Do you ever feel a bit of a fraud?
Maybe you feel that you can't charge for your services because you're not qualified enough or don't have smart enough premises or you feel that you're too young to be taken seriously . ?to get a promotion or get your dream job.
You are not alone. Lots of people feel like this every day.
You feel undeserving of praise or recognition. Hold yourself to higher standards than you would anyone else. Push yourself to achieve a feeling of having made it but never getting there.
This can cause stress, anxiety, overwhelm and ultimately illness caused by burnout.
Imposter Syndrome is often seen in high achievers, people with ADHD who feel that they don't fit in and disproportionately in women, resulting in them not applying for executive jobs because they don't feel they match the criteria perfectly and this means that they don't reach their full potential.
If this sounds familiar to you then I'm sure you'd like to know how to overcome Imposter Syndrome
1. Become mindful. Become aware of the thoughts that are making you feel like an imposter. Once they're identified, you can then examine them for facts, challenge the untruths and reframe the reality of the belief. Accept the reality of who you are and how you are in this present moment knowing that you like everyone else are on a journey of growth.
2. Let go of the need to be perfect.
Firstly, there is no such thing as perfection. Everything and everyone has the potential to be better and secondly while it's good to aim high, striving for unreachable perfection is setting yourself up to fail, which in turn reinforces your feelings of being an Imposter.
3.Don't be afraid to say you don't know. You are still the expert knowledge in the room but you can't possibly know everything. Say you will get back to them with an answer and do it promptly. It will humanise you to them and you will both have learnt something new.
4.Be kind to yourself. If you continue to berate and push yourself, you will burn out. Create space to take care of your wellbeing. Regular periods of peace and reflection enable us to think clearly, be creative and problem solve more efficiently.
5.Accept your setbacks for what they are-learning experiences and celebrate your successes. It's very easy to look at what other people are sharing and feel inadequate but they are most likely only showing you what they want you to see. You have no way of knowing how many attempts it may have taken then or what they had to give up or overcome to succeed. You don't even know if it's making them happy.
I think to sum all of this up, what I am saying is that we should stop measuring our worth by other people's standards.
We are unique with our own skills and gifts. When we express them honestly and are showing up authentically in the world, it is impossible for us to be an imposter.
Whatever you do this week, know that you are amazing, knowledgeable and successful but maybe you're measuring yourself against the wrong outcomes for you.
As always, if you have any questions comments or want to work with me then please get in touch.
Take care of you.
Chris .