Every morning we wake up, roll out of bed, and get ready for the day ahead. Some days are dreaded, others are anticipated, but most are what we’ve come to expect. We know the routine that’s about to play out and where it will lead us -right back to where we started. Still, we usually perform this daily ritual without question. After all this is the part we’re supposed to play! Thus the reality of our role and how it really makes us feel is irrelevant. As long as we follow the script we’ll eventually achieve success.
But what happens when we’re separated from the potential of success? How do we rationalize our suffering then? Do we wake up and rewrite our role or do we continue to cling onto our costume? Perhaps we justify the tumultuous journey because we’re in character.
The most important thing we wear each day is our attitude, and we’ve learned to only wear certain emotional “colors” around other people. It’s not appropriate to show your sadness to a stranger, call out your colleague, or express existential thoughts towards an acquaintance. The answer to, “How are you doing?” should always be a choice of “Fine”, “Good”, or “Great” with no followup. Thus there’s no room for authentic emotional expression in our everyday life. So how can we have meaningful moments that lead to genuine connections if we’re always wearing a costume that conceals our true character?