There is a version of me that is grounded and in the moment, then, there is “presenter me.”

Presenter me shows up more than I’d like to admit. But, I get it. She was star of the show for a long time and refuses to give up the lead role– We’re working on it though.

The problem with presenter me is that she fights to exist everywhere; and for good reason. There was a time when she was essential for my survival.

Now, I recognize her presence in real-time and it throws me off. The tone of my voice changes, my words are not coherent or reflective of what I want to say, my thoughts are focused on how I may be received, my body feels restricted– It’s a mess.

This is my “presenter me” ceremony. My best guess is that she just wants to be seen. I am willingly sharing her with the world, as a gesture of my gratitude for keeping me safe, and as a salute to the person she has been afraid for me to be.

Life is challenging, with or without the mask. I have decided to shed my costume in exchange for my life– Presenter me will not go easy, but she will have to understand.