Maybe it’s speaking up when your opinion goes against others in the room. Maybe it’s being asked to say a few words before you play, and feeling your hands start to shake before you’ve even begun. Maybe it’s pressing play on a recording of yourself and needing to work up to it first.

I’ve been having a lot of conversations about this fear fo being seen or heard lately, and what keeps coming up is that none of these experiences is really separate from what happens on stage.

They’re all part of the same whole self responding to the same underlying question:

Does it feel safe to be seen and heard right now?

One of the things we explore in The Art of Freedom® Method is that fear of visibility isn’t just a “mental” or “psychological” problem. It’s not something you can usually think your way out of by telling yourself to be more confident, more positive, or less sensitive.

The moment you feel exposed, your whole system responds. Your breathing may change. Your neck, jaw, shoulders, hands, or belly may tighten. Your thoughts may speed up. Your sense of yourself may shrink. And before you know it, you’re not simply sharing your voice, your music, or your perspective anymore — you’re also struggling to manage the experience of being perceived and trying desperately to help yourself feel safe.

That’s why the first step isn’t to force yourself to be brave.

It’s to notice what’s happening to you with compassion, curiosity, and as little judgment as possible. Because when you can begin to recognize your familiar, self-protective patterns in the moment when they arise, you also begin to have a choice.

And choice is where freedom begins, because it opens up your possibilities in the very next moment.

I’d love to know where this shows up for you. Drop a comment or send me a message — I’d truly love to hear.

Joyfully,
Jennifer 🙂