How to Remove the Layers of Fear from Your Persona
Over time, we change. We grow. We outgrow certain ideas and ways of being.
But instead of letting go of what no longer serves us, we often add more — more roles, more responsibilities, more beliefs, more “shoulds.”
Without realizing it, we’re stacking new layers on top of the old, outdated ones. The result?
A heavy, crowded identity that doesn’t match the person we’re becoming.
And it’s exhausting.
It’s the reason so many founders don’t resonate with their own brands.
Your stuck in old school paradigms, trying to move forward. It’s like trying to run in quicksand.
True authenticity isn’t about adding more.
It’s about removing what’s no longer true for you.
Authenticity isn’t about becoming more — it’s about unbecoming…shedding what’s no longer true.
When My Own Layers Of Fear Emerged
Years ago, I was standing on stage, accepting one of the most prestigious awards in hospitality.
From the outside, I had “made it.”
From the inside, something felt very wrong. My stomach dropped. My heart wasn’t celebrating. A quiet, undeniable thought came:
Is this what you really want?
That moment marked the beginning of my removal process — shedding my fears, false beliefs, and societal “shoulds” that had been running my life for decades.
I had chased awards, status, and possessions believing they would prove my worth. But achievement didn’t create the wholeness I was seeking. Real power — lasting, soul-intuitive power — only came when I started aligning with my true Self.
Your worth isn’t something to achieve — it’s something to remember.
Why Adding More Isn’t The Answer
We live in a culture that tells us to keep chasing the next thing.
→ More goals. More achievements. More titles.
But if we keep introducing more without removing the things that no longer fit, we end up creating a life that feels heavy, disconnected, and inauthentic.
Old beliefs like:
“I must prove my worth.”
“If I achieve this, I’ll finally feel enough.”
- “When I meet my performance KPIs I feel seen.”
…are fear in disguise. They lead us to build a life that looks right on the outside but feels empty on the inside.
The truth is: Your worth isn’t something you earn — it’s something you remember.
You can’t step into your becoming if you’re still dressed in yesterday’s beliefs.
A Simple Removal Process Using Journal Exercises
If you want to shed the weight of outdated identities, and get on the path of becoming unaplogetic, and unbound but what was, these simple journaling exercise will get you started:
List your current roles.
Example: mother, entrepreneur, friend, partner, community leader…For each role, ask:
“What am I hoping to gain from this—love, security, approval, control?”Go deeper and ask:
“Why do I want this? Is this belief or need true for who I am now, or is it leftover from an earlier version of me?”Circle the outdated ones.
These are the layers you can begin to let go.
This is not about abandoning responsibility — it’s about releasing the mental and emotional identities you’ve outgrown, so you can move forward lighter and more aligned. This is the path of the UnBrand, the disrupter to old-school branding conformity. It’s based on Spiritual Personality Typing a sacred self-identity method I initiated to navigate my own life tsunami and illuminate a new life path. It’s sacredly strategic, soul-led and characteristically authentic – the building blocks of the UnBrand.
When you stop collecting roles that don’t fit, you make room for the life that does.
Living Your Becoming
As we grow, we’re meant to evolve beyond outdated roles and self-concepts.
Letting go doesn’t mean losing yourself. It means creating space for your next, truer version to emerge.
When you release what’s no longer authentic:
Your clarity sharpens.
Your confidence expands.
Your energy lifts.
You don’t need to change yourself.
You simply need to return to yourself.
Peace is your spirit’s way of whispering: you’re in alignment now.
A Final Word
Life will always invite you to add more.
But before you say yes, ask yourself:
“Am I building on truth, or am I layering over what needs to be released?”
Your becoming isn’t about becoming someone else.
It’s a peaceful revealing of who you’ve been all along.
Travel A Tonic for Self-Discovery
Can you see why I staunchly believe that travel is a tonic for the soul? Travel offers a real-time opportunity to observe your personality type in action. It’s an enriching environment—a living classroom for self-discovery—that exposes you to diverse experiences. This encourages self-reflection, fosters personal growth, and provides countless opportunities to step outside your comfort zone.
This post offers a sneak peek into my book, Unpack Your Personality: Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide. It’s part memoir (my story of self-discovery through travel), part introduction to Spiritual Personality Typing℠—a reimagining of Myers-Briggs (MBTI) through the lens of spiritual alignment—and part personalized travel guidebook. The idea is that all of these roads lead to self-discovery.
Please know that I curate these posts to be both meaningful and educational, designed to help you navigate the needs of your sacred personality type on the road, in business, and in life. If you’re interested in exploring your unique travel personality type, feel free to contact me me for a one-on-one travel session.
Ready To Get to Know Yourself
Are you ready to embark on the road less traveled and join the rare 10% who truly know themselves? If you’re seeking more, I offer bespoke one-on-one sessions designed to help you discover yourself from the inside out. This is pure self-awareness—an opportunity to connect with your authentic self.
Together, we’ll shine a light on self-sabotaging behaviors and break negative cycles. We’ll also explore what brings you the greatest joy, both in daily life and on your travels.
Ready to start your journey? Let’s connect and uncover the unique path meant just for you. Click here to schedule a 1:1 clarity call.
More About Spiritual Personality Typing
My goal is to shift perspectives around MBTI® personality typing—to break free from stereotypes and oversimplifications. Remember, your personality type is sacred. Your persona is just a mask.
It’s my intention that you begin to see your archetype as a sacred tool—an expression of your true self.
Of course, good things in life come to those who do the work. Take responsibility and make personality typing, infused with spiritual understanding, a daily practice. You’ll soon realize that your rational self and your soul self rely on each other to ignite a soulful meaningful life. When you fully embrace this concept, a profound awakening occurs. It moves you closer to your truth, liberating you from a purposeless existence.
You’ll be ready for any occasion, situation, or event—whether it’s travel, relationships, career, passion, or purpose. Ahh, living a meaningful life—isn’t that what we all desire?
Please Share: How To Remove External Layers Of Fear From Your Persona?
It’s always my intention to encourage you and plant seeds to help you think differently. To tap into the unique aspects of your true self through spiritual personality type. By doing so, we can collectively raise the vibration of the planet. If you know someone—a friend, co-worker, or family member—who is struggling with self-understanding or seeking their true self, please share this post with them. You never know who might need this message today.
You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn. for more inspiration and resources.
Want to Dive Deeper? I Got You
If this speaks to you even a little bit, check out my podcast interview Reinvention Rebels with host Wendy Battles
🎧 Reinvention at 66: Nina Zapala’s Journey to Embrace Imperfection and Ignite Her Purpose
👉 Listen here.
Thank you, Wendy, for believing in my mission — even before I fully believed in it myself. 🩵
Additional Resources:
👀 For additional learning watch more on my YouTube Channel. Click here
🔖How to Embrace the Soul Self in Business: click here for the link.
🔖 How To Be True To Yourself: read it here.
📚 Or grab a copy of my debut book: Unpack Your Personality: Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide
Who Is Nina Zapala?
Hey, I’m Nina Zapala—creator of Spiritual Personality Typing℠, a new way to connect your mind and spirit so you can actually show up as your real self. My mission? Plant seeds for a fresh kind of thinking—where self-expression isn’t just allowed, it’s unstoppable.
I’m also the mind behind the (un)Brand: a soul-first, zero-cookie-cutter approach for founders who are done with branding clichés and performance games. No more approval-chasing. No more shrinking to fit in. The (un)Brand helps you show up fully—characteristically authentic, unapologetic, and 100% you.
With decades in branding, community, and cause marketing (and 300+ articles to prove it), I help women take back their identity and purpose. My book, Unpack Your Personality Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide., is your invite to trust your gut and journey inward.
Let’s be real—someone rocks blue hair or pitches a bold idea, and most people roll their eyes or back away. My work? Burns old scripts. Instead we light up what makes you exquisitely different.
