Let’s Talk Cringe (and Why I’m Basically Its Brand Ambassador)
Looking back, cringing, is my new favourite past time......
In this Photo, it’s me, the day I decided to come out openly as transgender, back in 2021.
Hair was a mess!
Makeup? Like I’d been chased round Tesco by a toddler armed with a Sharpie.
Lipstick? Let’s call it “abstract expressionism.”
Confidence? Weirdly high, maybe misplaced!
And honestly? At the time I thought I looked sensational. Like: “Move over Taylor Swift, Adelle has arrived!” Spoiler: I had not. 😂🏳️⚧️😎
Fast forward to now, Hair behaving, eyeliner actually on my eyelid, and lipstick on the lips and plump!. Still not perfect, but you know what? Growth doesn’t need to be perfect..........it just needs to be visible.
Remember.......
Cringe isn’t failure.
Cringe is proof.
- Proof I had the guts to try.
- Proof I dared to show up, messy and raw.
- Proof that growth is more than a motivational poster......it’s the lipstick stains on your teeth while you’re telling the world who you are.
Because let’s be real, every glow-up has a blooper reel. And mine? Well. it’s practically a box set!!
And it’s not just about being trans....
Cringe + growth is integral to leadership and business too.
Think about it:
- Every leader has those “cringe” first attempts, the shaky presentation, the half-baked idea, the awkward first team meeting.
We only call it “innovation” once it works. Before that? It’s just socially acceptable cringe.
But here’s the leadership lesson.....
If you’re not willing to risk looking a little ridiculous, you’ll never discover what actually works.
- Cringe shows you’re trying.
- Growth comes from iterating, not hiding.
- Leadership isn’t about looking polished all the time, it’s about creating space where people feel safe enough to start, even if it’s messy.
Because behind every polished “success story” is a trail of experiments that would make you wince if you saw them now. And that’s not weakness. That’s the work.
So, whether it’s makeup, management, or market strategy:
- Cringe is courage in a business suit or high heels that don’t quite fit yet.
So next time you look back at your own “what on EARTH was I thinking” photos, don’t delete them. Cherish them. Those cringey little milestones are the receipts that you were out there, being brave enough to start.
And here’s the thing.......I wouldn’t have “this” me without “that” me.
