In this super short episode, Caitlin reflects on masking, honesty, and the complicated relationship many neurodivergent people have with truth, safety, and self-expression.
💬" You can't just academically study yourself, right? You're still living a life. So it's very hard for me to like be able to talk about the effects of masking if I am like constantly demanding of myself that I never mask." - Caitlin Fisher
Through the lens of a romance novel character perceived as “difficult,” we’re invited to question our assumptions about behavior. Because WHAT IF what looks like dishonesty or harshness is actually someone creating distance to feel safe?
And while masking can be exhausting, this episode also gently reframes it as something more nuanced:
Masking can be a boundary.
Masking can be a shield.
Masking can be survival.
Tune in as they explore what it means to protect your peace, even when that means not being fully “honest” all the time.
What we learn in this episode:
- What masking actually is (beyond the usual definition)
- Why honesty can feel like a moral obligation
- The link between neurodivergence and black-and-white thinking
- How to choose safety without guilt
Things to reflect on:
- Where am I demanding total honesty from myself in ways that feel unsafe?
- Who in my life has earned access to my full, unmasked self?
- Where can I offer myself more flexibility instead of rigid rules?