Imposter syndrome comes from a lack of confidence in a skill, it’s an important distinction that it does not come from the lack of the ability to do the skill. It’s simply a belief system that we’ve chosen to buy into. The best way to overcome imposter syndrome & know how to deal with those pesky feelings of unworthiness that pop up every time we are about to take on something that would make us pee our pants is taking these baby steps.
Be guided by your emotions, they are there for a reason!
Understanding your imposter syndrome is the first step to overcoming it. The emotion of sadness can create a physical thing: tears. The emotion of fear can literally stop us in our physical paths. Emotions are our guides, we just have to listen & learn what they are telling us
Fear = You’re doing something new
So now that we’ve translated our feelings, where do you feel the least confidence in your business? The step that seems the scariest? The task you’ve been putting off for weeks, (has it been 3 months already?) get down to the why – why is this scary for me, why do I keep putting this task off? Once you’ve identified your why you can decide what you can to boost your confidence in that skill daily (or weekly if that feels right for you) Is there a course you can take? A book you can read? Podcasts you could listen to? A daily practice you could put in place?
Take messy action
At the end of the day, our imposter syndrome is what kicks in when we push the limits of our comfort zones. We forget that we get to choose who & what we want to be & how we want to act every second of the day, who cares about who you’ve been, the story that’s running in your mind can stop because no one is reading it anyway. The only people who will criticize you are the ones doing less than you. Messy action is better than perfect inaction. Start where you are, every expert was once a beginner & confidence only comes from having done something before, so start doing. You’ll learn more from taking messy action than holding off for years waiting for perfect action. Things in this life aren’t perfect, we aren’t meant to be. Which brings me to my next point
Be gentle with yourself
Remember that we are human, and are having a human experience. Your best will look different every day. Are you setting yourself against impossible standards? Be gentle with yourself, ask yourself what do I need, my body, my soul, my mind? Do I need to schedule to plan everything out so I don’t feel overwhelmed or learn to time block & batch my work? Take baby steps one day at a time. Set an intentional time to work with your mindset blocks, maybe meditating, journaling, affirmations, reading self-development books, podcasts. Be intentional about working through mental blocks as they are challenges just as real & detrimental to your business as the physical “in-real-life” ones.
Remind yourself of how special you are
Whatever your skill, remember that while it’s easy or enjoyable for you it’s not for those coming to you. Whether because they lack the skillset, knowledge, tools, or time to complete the task themselves the truth is they would rather pay you. Either way, there is value to what you give of your time, your knowledge, your experience. Recognize & acknowledge how far you have come. In a note on your phone list your wins from life & business. Because on the hard days this list can return you to your state of confidence. What are you proud of, what have you done, created, or learned about since beginning this journey, what obstacles have you overcome?
Get my free printable affirmations below to help you drive how awesome you are on the daily!
Stop comparing yourself to others
No one else has lived your experience & thinks & feels exactly the way you do, your journey is unique. This is your life, carve your own path stop trying to be & do as others are. No one else out there is quite the same as you so don’t hold yourself to anyone else as a standard. Flowers don’t compare themselves to the flowers beside them, they grow in their own time & their own way. Basking in what is & being guided through growth from their own inner guidance. Be like a flower.
Have fun with it!
Recognize that you are clay & are being molded every day into your future self, Do what you want to do in a way that feels right for you. Don’t do all the social media accounts because they tell you to. We have a chance every day to create more feel good in our lives so do what feels good & is sustainable for you. If only posting to Instagram 2x a week feels right for you as you choose to be intentional with your energy then do that. Quit doing all the things, do what feels right for you.
List what would make you feel “legit”
Get real with your self, what’s your standard. When are you not an imposter? Usually, that answer doesn’t come quickly. Give yourself the validation you’re looking for. Start with I am statements or affirmations. Every time that familiar unworthy, I’m an imposter feeling start bubbling upshift your focus to your prepared statement of confidence. Feel it, vibe with it, embody it. As your beliefs change your thoughts change, your actions change then habits change, day by day your life changes.
Normalize failure as learning & growth
Know that you’re going to mess up, shift the perspective from failing is bad to failing is learning & growing and is, therefore, the best thing for me. You learn more from failing than you ever would from being an instant success so look forward to learning. When you catch yourself thinking, “ugh this seems really hard, I’ve never done this before” you can meet it with, “but that’s what’s exciting about it & I’ve done plenty of hard things in my life, this is something new & is, therefore, a natural challenge giving me an opportunity to grow. #gratfeul”
Your fears & your hopes take the same amount of belief
We tend to only think about the negative what-if outcomes, but what if we chose instead to focus on the positive what if outcomes. We have to shift our minds. You won’t cure imposter syndrome in one fail swoop, but you can change your relationship to it. Now I don’t consider myself struggling from imposter syndrome, my perspective is that I’m an expert in some things, I know a lot of things, & I can learn what I need to learn with patience and grace as I am human to learn the other things I need.
Start taking steps
Envision yourself as already having accomplished all that you’re setting out to do. You are that CEO, that version of you is living & breathing in this moment, this is the path every step is getting you there. Start responding to your world & living your day as if you already are all that you want to be. Watch how quickly your reality shifts in response.
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