Shifting Quietly
She said it felt transactional.
Ouch.
Not because I intended it.
Because it made me look at something I didn’t fully see.
I’m an introvert. I’m a designer and brand strategist. I love the deep work: creative thinking, strategy, pattern recognition, and turning messy ideas into something clear and compelling.
And for a long time, that suited me.
Being seen? Being on calls? Networking? That part took practice.
The introvert misread
When you’re an introvert, nerves can get misinterpreted.
Not as nerves — but as uncertainty. Not as processing — but as disconnection.And sometimes it happens fast. In the first moments of meeting someone, they’re already forming an impression of how it feels to be with you.
So when I received feedback that a call felt transactional, it landed.
Not as shame. As information.
Because I realized something:Transactional isn’t always cold. Sometimes it’s just fear.
What fear looks like (without realizing it)
When my nervous system is activated, I tend to do a few things automatically:
I think out loud while I process
I move quickly
I fill pockets of silence
I try to be extra helpful to relieve discomfort
None of this is intentional.
It’s my system trying to create safety.
But on the other side of the call, that energy can read like I’m rushing through a process, or trying to “get to the point,” or staying on the surface.
Even when I care deeply.
The shift: I didn’t change my personality — I changed my regulation
I’m not trying to become an extrovert.
I’m not trying to perform.
What I’m learning is how to stay present inside visibility.
Now, when I feel myself bracing…I stop.I take a deep breath. I notice where I’m holding tension in my body. And I soften.
I let silence exist.
Because silence isn’t a problem to solve. It’s space.And space is where presence lives.
Choosing love over fear (in real time)
For a long time, I lived in fear.
Overthinking. Gripping. Trying to say everything perfectly. Trying to make sure I didn’t come across the wrong way.
Now I’m practicing something simpler:
Choosing love over fear.
Love looks like listening fully. Love looks like fewer words with more intention. Love looks like pausing instead of performing.
And the surprising part is this:
The calmer I am, the clearer I become.
And clarity is what makes someone feel safe.
Why this matters for branding
Branding isn’t just visuals.
It’s not decoration. It’s not a trendy palette or a nice logo.
Branding is trust — made visible.
And trust isn’t built through more explaining. It’s built through presence, precision, and the feeling that someone actually understands you.When I help a client build their brand, the work isn’t just design.
It’s:
extracting what’s true about their business
clarifying what they want to be known for
translating their value into language that lands quickly
creating visual identity that signals credibility and connection
The goal is simple:
When the right person finds them, it feels like an obvious yes.
If you’re an introvert building a business…
Your nerves are not your credibility.
They’re a signal.
And you don’t need to become louder to be seen. You don’t need to become someone else to lead.You can meet your nervous system with breath, softness, and presence — and build your visibility from there.
One pause at a time.
If your work is excellent but your brand doesn’t signal that instantly, I help you close that gap.