Kate Hastings Show

For much of my life, I lived in a warrior mindset. I was constantly in survival mode, always protecting myself from being hurt, being betrayed, or being taken advantage of. My identity was rooted in fear survival tactics, self-isolation, chasing external achievements, and proving wrong the people who told me I couldn’t do something. It’s like I needed that fight to feel alive, to feel like I had a purpose. When your whole identity is built around surviving, you end up putting on a mask to protect yourself. This mask hides who you really are, and it often looks like success or strength to the outside world. My achievements became this mask—on the surface, it looked like I was winning, but deep down, I was losing the real battle with myself. The mask is a way to shield yourself from getting hurt, rejected, or judged. Maybe you show the world a version of yourself that seems successful, like you’ve got it all together, when in reality, you’re struggling inside. The achievements or control you project to others m