| Okay, I have to share this with you.
My friend and fellow speaker, Tosca DiMatteo, sent me Oprah’s conversation with Barry Michels about choosing not to hide. Thank you, Tosca!
If you’ve heard me speak, watched my TEDx, or read either of my books, you know why I got so excited.
They talked about the energy it takes to hide, what it costs us, and the love and support we might be missing.
Yes! This!
I’ve spent the past five years bringing this conversation into the world. And now I’m hearing Oprah and Barry talk about it.
Hiding doesn’t always look like hiding.
It can look like being the strong one who never asks for help.
Saying “I’m fine” when you’re not.
Overperforming so no one looks too closely.
Keeping one part of yourself out of sight because you’re not sure how people will respond.
I know this because I did it for 25 years with my smaller left hand.
For a long time, hiding protected me. Until it didn’t.
Because sometimes the ways we protect ourselves are also the ways we keep people out.
That’s what I heard in Barry’s story. When he began letting people know what was happening, he gave them the opportunity to show up for him.
That’s what unhiding can make possible.
And no, unhiding doesn’t mean telling everyone everything. Privacy matters. You get to choose what you share, when you share it, and with whom.
Sometimes it starts with one person.
So here’s what I’m wondering:
What are you hiding?
And what might become possible if you let one person in?
I recorded a short video reacting to Oprah and Barry’s conversation and sharing more about why this matters to me.
WATCH THE VIDEO
Help me bring this conversation into more rooms.
Share the video with one person who might need it today.
I’d love to know what it brings up for you. Just hit reply!
And if you know of a stage, organization, or community where this conversation needs to happen, I’d love to hear about that, too.
One last thing…
If you happen to know Oprah or Barry Michels, or know someone who does, I’d love to get Singlehandedly and Unhide & Seek into their hands.
Listening to their conversation, I heard so much of what I wrote about in my books.
Warmest,
Ruth
Note: Video includes a brief excerpt from The Oprah Podcast, featuring Oprah Winfrey and Barry Michels, used for commentary and discussion. |
