelong.
If you’re ready to take a peek behind the mask, Consciousness House is here to help.
No costume required.
