What are You Hiding? Ruth Rathblott on the Hidden Costs of Hiding Who You Are

What are you hiding? In this episode of **Ideas Love Community**, Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson sits down with bestselling author, speaker, and leadership expert **Ruth Rathblott** for a conversation that will stay with you long after it ends. For 25 years, Ruth hid her difference from the world. What began as a painful moment on a school bus at age 13 became a decades-long strategy for staying safe, fitting in, and avoiding judgment. From the outside, she built a successful career as a nonprofit CEO and respected leader. Inside, she was exhausted. In this powerful conversation, Ruth shares: - why so many successful people hide parts of themselves - the psychological drag of hiding - the four ways people hide - why unhiding is not the same thing as oversharing - how to decide who is safe to share with - why leaders must go first - what workplaces get wrong about authenticity - how hiding affects confidence, creativity, innovation, and connection > "What if the thing you're hiding is actually your greatest gift?" -Ruth Rathblott This episode is for anyone who has ever: - hidden a struggle - felt like they couldn't fully be themselves - worried about being judged - wanted to use their voice in a bigger way Hiding comes with a cost. Are you still willing to pay it?    **About Ruth Rathblott** Ruth is a global speaker, former nonprofit leader, and bestselling author of *Singlehandedly: Learning to Unhide and Embrace Connection*; and *Unhide & Seek: Live Your Best Life. Do Your Best Work*. Her TEDx talk When I Stopped Hiding, I Found Freedom has nearly 20,000 views. For more than 25 years, Ruth hid that she has a limb difference. From the outside, she was a successful nonprofit CEO and respected leader. But internally, she was carrying the invisible weight of hiding. When she finally chose to unhide, everything changed. Today Ruth helps leaders and organizations understand the hidden cost of hiding, and the extraordinary power that's unlocked when people feel safe enough to bring their full selves forward. \_\_\__ If this conversation resonated with you, send it to someone how might need it. Someone who might be ready to stop hiding.  Because ideas don't change the world alone.  Ideas Love Community. **Ready to be HUGE?** I coach extraordinary voices.  I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.  I earned the nickname "speaker whisperer" as a conference designer so I created a whole new event to help you get in front of the trail angels who can open doors to bigger stages and broader impact at the Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest. The Gathering includes information and inspiration on public speaking and getting seen and a pitch fest...(think Shark Tank!) Come for the learning or raise your hand to pitch the head of all TED conferences, literary and speaker agents, entertainment execs, and more.  Follow me on [LinkedIn](www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelynfletcherjohnson).  Sign up for my newsletter.  Apply for coaching.  Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.