The year I stopped hiding behind my work.
2025 was the first year I stopped asking how do I get good enough?
and started asking how do I let myself be seen as I already am?
For a long time, it felt safer to let my work speak for me.
I could be proud of my art and still protect myself at the same time.
If someone judged it, it was “just the work,” not me.
But eventually, hiding felt heavier than the fear of showing up.
So I tried something new.
Nothing dramatic.
Just tiny experiments in being seen, starting with short-form content
• sharing insights to my methods
• adding a voice-over even when I hated my voice
• showing my face even though I am painfully shy
• sharing the thoughts behind the work, not just the finished reel
And every time I thought, “this is too much,”my confidence got a little bit bigger.
The truth?
I am still shy.
I still overthink.
I still feel awkward pressing post.
But now I know this:
You don’t have to be the best, or to be fearless to move forward.
You just have to be willing.
Small steps do compound, and coincidentally, build deep confidence within yourself
Showing up hasn’t made me invincible.
It’s just made me more honest with myself.
And surprisingly, that was enough to build momentum.
Not viral.
Not overnight.
Just… forward.
Walking into 2026
This year, I’m building around:
• honesty over polish
• consistency over perfection
• curiosity over certainty
• being the artist, not just the art - round 2
And I want this newsletter to feel like you're sitting next to me in the studio,
Coffee somewhere within reach.
Work in progress all around us.
No pressure to prove anything.
Just naming the things we’re learning as we go.
If you’re trying to grow in private,
If you’re waiting to feel “ready,”
If you’re tired of being invisible in a life you’ve worked so hard for:
I see you.
Here's a reflection for you;
Have you been hiding behind your craft?
Afraid to show your face, unsure what your “voice” should sound like, or overwhelmed by everything people say you “should” be doing?
Maybe there’s a skill or a spark in you that deserves a stage, but every time you try to step forward, doubt pulls you back.
If so, this newsletter is for both of us.
For the version of you that’s scared, and the version of you that’s ready.
Thank you for being here.
2026 is the year we show up without shrinking.
We become the artist, not just the art.
Confident. Visible. Booked.
Pauline 💛
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