If

What if I took off my mask? What if I stopped striving to be the image you see and just became me? What would happen if I stopped trying to please? What would happen if I stopped being afraid to live? What would happen if...

If. Such a small word yet it holds so much power. Two letters. Heavyweight championship letters bound together in an iron-clad fist. "If" has the power to strike fear in my heart. "If" makes me count the cost, weigh out the pros and cons, check out the potential win/lose ratio. How much of myself do I have to give to take on "if"? How much of myself will I lose should I decide to challenge "If"?  How much will I gain should I decide to stare "if" in the eyes and defeat it?

If I write this post and no one sees it but me, will it matter? If I write this post and no one's inner critic is conquered but mine, is it a win or a loss? If I write this post and someone thinks it's stupid and worthless, will it mean that my thoughts are worthless and stupid?

Am I giving too much power to "If"? Am I giving too much power to others? Am I giving too little power to myself?

If I dare to be me - and nobody likes the me that I am - will *I* like me?

If I dare to unravel myself from the cloak of shame I sometimes wear...

If I dare to chisel the real me out from within the concrete stones in which I have cocooned myself...

If I dare to be authentic...

I will be free.

And, if nobody likes me but me, well...good.

I will finally, really, like me. The real me.