Without the Mask

I’m fascinated by how real connection happens when we show up vulnerably and without masks.

Many moments over the past decade have reminded me just how much energy it costs to wear those masks — especially in professional spaces. To curate an image, uphold a certain personality, filter between what’s shared and what’s kept hidden.

I noticed how we — or I should say I — tend to keep the most authentic parts of myself, with all the vulnerabilities and fears, for only the most intimate circles.

And then, slowly, repeatedly, through many experiences — and all at once when the pieces started coming together — a realisation landed.

Everything becomes more effortless when I reduce the gap between who I really am and the way I show up in the world. When that gap becomes really small, it feels like I’m catching a wave. Energy frees up. And everything flows.

Reflecting on my life, I’ve seen that the moments where things really worked for me were never just about skills or credentials. It wasn’t because of my engineering degree or experience in climate finance. It was because I allowed people in. I let myself be seen.

When I put my fears to the side, I needed less ego. And with that, I could show more of myself.

And our humans could meet.

That’s when real connection, trust, and inspiration would unfold. That’s how interactions and meetings would give me energy, rather than cost me. So I could keep showing up fully.

It’s a practice. And as I write this, I’m watching my own edges. I still have days where my insecurities creep in — when I’m tempted to perform, to protect, to polish the image.

But I’ve come to see that life really happens when I meet the world with openness, curiosity, and imperfection.

That’s where the real conversations begin.