What You're Hiding (And What It's Keeping You From)

You don't need to be told that vulnerability is powerful.

If you've spent your life being the strong one, keeping your real feelings private, and showing only the polished version of yourself that won't make waves — while secretly feeling isolated, misunderstood, and like no one really knows you — you already understand the problem.

The question is: what are you protecting by staying hidden?

This is the second session in "Stop Fitting In, Start Leading" — a 4-part series for high-achievers who are tired of performing. Each session stands alone, so jump in wherever feels most relevant.

Most of us learned that showing emotion was weakness. That sharing struggle meant you weren't capable. That revealing doubt would prove you don't belong in the room.

So we learned to perform strength. We got really good at seeming fine. At having it all together. At never needing help.

But here's what happens when you spend your life playing strong:
You lose access to real connection. You carry everything alone. You feel like a fraud because the version people see isn't the whole truth. And the parts of you that feel shame — your doubts, your fears, your struggles — grow bigger in the dark.

This session is for anyone ready to stop performing invincibility.

### ✍️ What we'll explore together:

• The difference between strategic vulnerability and emotional dumping — how to be authentic without oversharing
• What performing strength is actually costing you in connection, trust, and being truly known
• How to transform shame into something that connects rather than isolates you

### What we'll do:

📝 Guided Journaling to identify what you've been carrying alone and what it would take to share it
🧘 Guided Visualization to practice feeling safe in your whole truth — including the messy parts
💬 Real Conversation in a space where showing up honestly is celebrated, not punished

### 💛 Why it matters:

The parts of yourself you think disqualify you are often the parts that make you most relatable, most trustworthy, most human. Leadership doesn't require perfection — it requires truth. And the moment you stop performing invincibility is the moment real connection becomes possible.

### This is for you if:

• You're exhausted from always being "the strong one"
• You've accomplished a lot but feel like no one really knows you
• You're ready to explore what happens when you stop hiding your humanity
• You want to transform shame into something that connects you to others rather than isolates you

### This isn't for you if:

• You're not ready to get honest about what you've been hiding
• You want validation that staying closed off is the "safe" choice
• You're looking for permission to overshare without boundaries

📌 Come live if you can — vulnerability in community hits differently than vulnerability alone.
This might be the session where you realize that the thing you've been most ashamed of is the very thing that will finally let you be seen.

This session is free because I believe everyone deserves access to this work. Donations are deeply appreciated to cover community costs and support this important work. 💛