In this week's episode of The Unlock Lab, I'm joined by Ruth Rathblott for a powerful and personal conversation about the cost of hiding who we are. Ruth opens up about concealing her limb difference for over 25 years, and what changed when she finally decided to show up fully. From navigating corporate spaces to embracing her identity as a speaker and author, Ruth walks us through her journey and shares her four-step framework to unhide. We dig into the emotional toll of hiding, how it holds us back in our relationships and careers, and what becomes possible when we step into authenticity and invite others to do the same.
Ruth Rathblott, MSW, is an expert on workplace culture and leadership, a TEDx and global keynote speaker, a 2x bestselling author, and an award-winning former nonprofit leader. Born with a limb difference, Ruth speaks on the power of embracing uniqueness, unlocking untapped potential and peak performance, and how the transformative act of unhiding leads to greater freedom and connection.
Episode Highlights:
Ruth shares her four step process to unhiding
The real life consequences of hiding at work and in life and how it can lead to exhaustion, disconnection and missed opportunities
Why leaders have to go first to create cultures where people feel safe to show up as themselves
Quotables:
[00:13:35] - Ruth
"I literally hid my hand for 25 years. Every outfit I had, always had pockets, longer sleeves, even in summer, just so that I could hide it. I hid it behind bags. I hid it from pictures, I was hiding it all the time. And when we talk about the cost of it, it was exhausting, lonely, and it was something I thought about all the time, it took over my life."
[00:20:15] - Ruth
"The true gift of connection, is when we can share our differences so that we don't have to keep a facade. We don't have to be perfect, because in our gifts, in that uniqueness, is perfection."
[00:29:19] -Ruth
"Could you be living your best life? Are you living your best life? How do we, how do you do that? And part of that is the unlocking of what's holding you back. One of the pieces that may be holding you back is the thing that you're hiding."
Ruth's Links and Resources:
TEDx: When I Stopped Hiding, I Found Freedom
Ruth's Books:
Singlehandedly. Learning to Unhide and Embrace Connection.
Unhide & Seek. Live Your Best Life. Do Your Best Work.
Tosca’s Links and Resources:
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Giving Flowers To:
Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo
Podcast edited by: Landis Podcast Editing