Imposter syndrome is literally just your mind trying to bully you back into the safety of staying small.
We treat imposter syndrome like this embarrassing dirty secret that we need to cure or fix or journal away because somehow society has led us to believe that experiencing imposter syndrome means that we are fundamentally doing something wrong or there is fundamentally something wrong with what we think about ourselves.
But behind the shaming experience,
You are usually doing big brave things that leads to feeling this way.
Some people are stepping into new levels leadership,
They are pitching a high ticket client or completely redefining their expertise into new paths.
So the moment you step into the spotlight,
That little voice in your head starts screaming,
Who do you think you are?
You're going to get exposed or you shouldn't be here,
Which to me as a mental health professional and having worked with people for 20 years makes complete sense because anything that is unfamiliar to your brain comes across as a threat.
I don't think we give our brains enough credit.
Because your brain is not trying to sabotage you.
Your brain's primal evolutionary job is simply to keep you safe and predictable.
To your subconscious mind,
Growth feels dangerous.
Being seen feels risky.
So when you step out of your comfortable old skin,
Your brain hits that emergency alarm.
So the next time that wave of fake self-doubt hits,
Please stop fighting it and try this reframe instead,
Which I often borrow from narrative therapy,
And it's a technique I love to teach my clients and organizations.
When that feeling of imposter syndrome overtakes you,
Don't take the feeling as proof that you aren't ready for something.
Instead,
Take it as evidence that you are actively expanding your comfort zone.
Remember,
My friend,
That the goal isn't to never ever feel imposter syndrome ever again.
The goal is simply to hear the alarm go off and say,
Thank you body for taking care of me,
But I've got this,
And then you go and do the brave thing anyway.
If this resonated with you today,
It's because you're not alone.
So thank you for joining me as we continue to explore all the realities of what makes us humans.
