Episode 24: Visibility Without Overexposure - How to Be Seen Without Feeling Stripped Bare
Episode Summary
You say you want more clients, more opportunities, more recognition. But when the spotlight swings toward you, your nervous system goes, "Actually, no. Too much. We're out." Suddenly you're overthinking every post, delaying every launch, and disappearing just when things start working.
That's not because you're flaky. It's because visibility is a nervous system event, not just a marketing strategy.
In this powerful episode, Jennifer Damaskos explores why brilliant women say they want visibility and then slam on the brakes the moment it shows up. She unpacks the difference between being visible and being overexposed, introduces the three visibility settings (dim, default, and deliberate), and shares research on psychological safety and how inequality impacts our nervous system's response to being seen with wealth and success.
This isn't about forcing yourself onto bigger stages. It's about building enough internal safety that your visibility doesn't feel like walking into a firing squad.
Key Topics & Timestamps
[00:00:00] - Introduction: The Visibility ParadoxWhy brilliant women want visibility and then slam on the brakes when it shows up
[00:01:00] - Visibility as a Nervous System EventWhy your system goes into threat mode when the spotlight swings toward you
[00:02:00] - The Biology of Being SeenWhy we're not wired to feel chill about standing alone in front of a crowd—evolutionary perspective
[00:02:00] - Psychological Safety ResearchHow teams with higher psychological safety perform better—and what that means for you individually
[00:03:00] - Visible vs. Overexposed: Drawing the LineThe critical difference between intentional visibility and overexposure
[00:04:00] - The Two ExtremesWhy we swing between hiding and overexposing—and why both leave you feeling invisible
[00:05:00] - The Three Visibility SettingsDim, Default, and Deliberate—where are you currently operating?
[00:07:00] - Visibility, Wealth, and Social SafetyResearch on inequality, brain changes, and why talking about financial wins feels politically charged
[00:08:00] - The Visibility Audit ExerciseWhere are you hiding? Where are you overexposed? Where do you want to be deliberately visible?
[00:09:00] - One Tiny Step Into Deliberate VisibilityHow to practice being seen on your terms this week
[00:10:00] - Supporting Your Nervous SystemBuilding psychological safety for yourself by proving "I don't abandon myself when I'm visible"
[00:11:00] - Final ThoughtsHow visibility, wealth, and nervous system regulation are braided together
Powerful Quotes from This Episode
"Visibility is a nervous system event, not just a marketing strategy."
"There's a difference between being visible and being overexposed. Overexposure feels like sharing when you're still raw. Intentional visibility feels like sharing from a scar, not an open wound."
"Default visibility keeps you busy, but not known."
"Deliberate visibility sounds like: This is what I stand for. These are the people I'm here to serve. This is the part of my story I'm willing to share, and this part is mine."
"Your nervous system has been absorbing data from the world around you for a long time. Visibility with wealth bumps into that."
"On a personal level, you can build psychological safety for yourself by consistently proving: I don't abandon myself when I'm visible."
"If being seen currently feels like a threat, your system will keep you at 'almost there' in your business, your career, and your money—no matter how much you know."
Key Takeaways
✅ Visibility is a nervous system event—your biology thinks it's protecting you when you sabotage visibility
✅ Psychological safety is the belief that it's safe to take interpersonal risks and be seen as yourself
✅ Visible vs. overexposed: One is sharing from a scar; the other is sharing from an open wound
✅ Three visibility settings: Dim (mostly hidden), Default (visible but not intentionally), Deliberate (chosen, not coerced)
✅ Research shows living in unequal environments impacts brain regions tied to emotion regulation and increases anxiety
✅ Visibility around wealth feels politically and socially charged—especially for marginalized women
✅ Build psychological safety by proving to yourself: "I don't abandon myself when I'm visible"
The Three Visibility Settings
Dim Visibility
You're mostly hidden. You consume more content than you create. You rarely raise your hand, speak up, or post. People who know you well say, "If everyone else could just see what I see."
The danger: When dim becomes your permanent address, even though your next level of wealth and impact clearly lives beyond it.
Default Visibility
You're sort of visible, but not intentionally visible. You show up when the algorithm or the job demands it. You share what feels acceptable, not what feels true. You dilute your message so it offends the fewest people.
The problem: Default visibility keeps you busy, but not known.
Deliberate Visibility
This is what I stand for. These are the people I'm here to serve. This is the part of my story I'm willing to share, and this part is mine. This is how I want to be found by the opportunities that are for me.
The power: What you share is chosen, not coerced.
Visible vs. Overexposed
Overexposure feels like:


Sharing when you're still raw and tender, not ready


Being in spaces where you're not respected or genuinely understood


Trying to be on everywhere all the time


Feeling like everyone has access to you and your story


Intentional visibility feels like:


Sharing from a scar, not an open wound


Choosing platforms and rooms that match your values


Being known for your work and your energy, not for constant availability


Having clear edges on what is private, sacred, or "for my people only"


The Visibility Audit Exercise
Pick one area of your life: social media, workplace/business, family and friends, or community/industry.
Ask yourself:
Where am I hiding? What truths am I not saying? Where am I downplaying my experience, my desires, or my wins?
Where am I overexposed? Where do I feel drained after posting, sharing, or speaking? Where do I feel like people have access to me they haven't earned?
Where do I want to be deliberately visible? What do I want to be known for? Who am I talking to, really? What parts of my story feel powerful to share? What parts are still private, healing, or sacred?
You're not trying to fix everything at once. You're just mapping reality.
One Tiny Step Into Deliberate Visibility This Week
Choose one:


Post something you actually believe, not what's safe


Name a boundary publicly (your new working hours or client criteria)


Share a win or milestone without apologizing or shrinking it


Bring a real idea to a meeting instead of self-editing it to death


Before you do it, pause and check in:


Where do I feel this in my body?


On a scale of 1-10, how threatened do I feel?


What would bring that number down by one or two points?


Then support your nervous system:


Ground your feet, lower your shoulders, take a few long exhales


Have one friend or colleague who knows what you're doing and can reflect back safety


Remember: "I don't abandon myself when I'm visible"


Ready to Go Deeper?
If you want a space to practice being visible with your desires, your wealth, and your power in a way that feels grounded instead of exposed, that's exactly why I built the 5-Day Wealth Activation.
We're not just talking about money—we're working with the identity of the woman who can hold it.
👉 Join the 5-Day Wealth Activation
Connect with Jennifer
🎙️ Podcast: Unapologetically In Power
🌐 Website: jennifer-damaskos.mykajabi.com
📸 Instagram: @unapologeticallyinpower
This is Unapologetically In Power—the show for high-performing women who are done proving their worth and ready to build wealth from self-trust instead of self-sacrifice.
Lead with ease. Earn in alignment. And let yourself be seen on your terms.

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