A Personal Path to Overcoming Impostor Syndrome

I can clearly recall how I felt setting up my new business for the first time after a 20 year absence from the work place. It was terrifying and my lack of social media experience meant I experienced a huge sense of being an outsider and I struggled to believe I belonged alongside all the successful business people I saw around me.

I felt like the total new girl on the block!

I'm sure some of you will have a similar experience to relate this to?

I posted something on Linkedin and waited to see if anyone would respond and when no one did, my fear and self-doubt became reinforced.

The inadequacy I felt was enormous.

I asked myself, who would want to work with a woman in her late 40s who had no track record?

Why would anyone want to work with someone who had no referrals?

The list grew as I confidently chalked up all the reasons why no one would possibly engage with me.

I almost imagined IMPOSTOR was written below my name, instead of my credentials!

After all I'd survived and come through (multiple loss, brain tumour diagnosis, paralysis, prescription drug dependency, soul parenting through trauma) one would imagine that I'd feel invincible but I didn't, I felt like a total impostor.

I was so frustrated at being held prisoner to this fear because on another level, I believed I had a huge wealth of compassion, that I had much to offer, I believed in people and I was ready to give back. 

I knew in order to get to that place of self-belief that I had to do something to shift the fear

and this is how I began.

I consciously began to chalk up all my victories, naming each one.

I began to turn a 20 years absence into a celebration of 20 years of tenacity.

I began to own my lived experience and worked on making it part of my story.

I gave myself permission to say I had acquired much wisdom.

I allowed myself to recognise my leadership qualities.

I sat in front of the mirror and I forgave myself.

I sat again and told myself I was incredible.

I reminded myself that life had given me a gift and now was the time to own that gift.

I found my voice.

Very powerful stuff!

I set about unpicking years of conditioning and acquired beliefs, AND I began to own my sh..t!

Most importantly though, I changed the narrative of 20 years absence in the work place into:

20 years preparing to be able to walk alongside others with compassion
20 years preparing to be able to offer the most unique perspective on human suffering.
20 years to ground myself so that I can hold that space for another.

20 years accruing wisdom.

It took a bit of work, but that's what I did.  I transformed Impostor Syndrome into a powerful self belief - I became my own advocate and my own cheerleader.

 If you  have similar difficulties or you can relate to any of the same feelings, please consider this.

You are extraordinary.
You have gifts to offer you haven't acknowledged yet.
You have skills you don't allow yourself to use.
You have a voice that is worthy of being heard.

Become conscious and acknowledge all the parts of you, because they also belong in the work place, along side your other important credentials!

Celebrate you, because if you don't no one else will!