Ruth Rathblott creates spaces for people to be seen. She works with organizations that want to build more inclusive work environments so that they can break down the walls of miscommunication and produce more cohesive teams and higher-performing employees. Learn more at www.RuthRathblott.com.

STEP 4: SHARE YOUR STORY

Can I unhide something to you? I remember thinking, That’s what I do for a living. So… yes. They took a breath. My partner is sick. And I haven’t told anyone. Then they said something I’ll never forget. Because you’ve shared parts of your story, it made me look at what’s been holding me back.…

Group photo of people standing together at an NSA-NYC event, smiling toward the camera. Photo credit: John DeMato

STEP 3: BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY

I thought I invented hiding. I didn’t have language for it. I just had strategies. Tucking part of me away. Blending in. Overcompensating. And I honestly thought I was alone. The only one hiding anything. Then, in a random Walgreens in New York City, I met a woman with the same little hand. We talked…

The artist, Ruth, with 4 of her art pieces. Singlehandedly creating. Unhiding through art, one canvas at a time.

Painting With Your Other Hand.

This summer, I started painting—with the hand I hid for 25 years. Because sometimes the things we’ve hidden the longest have the most to teach us. Facing the Doubts Truth? I wasn’t sure what would happen. Maybe something beautiful, maybe something that looked like a preschool finger-painting. (Spoiler: some of it did.) And underneath it…