3 Ways to Get Over Your Fear and Step into the Spotlight

Casting my first spell and searching for visibility

“Sex, drugs, and rock and roll.”

Not exactly the campaign slogan you’d expect from a high schooler, but I was standing on the podium, belting out those words to capture everyone’s attention. I can’t remember which office I ran for: president, vice president, or treasurer. What I do remember is the feeling of finally being seen.

As the oldest of five, I was the responsible one. My mom was busy with my younger sisters, and I became the helper: changing diapers, making sure everyone got on the right camp bus, and walking them to school. I was there, but rarely noticed. In a house full of chaos, I felt invisible, unheard, and unseen.

I even remember breaking the glass on our kitchen door and running away, desperate for my parents to notice me.

The invisible years of blending in and playing small

For most of my life, I played it safe. In high school, I was in the honors program. I went to Drexel and joined a sorority, but had only a small group of friends. Like so many twenty-somethings, I tried to blend in, never daring to stand out.

When I entered the workforce, I quietly solved computer problems.  I was always behind the scenes, letting others take the spotlight. Maybe it was the era I grew up in, where women were expected to be “barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen”.  I never voiced what I wanted. I molded myself to fit others’ expectations, yielding my opinions to those around me.

Even in marriage, I leaned on my husband’s ideas, remaining silent and small.

The silence of a new country and a new challenge 

Moving to Israel was a rude awakening. The silence I’d felt in Philadelphia became deafening. I didn’t speak the language, didn’t know anyone, and my in-laws spoke little English. I felt isolated, unseen, and completely alone.

I focused on being a mother to my one-year-old daughter and found a job, but the language barrier made me an outsider. At Intel, I’d escape to the gym at lunchtime, avoiding conversations I couldn’t join. I worked hard, hoping my efforts would be recognized. But when a promotion came up, it went to a single guy in our department. The reason? They assumed I was “less likely to leave” because I was married with kids.

I didn’t toot my own horn. I didn’t make myself visible. My value stayed hidden in the shadows.

Finding the power and the magic of my voice

For 17 years, Intel was my identity. When I left, I felt adrift, like a wizard without her wand, lost at sea with no life jacket.

I had no idea what my next step should be. However, I found clients who needed my English skills for marketing through referrals.  And others who loved how I could turn their rambling thoughts into compelling stories. I realized that not everyone can create magic with words. I discovered my true passion for helping women find their voices and shine a spotlight on their superpowers.

After years of silence, I vowed that no other woman should feel invisible or unheard.

Stepping into the spotlight and why visibility matters

I’m no longer that teenager desperate to blend in. But I don’t want to be a lone wolf, either. I just needed to find my pack, women like you, ready to step up and be noticed.

You deserve to be seen and heard. You have gifts to share, but sometimes fear holds you back. We doubt our worth, question our expertise, and hide behind our insecurities.

The truth is that your clients can’t find your magic if you’re hiding in the shadows.  We play small when we don’t claim the stage.  We need to create opportunities instead of waiting for them to appear.

It’s time to be bold, share your wisdom, and position yourself as the thought leader you are.

Revealing your content magic by overcoming fears

What’s holding you back from being visible?  Are you playing small with your content because

You don’t know what to write?

• Every conversation with your clients can be an inspiration for content.

• Write about your business in connection with an upcoming holiday.

• Look at pictures from your phone and write about what you did this past week.

  
  

You worry about sounding too salesy?

• Honest communication, in which you offer your expertise, is not pushy.

• You are providing a solution to your audience's problem, and they need you to tell them how to overcome their issues.

  
  

Writing feels like it takes too much time?

• Don't overthink it. You aren’t Leo Tolstoy writing War and Peace.

• Think of writing as if you were talking directly to a client.

• Done is better than perfect, so stop agonizing over every word.

And if you’re stuck, let ChatGPT or another magical tool help you brainstorm so you aren’t staring at a blank screen, crying in front of your computer.

Your time to shine and charm the world

Your clients need you to be visible, to share your message, and to help them transform their businesses and lives. The world is waiting for your unique magic.

Take a deep breath, relax, and let the words flow.  I believe in you.

Let’s step out of the shadows and light up the stage.

What’s one small way you’ll make yourself visible this week? 

Meet the expert:

Annette Mashi is a magical copywriter and content strategist who helps creative female business coaches, consultants, and designers by writing enchanting content to increase their visibility.she captures your authentic voice, so her writing resonates with your readers as if it were conjured by your own hands.

Dive deeper into her wealth of knowledge:

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