#63 Visibility Mindset Shifts: Stop Playing Small and Start Owning Your Space
As entrepreneurs, especially women, it’s easy to fall into the trap of playing small. In today’s episode of She is Unstoppable, we’re diving deep into the mindset shifts needed to stop holding back and start showing up authentically in your business. I’ve been there too—questioning if I’m really enough, fearing judgment, and battling self-doubt—but breaking free from those barriers is the key to growth.
Here’s what you’ll learn in today’s episode:
- (00:02:00) Imposter Syndrome: Reframing the negative thought of “Who am I to be doing this?” and replacing it with “Who am I NOT to do this?”
- (00:04:14) Fear of Judgment: Recognizing that people are not thinking about you as much as you think they are and learning to show up authentically, despite the fear.
- (00:06:23) Self-Doubt: Embracing that growth happens outside your comfort zone and that failure brings you closer to success.
Identify and Reframe Your Mindset Barriers
We all face mindset challenges, but the three biggest barriers I see entrepreneurs struggle with are imposter syndrome, fear of judgment, and self-doubt.
Imposter Syndrome is that nagging voice that tells you, “Who am I to do this?” It’s a lie. You’re uniquely qualified to serve your audience. Remember, no one has your exact experiences or perspective. By staying silent, you’re actually doing a disservice to those who need your expertise.
Fear of Judgment can be paralyzing. Whether it’s friends, family, or strangers online, we all fear criticism. But here’s the mindset shift: People are not thinking about you as much as you think they are. Instead of giving away your power, focus on the impact you can make.
Self-Doubt tends to creep up when we’re trying something new. But growth happens outside your comfort zone. Focus on the progress, not perfection, and remember: You don’t have to be perfect to be impactful.
Take Action: Practical Strategies to Show Up with Confidence
Mindset shifts are powerful, but action is what solidifies them. Here are a few strategies to build your confidence and start owning your space online.
- Start Small: If going live or posting personal content feels overwhelming, start with something small. Share a quick behind-the-scenes story or a win with your email list. Each small step helps build momentum.
- Speak to One Person: Whether you’re creating a video or writing content, imagine you’re speaking to just one person. It makes the process feel more personal and less intimidating.
- Celebrate Every Win: Confidence grows with action, but it’s reinforced by celebrating each victory. No matter how small, take time to acknowledge your progress and celebrate your wins.
Own Your Space and Be Seen
If you’ve been hiding behind the scenes in your business, it’s time to step into the spotlight. You’re worthy of being seen, and the world needs to hear your voice. As you implement these mindset shifts and strategies, you’ll start to see the impact of showing up authentically.
You belong here. Your voice, experiences, and expertise are valuable, and there’s space for you to thrive in this entrepreneurial world.
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Show Notes
[00:00:02.400] – Deanna Hinsz
Hey there, and welcome back to another episode of She is Unstockable. I’m your host, Diana Hins, and today I’m bringing you a topic that I know will resonate with so many of you. We’re talking about visibility. But more than that, we’re diving into the mindset shifts you need to stop playing small and start owning your space online and in your business. Because let’s be real, how many times have you held back from showing up online, sharing your expertise, or putting yourself out there because of fears like, Who am I to do this? Or, What will people think? You’re not alone. I’ve been there, and I know exactly what it feels like to second-guess yourself. Today, we’re tackling those mindset barriers head-on. By the end of this episode, you’ll have practical strategies to build your confidence, refrain from those negative thoughts, and more importantly, start showing Coming up like the unstoppable entrepreneur that you are. Let’s dive in. First up, let’s identify the mindset barriers that keep you from stepping into the spotlight. I see this all the time with women I mentor And honestly, I have faced all of these at different points in my own journey.
[00:01:19.400] – Deanna Hinsz
But here are the big three. The first one, imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is that nagging voice in your head telling you, who are you to be doing this? It’s that Feeling like somehow you’re not qualified and that people are going to know that you’re not enough and you don’t know enough and you’re going to be exposed. This is so common. And let me tell you, it’s a lie. Every single person you admired in your field has felt imposter syndrome at some point. I feel it all the time. In fact, every time I’m about to level up or I’m doing something different in my business, and I want to try something a little bit new, which we all know I’ve gone through that so many times, and most business owners have. They change things up or they reach that next level in their business. And that’s when it creeps in on me. Who are you and why do you think that you’re the expert? And then I’m afraid what other people are going to think. It’s really hard to talk to yourself. You have that going on in your head and you’re like, Wait a minute.
[00:02:34.300] – Deanna Hinsz
I do know a lot, but then you hear that, who are you? Well, the second thing piggybacks on this, and that’s fear of judgment. So let’s talk about this for just a Second, we all fear being judged, whether it is by friends or family or total strangers online. This fear stops so many entrepreneurs from showing up authentically because we think we’re going to get criticized or that people are going to think we’re not good enough. But here’s the truth. People are always going to have opinions, but their opinions don’t pay the bills. I’m going to be really transparent with you right now. There was a time that I was afraid to show up, and I wouldn’t talk about my business. I wouldn’t share my expertise because of imposter syndrome first. Who are you and what makes you think that you know all this? But Second, it was more so about that fear of being judged. And it wasn’t even a group of people or somebody that I knew that was in my inner circle of friends. It was because of one person. This one person that I knew was always going to judge me and question what I do, and quite honestly, probably talk about it to other people and make a joke about it.
[00:03:56.760] – Deanna Hinsz
But that person is not paying my bills. And 15 years later, I don’t care what that person thinks, right? And that’s how you should feel, too. But I understand that fear of being judged, and it’s okay. We all have that fear at some time. Now, the third one is self-doubt. Now, this one can be crippling. It’s that inner voice that questions whether you have what it takes to succeed. This shows up when you’re about to launch something new or when you’re comparing yourself to someone else’s success, it’s exhausting and it keeps you stuck. I’ve been guilty of that self-doubt, too. And it’s okay, it’s normal, but you can’t stay there. Do any of these sound familiar to you? I know that they do because these mindset blocks are not exclusive to you. They’re universal. Now we’re going to tackle on how to shift them so that you can start owning your space online. All right. Now that we’ve identified those mindset barriers, let’s talk about reframing those negative thoughts. This is where the magic happens. I want you to remember one thing. Your thoughts shape your reality. Say that one more time with me. If you’re listening, don’t say it out loud.
[00:05:23.840] – Deanna Hinsz
Don’t just listen to it. Your thoughts shape your reality. When you You change your thoughts, you change the way you show up. Now, here’s how you reframe those common barriers. Let’s start with the very first one I talked about, imposter syndrome. Now, how do we reframe imposter syndrome? Instead of thinking, who am I to be doing this? I want you to ask yourself, who am I not to do this? Listen, you are uniquely qualified to serve your audience because no one else has the exact experiences or knowledge or perspective that you do. Think about how many people are waiting for your voice, specifically. By staying silent, you’re actually giving them a disservice. I remember somebody once saying to me that I have to share my gift because somebody needs it. And if I don’t share it, that one person that is ready to take that next step in their business might not be able to take it because I was too afraid and I didn’t say anything. Think about that. You have this knowledge that’s so unique to you, and you have a different perspective, and you have a different experience. And your experience might be the exact experience somebody is going through right now.
[00:06:55.150] – Deanna Hinsz
When I share my story about what it was like 15 years ago, and I made that leap from working at a corporate job to making the crazy decision to enter entrepreneurship, I didn’t think of that so much in the time as something that would help somebody later. And I didn’t think about what it was like, how financially hard it was that that would help somebody later. It was honestly embarrassing for me to even talk about it. But when I found the courage to talk about it, and I remember the conference I was at, and I scrapped my whole presentation, and I spoke from the heart, and I shared my embarrassing startup story. There were so many women in the room that connected with that story and came up to me afterwards thanking me for sharing it and telling me that they were going through everything I had gone through, and it was great to hear how I overcame that. Prior to that, I I never considered that important or anything that would help somebody else. So don’t be afraid of sharing, right? Staying silent, you’re doing them a disservice. So the second thing that we need to reframe is that fear of judgment.
[00:08:16.850] – Deanna Hinsz
Now, here’s a mindset shift that changed the game for me. Are you ready for this? Listen up. People are not thinking about you as much as you think they are. We are all the main characters in our own story. So when you worry about people judging you, you’re giving away your power. Instead, focus on the impact you can make by showing up authentically. Your people, the ones who truly resonate with your message, will find you. I promise you. And trust me, they’ll be so glad you showed up. So don’t try to water yourself down. Don’t try to hold back because Is you’re afraid of being judged by somebody else. They’re not even thinking about you, not the way that you think they are. And their opinion doesn’t matter. It doesn’t pay the bills, right? Now let’s talk about reframing self-doubt. So self-doubt creeps up when you’re trying something new, right? Or you’re stepping out of that comfort zone. But here’s the thing. Growth happens outside of your comfort zone. So instead of doubting yourself, focus on how much you’re going to grow through this experience. And remember, you don’t have to be perfect to be impactful.
[00:09:38.770] – Deanna Hinsz
Progress happens over time with every imperfection. I heard a podcast not long ago, and I’m going to say that this was possibly me. I don’t know. I’m not going to say who I think it was, but I think it was Jenna Kutcher’s podcast I was definitely listening to you, but I don’t remember who she referenced. But they talked about failing a hundred times in a year. And this person was tracking how many times if they wanted to fail in a year, because every time they failed, it brought them closer to success and got them over the fear of failing. And I love that idea. If you were like me, I was afraid to fail. So I wouldn’t try things or I wouldn’t get uncomfortable because I didn’t want to fail. And when I realized that failure actually brings me closer to success, that’s when I embraced it. So when you have that self-doubt that’s creeping in, just toss it out. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be impactful. You just have to try and put yourself out there and be real. And I promise you, it doesn’t matter where you are in this game, you can look back at whatever you posted, whatever video you shared this podcast today.
[00:10:55.560] – Deanna Hinsz
And in five years right now, I’m sure I’m going to be really embarrassed about whatever I said or whatever I did today because it doesn’t look as good as it’s going to look in five years. So who cares? Everything is a process. Just run with it. Now, I want to give you some practical strategies to build confidence in showing up online because mindset shifts are great, but we also need action, right? So the very first thing is to start small. If the idea of going live or posting something, a selfie, anything personal feels overwhelming, start small. Maybe it’s a quick story on Instagram or behind the scenes post or even sharing a win with your email list. The key here is to build momentum by taking consistent action. Each and every time you show up, you’ll get a little bit more comfortable. So don’t feel that you need to go to that end goal right out of the gate. Break up into small little steps, and every step gets you closer and closer. So if you’re afraid to go live, and I’ve mentored a lot of women who get really nervous about going live, or we know video is really important, but they may not want to be the face on that video.
[00:12:18.390] – Deanna Hinsz
I get it. I get it 100%. But maybe take that video, and I’m going to talk about reels. If you want to share a reel, let’s just say, but you want to video yourself saying something or sharing a tip, first just do the reel and maybe you’re just using slides. Maybe you just use slides, and then maybe your next reel is a faceless reel, where you’re talking, but you’re showing something else, something behind the scenes, like unboxing something or you at your computer, whatever that is. And then slowly get to the point where you feel comfortable being online or doing that real with your own face, because There is a benefit when people see you. They connect with you a little bit more, and it also can be really intimidating to do that. So the second tip is practice speaking to one person. Now, this helped me tremendously. Imagine that I’m just speaking to one person. Whether I’m in this podcast right now, I’m not thinking about talking to hundreds or thousands of people, whatever it is. I’m thinking I’m talking to one person. It’s that one person that needs to hear this. Or maybe I’m talking to my best friend or my ideal client, that one client that I have that I’ve connected with.
[00:13:39.700] – Deanna Hinsz
When you do that, whether it’s the podcast or it’s a video or it’s content you’re creating, it makes it feel more personal and less intimidating. Don’t think about everybody that might see it. Think about that one person, whoever makes you comfortable. If it’s that best friend of yours, just create a video talking to them about whatever your expertise is. And the last one I want to share is celebrate your wins. And it doesn’t have to be big wins. Confidence comes from action, but it’s reinforced by celebrating your wins. And every time you show up online, acknowledge it, even if it feels small. Give yourself credit for taking that step. Do a little dance, throw some confetti, whatever it is that you want to celebrate. If you’re in a group like She is Collective, we do Wednesday Wins. Share it in the group and just celebrate it. Here’s the thing, you’re building a muscle, and it’s important to recognize that your progress is going to happen along the way. So celebrate every little victory you can. Now, I want to share a story with you, and I’ve shared little bits and pieces about it. But when I first started showing up online, when I first launched my business, I had all the fears that we talked about today.
[00:15:04.350] – Deanna Hinsz
I was worried that people would judge me, people that were actually closer to me sometimes, depending on what I was talking about, the people that were the closest to me, I was afraid they would listen because they know me and they would be like, Who are you? And then there was also that one person that I wasn’t even friends with, but I was afraid that they were going to judge me. I was going to feel like I wasn’t good enough I didn’t have anything valuable to offer. I hid behind my computer screen for months before I realized that staying visible wasn’t going to get me where I wanted to go. One day, I decided to go for it. I recorded a short video introducing myself and what I do. I actually did this inside of a Facebook group that I had just joined. And it was really scary and intimidating. Now, was it perfect? Absolutely not. I was so afraid. I was terrified. I didn’t have the right equipment. All I had was my little phone, or so I thought, but your phone is perfect. I didn’t have the right lighting. I could tell you all the reasons why it wasn’t, I shouldn’t have done it.
[00:16:20.160] – Deanna Hinsz
But guess what? The response I got was overwhelmingly positive. People reached out. They told me they loved my message. And from that point on, I committed myself to showing up even when it felt uncomfortable. So that decision changed the direction my business was going. And if I can do it, so can you. Now, before we wrap up, I want to leave you with one final mindset shift. You belong here. No matter where you are in your business journey, there is space for you to thrive, grow, and be seen. There’s no competition in your lane because no one else could do it the way that you can do it. So the next time you’re feeling small, I want you to repeat this. I am worthy of being seen. I have something valuable to offer, and the world needs to hear my voice. All right, my friend, that’s a wrap on today’s episode. I hope you feel inspired and empowered to step into your visibility and own your space online. Remember, it’s not It’s not about perfection. It’s showing up authentically and taking action. If you found this episode helpful, I’d love for you to share with a friend.
[00:17:38.330] – Deanna Hinsz
You might need this message today. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. All right. If you’re looking to take your visibility to the next level and want more personalized support, join me inside She Is Collective. It’s an amazing community of like-minded women, and we are here to help you grow your business with confidence. Until next time, keep showing up and keep being unstable. Remember, you are worthy of being seen.
