Releasing the Self-Doubt of Imposter Syndrome

Have you ever thought, “who am I to ____________?

Imposter Syndrome is a form of anxiety that likes to sneak up on us and makes us question ourselves:

• Maybe I’m not qualified enough for this.

• Who am I to take on such a big role?

• I don’t know enough for this.

• I feel like a fraud.

• What if they call me out?

It’s self-doubt turbo-charged.😑

It’s also very normal to experience this.

Somewhere along the way, girls especially seem to lose their confidence. Our parents most often didn’t know how to instill confidence in us as little girls.

As we get older, the doubt creeps in more and more. It especially likes to rear its ugly head when we are tackling a new project, stepping out of our comfort zone, and unleveling in other ways.

If you can start recognizing the self-doubt gremlin, then you can start using tools to quiet it. Here are a few suggestions:

• Remind yourself of your assets: your education, skills, experience, grit, perseverance, etc.

• Remember that no one is perfect, and we all are learning daily. If you are willing to learn from your mistakes as you step into something new, then you’re on the right path.

• Don’t set the bar too high for yourself. Be realistic. Yes, you are more than capable. Yes, you’ll likely make mistakes. And yes, you will learn from and be better as a result of those mistakes.

• Remember that self-doubt is just one or more lies trying to plant themselves in your head. Call those thoughts out as false and start speaking truth to yourself.

Listen, you’re no fraud. You’ve got this!