Quick question: Who are you when no one's watching?
Not who you present at work. Not who you post on social media. Not who you perform for family or friends.
Who are you when it’s just you?
If the answer doesn’t come immediately, you might be stuck in the performance trap.
Here's what happens when you spend too much time performing:
You learn which version of yourself gets approval. You edit the parts that don’t fit. You perform “success,” “happiness,” or “having it together” even when you’re falling apart inside.
And it works. Until it doesn’t.
Because performing is exhausting. Every conversation becomes a calculation. Every interaction becomes strategic. You lose track of what you actually think, feel, or want—because you’re too busy managing everyone else’s perception.
Psychologists call this “impression management.”
Your brain is constantly scanning: Will they like this? Is this acceptable? Am I saying the right thing?
The cost? Anxiety, burnout, and a creeping sense that nobody actually knows you—including yourself.
Psilocybin has this beautiful ability to strip away social performance.
It quiets the parts of your brain responsible for self-monitoring and ego protection. Suddenly, you stop caring so much about how you look, what people think, or whether you’re “doing it right.”
What this creates:
- Natural authenticity without effort
- Less filtering of thoughts and feelings
- Reduced social anxiety (because you're not performing)
- Reconnection with who you actually are underneath the masks
This is why people report that after microdosing, conversations feel easier. Social situations feel less exhausting. They stop editing themselves so much.
Because you’re not trying to be likable. You’re just being you.
This week, notice when you're performing vs. when you're being real.
Signs you're performing:
- Saying what you think they want to hear
- Laughing at jokes that aren't funny
- Agreeing when you actually disagree
- Editing your personality based on who's in the room
- Feeling drained after social interactions
Signs you're being authentic:
- Saying what you actually think (kindly)
- Comfortable with silence
- Not apologizing for your opinions or interests
- Feeling energized (not drained) after connecting
- People see the real you, not a curated version
The Practice:
Dose 1x with Lucid or Golden this week.
Then have one conversation where you commit to zero
performance.
Don’t try to be funny, smart, impressive, or likable. Just be honest. Say what you actually think. Share how you actually feel.
Watch what happens.
You might be surprised how much people appreciate the real you over the performed you.
Authenticity isn't about being perfect. It's about being honest.
The world doesn’t need another performed version of success. It needs people who are real enough to admit they’re struggling, weird enough to own their quirks, and brave enough to stop pretending.
Psilocybin doesn’t make you a different person. It helps you stop performing and start being.
And here’s the beautiful irony: When you stop trying to be likable, you become more likable. When you stop performing success, you find real success. When you stop hiding your weirdness, you attract people who love you for it.
The mask was never protecting you. It was isolating you.
So this week, try showing up without it. Just once. See how it feels.
You might find that the real you is exactly who you needed to be all along.
Water Your Mind 💚
Mushie Media of the Week:
"The Science of Psychedelics For Mental Health & Brain Benefits"
by: Savage Perspective Podcast
