Stop Hiding the Things You Love
Why your “nerdy,” joyful, fully-you self is exactly what you’re meant to share
In this episode, I talk about:
How fear of judgment can disconnect us from what we love
Why I stopped downplaying my Disney obsession, book nerdiness, and joy
How joy, play, and fun help you show up better in life and business
Questions to ask yourself about what lights you up right now
Why your people can’t find you if you keep hiding who you are
This episode is a fun one… but also a real one. Because I had a realization recently that stopped me in my tracks:
I’ve been hiding parts of myself, my passions, my loves, my joy’s.
Not in an obvious way. Not in a “I’m pretending to be someone else” way.
But in a subtle, socially acceptable, “this isn’t professional enough to share” kind of way.
When Did We Start Toning Ourselves Down?
Think about it. As kids, we love what we love:
One day it’s unicorns/dragons
The next it’s a new favorite color
Then it’s books, movies, random obsessions
We don’t question it. We don’t filter it. But somewhere along the way… we start to.
We start asking:
“Is this too much?”
“Will people judge me?”
“Is this professional?”
And slowly, we begin to tone ourselves down. I know I did and continued to over and over again.
The Parts of Me I Was Holding Back
For me, it showed up in small ways that added up over time.
I love Disney. Like… LOVE Disney. I love romantasy books. I love geeking out over stories, characters, worlds.
And yet, for a long time, I didn’t fully express that.
Even as I started sharing more over the past few months, running the Dopey Challenge & posting about Disney. I realized: I was still holding back.
Still filtering. Still questioning how it would be perceived.
The Shift: I’m Done Hiding
And then something clicked. Why am I trying to separate:
who I am
from what I do
from what I love & brings me joy
As if they’re supposed to live in different boxes? They’re not.
So here’s the truth:
I’m a Disney lover. I’m a romantasy reader. I’m someone who gets excited, obsessed, lit up by things that bring me absolute, childlike joy.
And I’m not toning that down anymore.
A Real-Life Example (That Made Me Laugh)
We’re designing our baby’s nursery right now. And without hesitation, we chose:
Star Wars + Harry Potter theme.
Fully leaning in. And yes, there have been side comments. Looks. Opinions.
But honestly? I don’t care anymore. Because it feels like us. It feels joyful. It feels aligned.
I also finally gave in after YEARS of seeing different Disney or book themed phone cases, and purchased my very own Disney themed phone case (very tasteful in neutral colors) and a pop-socket.
I am in absolute love and so many people have commented on it saying how much they love Disney too. They have felt permission to speak up and geek out over our love/joy of Disney with me!
And that matters more than anything else.
What This Really Comes Down To
This isn’t about Disney. Or books. Or nursery themes.
This is about something deeper: Where are you holding yourself back?
Where are you:
minimizing what you love
filtering your excitement
choosing “acceptable” over authentic
Because you’re afraid of judgment?
A Simple Invitation
Pause for a moment and ask yourself: What lights me up… that I’m not fully expressing?
It might be something small. It might be something you haven’t touched in years. It might be something you’ve been quietly loving on your own.
Whatever it is… Go do it. Talk about it. Share it with someone.
Because your people? They exist. And they’re going to love that part of you.
And if you don’t have anyone to share it with, or don’t feel comfortable, find me on Instagram and DM me what it is your not fully expressing and ready to start to!
You don’t become more “professional” by hiding who you are. You become more magnetic by owning it.
Your joy. Your quirks. Your “nerdy” side. Your excitement.
That’s the stuff that makes you you. And that’s the stuff people actually connect to.
And if you are looking for a space to truly be yourself…. This is one of the reasons I created IME. Hence the name sounding like I AM ME. That was intentional.
IME is the space to fully show up as yourself, work through your challenges/struggles both personally and in business, while also being supported by an incredible group of women.
Next journey of IME starts May 2026 and if you are reading this after, the waitlist is open for the next journey. Learn more HERE, I’d be honored to welcome you into this space!
Cat Roten
Intuitive Leader & Mentor