Have you ever had that nagging worry that you are not coming across as you want to? (I mean visually speaking, obviously, although we can talk about the rest of life too if you like!)

Sometimes I have such doubts about being able to get my words out properly that it stops me saying anything at all (yes, believe it). Wouldn't it be great to feel more confident about telling my side of things well, about my story being heard, and in a way that truly engaged people so they were totally up for the chat?

Connection? Space to be real? Permission to give a sh*t?

Yes please!

If you could grow more confident and honest in your story-telling and communicating, it would probably help you figure out better who you want to talk to and work with day-to-day. It would also help us all get on and have those meaningful conversations in a better way – a much more authentic and real way.

It takes immense courage to put true personality into your visual communication, but if you do, your working life will be richer for it.

There's a lot of talk at the moment about business becoming more 'authentic', involving real personality and truth, people being open and vulnerable with each other in order to get things done. We want humanity, not slick gloss that pretends everything's fine.

For those of us running our own businesses and trying to sort our visual communication out, this can feel terrifying, but it doesn't have to be. It doesn't have to be terrifying, if you know that the sort of people you will then connect with each day will connect because they know it too, and appreciate your courage. In time it just becomes The Way We Do It.

Who's in?

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A friend tipped me off about this Brené Brown TED talk on The Power of Vulnerability. It's not about design, but it is about being 'wholehearted'. I found it hugely encouraging:

http://embed.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html

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