When I Travel, I Drop the Mask

There’s a quiet relief that washes over me every time I travel.

It’s not just about escaping the daily routine. It’s the deeper freedom that comes from not having to perform. The freedom to drop the mask I’ve learned to wear so well.

Life Behind the Mask

As someone on the autism spectrum, masking is my default mode.

It’s the eye contact I consciously maintain.
The tone shifts in my voice to match the social setting.
The constant micro-adjustments to seem “normal” in a world that rarely meets me where I am.

Masking is constant. It’s exhausting. And it’s invisible to most people who aren’t doing it themselves.

Over the years, it has become second nature—so much so that I sometimes forget I’m doing it. Until, that is, I step away from the familiar.

Why Travel Feels Like Freedom

When I’m somewhere new—especially in a place where no one knows me—that pressure lifts.

I don’t have to explain why I need extra space.
I don’t have to justify why I didn’t reply to a message.
I don’t have to feel guilty for ducking out early or spending an entire day hyper-focused on one thing.

I just get to be. Fully. Unapologetically. Peacefully.

There’s a kind of beauty in being a stranger. No one projects expectations onto me. No one has a preconceived idea of how I should act or what role I should play.

The Gift of Being Unmasked

Travel gives me something I often forget to give myself: permission.

Permission to disappear into thought.
Permission to quietly observe without engaging.
Permission to release the social performance and simply exist in my own rhythm.

When I have that space, something shifts inside me. My creativity begins to flow. My sense of self feels stronger. I remember who I am beneath the constant calibrations.

This isn’t about running away. It’s about reconnecting with the truest parts of myself—the ones that often get buried under the weight of social expectation.

The Leadership Parallel

If you’ve ever masked, you know this feeling intimately. And if you love someone who masks, I hope this gives you a glimpse into their experience.

Even if you’re not on the spectrum, you might have your own version of masking. Many founders, leaders, and high performers wear a constant “on” persona—feeling pressure to be confident, certain, and available at all times.

Travel isn’t the only way to unmask. You can create unmasked moments in your daily life by carving out spaces where you don’t have to perform—spaces where you can lead, create, and connect from authenticity instead of expectation.

You deserve more than to simply cope. You deserve the freedom to thrive.