Overcoming the Fear of Visibility: How to Show Up with Confidence

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Episode Summary

If you’ve ever hesitated to post a photo, avoided speaking up in meetings, or felt self-conscious about showing up online, you are not alone. The fear of visibility holds so many women back, especially in male-dominated industries.

In this episode, I share why visibility feels so terrifying, how to break through that fear, and the simple steps to start showing up confidently. You’ll learn how to reframe visibility as leadership, build confidence through small wins, and create a visibility routine that feels natural.

If you’re tired of watching less-experienced people get ahead just because they show up more, this episode will help you step into your Powerful Presence.

Timestamps & Key Topics

00:00 – Welcome to Living the Whole Picture – a podcast for ambitious women who want to elevate their visibility and build a brand with confidence.

00:40 – Why so many women fear being seen
✔ Staying behind the scenes feels safer, but it keeps you overlooked.
✔ The biggest opportunities don’t go to the best—they go to those who own their presence.

02:08 – Why visibility feels terrifying
✔ Many of us were told to “stay humble” or “let the work speak for itself.”
✔ We fear judgment or criticism when putting ourselves out there.

02:56 – My first time going live on Zoom—and why I was drenched in sweat
✔ I overanalyzed every word and adjusted my lighting a hundred times.
✔ I was sure I would fail—but nothing bad happened.
✔ Instead, more people connected with me than ever before.

03:42 – How to Break Through the Fear of Visibility
1️⃣ Reframe Visibility as Leadership – When you show up, you help others. (Action Step: Write down 3 ways your presence could inspire someone.)
2️⃣ Start with Small Wins – Confidence builds through action. (Action Step: Do 1 thing this week that makes you slightly uncomfortable.)
3️⃣ Get Comfortable with Your Own Voice – Record a 30-second video and watch it back without judgment.
4️⃣ Create a Visibility Routine – Pick 1-2 platforms and show up consistently. (Action Step: Write a 2-week visibility plan.)

05:55 – What happens when you push through the fear
✔ People engage with you on a deeper level.
✔ Opportunities that once felt out of reach start coming your way.
✔ Confidence grows—not because you were born with it, but because you built it.

06:22 – Final thoughts on showing up consistently and confidently
✔ Confidence isn’t about becoming someone else—it’s about stepping fully into who you already are.
✔ You don’t have to figure this out alone. I’m building a roadmap to help you go from hesitant and overlooked to powerful and in demand.

Key Takeaways:

✅ The biggest opportunities go to those who own their presence and take up space.
✅ Visibility is not about vanity—it’s about impact.
✅ Confidence builds through small, intentional actions.
✅ You don’t have to be everywhere, but you do need to be consistent.

Ready to Build Your Powerful Presence?

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Leave a review and share this episode with another high-achieving woman who needs to hear this message!
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Episode Transcript

Jama Pantel (00:00):
What if I told you the fear of visibility isn't
just about being shy orintroverted.
It's about deeply ingrainedbeliefs that have kept women
small for generations.
It's why we hesitate beforeposting a picture or why we
second-guess ourselves beforespeaking up.
But here's the truth your workalone isn't enough to get you
noticed.
You have to step into yourpresence with confidence, and

(00:22):
today I'm going to show youexactly how to do that.
Hey y'all, welcome back toLiving the Whole Picture, the
podcast for ambitious womenready to elevate their
visibility, build authenticconfidence and become the face
of their brand.
I'm your host, Jama Pantel, aluxury portrait photographer,
author, educator, influencer anddream chaser.
Here to help you master yourbrand presence and show up

(00:44):
authentically with confidence.
Each week, we'll dive intotopics to help you shine in
business and in life, so you canstop hesitating and start
showing up like the leader youwere meant to be.
If you've ever struggled withconfidence on camera or
hesitated to put yourself outthere, this podcast is for you.
Let's get started on living thewhole picture together.

(01:05):
Today, we're tackling somethingthat holds so many women back
the fear of visibility.
If you've ever hesitated topost a photo of yourself,
avoided speaking in a meeting orfelt self-conscious about
showing up online.
You're not alone.
I know exactly what that feelslike.
For years, I stayed behind thecamera helping others step into

(01:27):
their power, while I avoidedputting myself in front of it.
I thought my work should beenough to speak for itself.
But the truth was I was hiding.
I joked that my camera was myshield and as long as I was
behind it I would be safe andhappy.
It wasn't until I finallystepped in front of the camera
that everything shifted.
The truth is, being seen is oneof the hardest things we can do

(01:51):
, especially in a male-dominatedworld or industry where we've
been taught that our work shouldspeak for itself.
But let's be real your workalone isn't nearly enough to get
you noticed.
The opportunities, thepromotions, the speaking
engagements, the leadershiproles don't just go to the best.
They go to the people who owntheir presence and confidently

(02:12):
take up space.
And before we dive in, I wantto let you in on something I've
been working on behind thescenes a complete roadmap
designed to take you fromfeeling invisible to owning a
powerful presence that commandsrespect.
If you know you need to step up, but struggle with confidence
or clarity, keep listening.
I'll share more details at theend.
Let's dive in.

(02:32):
The first thing I want to talkabout is why we fear being seen.
So let's talk about whyvisibility feels so terrifying
For many of us.
This fear isn't just aboutsocial media or public speaking.
It runs much deeper.
Maybe you grew up being told tostay humble or let your work

(02:53):
speak for itself, or have beenjudged more for how you look
than what you bring to the table, or have watched others be
criticized for puttingthemselves out there and don't
want the same to happen to you.
But here's what I need you tohear.
Visibility isn't about seekingattention.
It's about owning your voiceand letting the right people

(03:14):
find you.
When you stay small, the onlything you guarantee is that
you'll be overlooked.
I remember the opportunity Ihad the first time to go live on
Zoom to share my expertise.
I had spent hours overanalyzingwhat to say and adjusting my
lighting for being on video, andall I remember was being

(03:34):
drenched the entire time fromsweat, and I couldn't remember
if what I said made sense,because all I could hear was my
heartbeat in my ears.
The fear of failing feltoverwhelming, but I did it
anyway, and you know what?
Nothing bad happened and Iheard I made sense.
In fact, more people startedconnecting with me than ever

(03:55):
before.
Next, I want to talk about howto break through the fear of
visibility.
If you've ever been holdingback from showing up, here's how
to start shifting that fear.
Number one reframe visibility asleadership.
Visibility isn't about vanity,it's about impact.

(04:15):
Think about the women youadmire.
Do you wish they stayed silentor do you appreciate their
courage to show up?
When you let yourself be seen,you become a guide for others.
So an action set for this.
Write down three ways yourpresence could inspire others or
help someone else.
So, number two start with small,low stakes wins.

(04:38):
Confidence builds throughaction, not waiting, instead of
worrying about a big leap.
Start small Post, abehind-the-scenes moment instead
of a polished photo.
Speak up once in a meetingwhere you'd normally stay silent
.
Your action step for this.
Do one thing this week thatmakes you slightly uncomfortable
.
And number three getcomfortable with your own voice

(05:01):
and image.
If you're seeing or hearingyourself makes you cringe,
you're not alone, but I want youto practice watching yourself,
not with judgment, but withcuriosity.
Record a quick video talkingabout something you love, just
for you.
You don't have to share it.
So your action step for thisrecord a 30 second video and
watch it back withoutself-criticism.

(05:22):
You don't even have to sharethis.
Number four create a visibilityroutine that feels aligned for
you.
You don't have to be everywhereall the time, but you do need
to be consistent.
Choose platforms that feel mostnatural to you.
Set realistic goals for showingup.
One to two times a week isenough to start, and so your

(05:44):
action step for this write downa simple two-week visibility
plan.
Now let's talk about whathappens when you push through
that fear.
The moment you choosevisibility over fear, things
start shifting.
You'll notice that people startengaging with you in a deeper
way.
Opportunities that once feltout of reach suddenly start

(06:05):
coming your way.
Your confidence grows, notbecause you were born with it,
because you built it up yourself, step by step.
This isn't about becomingsomeone else.
It's about fully stepping intowho you are already.
For years, I thought successwould come just from being great
at taking pictures.
Boy, was I wrong.

(06:25):
The biggest shift happened whenI finally let people see me,
not just my work.
That's when I started bookingmore high-end clients, getting
featured in major publicationsand landing speaking
opportunities.
The fear didn't disappearovernight In fact, I'd admit I
have it a lot still but everytime I show up, my confidence
grew little by little.

(06:46):
Now let's bring this alltogether.
Showing up consistently andconfidently isn't something that
happens overnight, but it issomething you can build and the
best part, you don't have to doit alone.
I've been working on a fullroadmap to help you go from
hesitant and overlooked topowerful and in demand.
I'll be sharing more soon, butif you want to be the first to

(07:08):
know when it launches, be sureto subscribe on my website,
jamapantelcom, and I'll send youexclusive details before anyone
else.
Thank you so much for tuning into Living the Whole Picture.
If this episode resonated withyou, I'd love for you to
subscribe.
Leave me a review and share itwith another high-achieving
woman who needs to hear thismessage.

(07:28):
Or, better yet, share it andtag me on social media.
Visit my website, jamopantelcom, for more resources, updates
and ways we can work together.
Be sure to subscribe whileyou're on the website so you
never miss anything.
No-transcript.