A DECADE+ OF STORYTELLING POWERED BY THE BEST WRITERS ON THE PLANET

BE PART OF THE LEGACY

TAMPA BAY • FEBRUARY 23-24 2026

This FINAL encore experience will be unlike any other. Because like everything we do, it's been "reimagined" from beginning to end. It's not a virtual or hybrid event. It's not a conference. It's not a seminar, a workshop, a meeting, or a symposium. And it's not your typical run-of-the-mill everyday event crammed with stages, keynote speeches, team-building exercises, PowerPoint presentations, and all the other conventional humdrum. Because it's up close & personal by design. Where conversation trumps presentation. And where authentic connection runs deep.

Who Are You in this World?

You are incorrect if you think you are the same person all the time. If you do not acknowledge that you have at least one other persona, you will not understand how to blend these images.

How many personas do you have? Do you have one for work, one for your family, yet another for friends, and then another for the parents of your kids?

This persona, this mask that you wear can be beneficial or not. If you have a work persona that is different from your home mask, what is it and how does it help you with your peers and your boss, if you have one? Or do you have a separate persona you wear when you are in direct contact with your boss?

This may sound frivolous, however, we all have different personas. And yes, it can be confusing to others if they catch on. It can also be confusing to you, the one who holds the power over these masks.

Who are you and who are you pretending to be?

It must be exhausting to carry all these personas with you day after day. What if you could be only YOU every day?

This act of masking is what many do to feel safe in different situations, mostly social.

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.

— Kurt Vonnegut

We’ve all seen it, the pretenders. They certainly run rampant on Facebook. You see people wearing these masks and then you speak to them, if you are lucky, and discover they are illusions of themselves. They are not real, they are following others’ paths, allowing us to think or imagine that they’re very, very successful or equally as powerful. The truth then appears at a break in their persona. A word, a gesture, appears and you go ‘Whoa! What was that?’ – not what you expected. And I do say the word expected because people who attempt to force their personas or masks onto you for their benefit, know that this is the persona you expect to see. And they gave exactly that to you.

Bosses and leaders carry many personas. If only they could afford to be more authentic, we would appreciate their skills more so we say. However, in many cases, we EXPECT them to have many masks and personas. It is expected in the society we have created. And when the supposed truth about who they truly come out is, we are shocked, and surprised, and yet, we are part of the game in supporting their personas.

Any of us can be kind, strong, sad, and cranky without a persona. We can be genuine humans and stop wearing personas or masks to enjoy our lives.

The fewer masks we wear, the closer we are to having more peace in our lives.

Wouldn’t you like to live a life of truth and openness?

Along your path toward truth and peace, check this out.

Joanne Victoria
Joanne Victoriahttp://www.askjoannevictoria.com
JOANNE VICTORIA is the author of 7 books including Lighting Your Path - How To Create the Life You Want and Vision With a Capital V - Create the Business of Your Dreams. Joanne lives in the Greater Seattle, WA area. After professions such as Real Estate Broker/Owner, CFO of an investment company, CFO and Sales & Marketing Director of a home-building company, owner of New Directions, a business development firm as well as Gemma & Bixley, a coaching and consulting company, Joanne was ready for her next adventure, helping Leaders & Entrepreneurs live the life they want. Joanne took her business and personal development expertise, added in several ounces of intuition and humor, along with studies in philosophy, Buddhism, and leadership, all to be the best-qualified Life Coach ever. Joanne Victoria is the host of the "The Sanity Project Podcast", and helps frustrated and almost burned out Leaders & Entrepreneurs discover their True Calling to unleash the power of their minds to make a greater impact on the world, benefit humanity, and be more successful

DO YOU HAVE THE "WRITE" STUFF? If you’re ready to share your wisdom of experience, we’re ready to share it with our massive global audience – by giving you the opportunity to become a published Contributor on our award-winning Site with (your own byline). And who knows? – it may be your first step in discovering your “hidden Hemmingway”. LEARN MORE HERE


5 CONVERSATIONS

  1. Fascinating!!
    Living means having the courage to be yourself, without excuses.
    It means admitting your mistakes without blaming yourself.
    Living means showing yourself as you really are, without masks or tricks. People need to know who we really are and be happy about it (as we should be).
    If we show ourselves for who we are, we will increase our chances of achieving happiness. Sometimes being real, being “authentic”, doesn’t always have positive consequences, but if we have to pay a price for being ourselves, then let’s pay it. Let’s leave aside disguises, masks and make-up… as time goes by we realize that they don’t give any value to our life.

RECIPIENT OF THE 2024 "MOST COMPREHENSIVE LIFE & CULTURE MULTIMEDIA DIGEST" AWARD

WE ARE NOW FEATURED ON

EXPLORE 360° NATION

ENJOY OUR FREE EVENTS

OUR COMMUNITIES