Why We Need To Be Visible
It’s coming up in all areas of my life right now. It’s a hot topic, and especially for women. It’s difficult, it’s complicated, sometimes it’s dangerous. It’s the need to show up and be seen.
We are in the middle of a global pandemic - most of us around the world have never experienced this kind of shut down, and certainly never in lived history has the entire world stopped.
In my newsletter recently, I shared this article, sent to me by a client: What Do Countries With The Best Coronavirus Responses Have In Common? Women Leaders.
A few days ago, I saw this one: From Angela Merkel to Jacinda Ardern, women are showing their mettle against covid-19.
And then I saw this, which is not surprising, but oh so frustrating: Women academics submitting fewer papers to journals during coronavirus.
In the business course I’m taking, we’re working on mindset and how to work with your fears. In this course, which is almost exclusively made up of women attendees (there are a few men), one of the biggest things to come up is: visibility. We love planning, organizing, dreaming, creating. We are working through our dislike of showing up, as ourselves, authentically and with energy, to get the work done and connect with our audience.
It was a surprise for me to learn recently that some of the work I’d been putting off because “I didn’t have the time” was actually work I was putting off from fear. It goes to show that this stuff can come up anytime, even if you think (as I’d done) that you’ve worked it all out. Ha. Ha. Ha.
We owe it to our kids, to our partners, to our colleagues, and we owe it to ourselves to be true to ourselves. To learn how to say what we mean, to give our opinions, to show up on camera - even when it feels scary. The truth is, the more we do this, the easier it gets.
What’s been holding you back from being your real self? How can you make that change? It doesn’t have to be overnight (and it won’t be). Take small steps towards veering away from hiding in the shadows and showing up in the light. Your children will see this. Your partner will see this. Your colleagues, your boss, your family. We all need to see women showing strong leadership skills - being visible. We need change, and this is the way.
Got something to say about this? Let me know in the comments!
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I’m a public speaking coach with a positive and encouraging approach. I work 1:1 or in groups to help you be a strong and resilient speaker, whether to 1 person, or a thousand.
I use my 25+ years of theatre training and performance experience to guide you through the four main components of excellent speaking: standing, breathing, speaking, reading. With proven techniques and guided practise, I help you bring out your inner confidence and give you exercises and systems to help you prepare for any situation.
