I suspect the vast majority of people on this site have had to “pretend I’m normal like everyone else,” at least for a significant chunk of their lives, and many likely continue to do so even now. Some might never be able to escape the feeling that they’re living the life of an imposter.

I certainly spent a good portion of my life suppressing aspects of myself to my detriment, suppressing those aspects not only from others, but from myself as well. SimX gives good practical advice that I suggest taking to heart. I know it is challenging, but working to integrate your innate identity into a broader life framework that leverages those aspects of yourself will make you an even better Dom/Master/etc. The same is true for subs/slaves/etc.

And I think it helps to know that many others are facing the same fundamental challenge. RL discussion groups where these issues can be discussed more thoroughly than on an online forum can provide more support than you might expect.I suspect the vast majority of people on this site have had to “pretend I’m normal like everyone else,” at least for a significant chunk of their lives, and many likely continue to do so even now. Som...See more

There are occassions when skills transference need not be applied to pursuits that run parallel courses. Personally I gain great satisfaction from counseling, coaching, and mentoring, which, when done in their purest form, are devoid of any sense of domination.There are occassions when skills transference need not be applied to pursuits that run parallel courses. Personally I gain great satisfaction from counseling, coaching, and mentoring, which, when done...See more

As a further aside. Some people find that their work is their passion and for the huge majority that don't find that to be the case, I suggest considering that their work may be the very thing which allows them to pursue their passion elsewhere.