“Unmasking Your Emotions”

Hi friends,

Our late fall series focused on emotion. We named our emotions, shared our feelings and tried to create empathy for others. We talked about the kinds of emotions that are expected of us and the emotions we hide because we are embarrassed, worried or uncertain.

The girls created plaster masks in an effort to make their interior exterior.

“It doesn’t look like me,” one participant reflected, “but it feels like me.”

The girls “unmasked” their shyness, their artistic talents, their “mom side,” their silliness and sentimentality. They embraced all these characteristics in themselves and in each other. We talked about how often our own self-perception does not mirror the perception of us held by others.

• Think: What would like to “unmask?”
• Talk: Ask your family members what they feel on the inside. Share your own hidden identities and emotions.
• Write: Make a list of your emotions. Name your feelings in one day.
• Do: Get creative and make a mask or collage or drawing illustrating your inner self.
• Be: See the world from the point of view of your spouse or child or friend. This kind of role play can spark empathy and understanding.

Happy Everything!

Tanya and Wesley