part 3
You’re Not So Vain
Let me break it out to you:
You don’t know how you want to be seen,
unless you’ve already been seen that way.
Visibility is more than exposure, or showing up on social media or beating the algorithm for likes & leads.
Visibility starts with seeing yourself through your actual image–your picture.
Image-led self-discovery revolutionizes
- HOW you see Yourself
- HOW you desire to be seen
- HOW you enjoy to be seen
And eventually, how others will see you.
yet… it’s not THAT simple 😅
The Curious Case of Being Seen
Let’s start with a few Truths about being seen:
- Your face is the #1 visual that represents your brand.
- You’re the highest authority regarding your representation.
- Beauty is more than meets the eye. How we do beauty is highly personal and identity driven.
- Every time you look in the mirror is a reconciliation with your image, and the changes that come with it.
- Most women don’t like to be seen, they don’t know how to be seen, or they never experienced being seen… When they’re hiding, they’re also hiding from themselves.
- Healing self-image never ends. It’s ongoing, like updating to the latest operating system or watering your plants.
- Showing up without makeup or a filter, is as brave (and as inspiring) as to grab all eyes on the red carpet.
Our relationship with our image can be quite complex… and requires alignment.
For example:
- Visibility yo-yo: the hide-out-but-wanna-stand-out syndrome.
- Your image leads the way: An image upgrade or only dressing for “the job you want, not the job you have” gives you a glimpse of your future self. Closing the gap and catching up is a journey.
- Your image is eager to catch up: You’ve gone through an inner, deep transformation that’s gone a bit unnoticed, or at least uncelebrated. Updating your image is not always considered.
- Downplaying Visibility: “A power pose in a white pants suit in front of the Eiffel tower”? No, thank you. Some women are confident enough in their work and desire for their image to not matter at all, cause’ Brains>Beauty. Well, even then, it does.
You’re Not So Vain for desiring to be seen.
Why Is Being Seen Important?
BEING SEEN is not so that you’ll be looked or stared at. It’s your way to connect with others and to get to know yourself and your work further.
BEING SEEN is also an underrated business skill.
The missing link of brand talk:
ENJOYING BEING SEEN
You don’t need to be a style influencer who changes outfits frame-by-frame, or do dirty-dancing to find pleasure in visibility.
How to enjoy being seen may never have been on your to-do list, yet it’s essential to your capacity to be seen.
I was trying to be visible for my business, while I (secretly) wanted to keep hiding myself.
(Even as a branding expert) I was really stuck when I tried to brand myself.
I tried to see myself through the eyes of personality reports, brand archetype quizzes, Human Design, Akashic records, and Astrology readings with matching templates & colors…
I gained valuable information from all the above, and ended up stuffing ALL of me in a (well labeled) ziplock bag.
Couldn’t move much…
I also went deep with inner work, journaling, meditations, mindset work, therapy, aura cleanses, shadow work and affirmations. I experienced profound shifts, but when it came to Personal Branding all the inner work had no immediate outer results.
I needed something empowering, liberating, expansive,
and TANGIBLE:
Image-Led Discovery
Image-led discovery is a journey of self-discovery through your image. It’s a process of creatively exploring your unique story, personal style and your authentic self.
Self-portraits beyond visuals.
It’s also a process of healing your relationship with your image.
When you love and accept every bit of who you are,
you love and accept all of you.
And you’re more likely to want to share yourself (with or without a filter…)
Image-led discovery is a powerful tool for personal branding.
When you know who you are and how you want to be seen, you can create a brand that is authentic and aligned with your values.
👆THIS (picture) was NOT what I initially had in mind re my branding, although I had no idea what my branding should/could/would look like… Yet, this pink-glam picture (created without a team with a stylist, make-up artist or pro lighting), drove multiple campaigns, and created a new kind of confidence that fueled me for months and years on.
SO, this I know:
self-discovery x image creation x pleasure in visibility
is where it’s at.