⚓️ When Showing Up Feels Brave

Inspiring places help me to get out there

Why visibility isn’t just strategy — it’s soul work

As a coach, I often work with quietly brilliant people.

Intrapreneurs. Deep thinkers. Sensitive high-achievers.

People with big hearts and even bigger ideas — who hesitate to share them, because visibility feels… vulnerable.

And I get it.

This is a story I know deeply — because I’ve lived it.

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I hit “post” and closed my laptop for hours.

The anxiety was intense.

My heart raced. My mind spiraled:

What will people think?

Am I enough?

Why am I even doing this?

I never thought LinkedIn would feel so personal.

It felt like standing on a stage — lights too bright, words stuck in my throat.

I wanted to help others… but the idea of being seen made me want to disappear.

So I started small:

→ Leaving comments under posts that moved me

→ Sharing a thought when it felt safe

→ Cheering others on — even when my words felt awkward

Still, every comment felt like a test.

The imposter voice got louder:

“Everyone will see. You’re not an expert.”

“Better stay silent.”

My words felt robotic. Filtered. Careful.

Then a friend told me she saw one of my comments in her feed.

Panic. (I thought only the author could see it!)

I wanted to vanish again.

But I kept going.

Little by little, I let my passion guide me:

→ Less grammar-checking, more heart

→ More celebrating others, less chasing perfection

Then came my first post.

A whole new level of fear.

I wrote, deleted, rewrote. Asked every tool for advice.

Pressed “post”… then shut my laptop and disappeared.

But something unexpected happened:

→ My network grew

→ Conversations became deeper

→ I met people who truly cared — some became collaborators, some friends

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This journey into visibility taught me something:

A lot of the people I work with feel the same.

They’re thoughtful. Purpose-driven. Quietly powerful.

But when it comes to speaking up — in a room, or online — something blocks them.

That’s why I care about creating spaces where people feel safe enough to show up.

To be seen. To start — even when it feels messy or uncertain.

What would you share — if fear or perfection weren’t in the way?

✨ Growth starts at the edge of awkward.

🧡 And you don’t have to do it alone.

If this resonates with you, maybe today is a moment to pause —

to listen inward, gently, and see what’s asking to be shared next.

No pressure. No big stage. Just one true step at a time. ✨

Find Your Wave,

Sarah 🌊