Hello,
This is Jennifer Regular from Lighting the Path and I'm here with a talk on how to override the imposter syndrome.
Have you ever questioned your abilities,
Even when others seem to praise you on them?
Have you ever kept your talents and gifts hidden because you didn't think that they stood up and didn't want to come across as a fraud?
If you answered yes,
Then you are certainly not alone.
Since the first article on imposter syndrome back in 1978,
Many people have felt inadequate or doubtful of their abilities.
But who is the imposter?
The imposter syndrome is not recognized as any kind of disease or mental disorder.
However,
It can be considered a type of dis-ease.
In other words,
A discomfort or awkwardness one might feel when you doubt your capabilities.
It is also when you don't think your skills and abilities stack up against the best and worry that you don't belong among such great ones.
It is mostly found among high achievers who are driven in most areas and yet hide their truth.
It might also be experienced by those who feel pressured to always have to prove themselves to others,
Justify their actions,
Or are stuck in a perpetuating cycle of perfectionism and procrastination.
So I invite you to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
I was recently at a three-day conference collaborating with other people that I felt were in the big leagues.
I'm talking about people who shared stages with Les Brown,
TJ Eckert,
Wayne Dyer back in the day,
And even had Jack Canfield in their summits for example.
So what was I doing there?
I showed up on day one feeling ready to learn,
Observe,
And then once I was asked to introduce myself when we get to go into those breakout rooms,
I immediately felt like a deer caught in the headlights.
For a moment I lost my grip on everything I thought I knew and trembled.
This was way out of my comfort zone.
We all yearn to feel seen and heard and yet we emotionally fear it,
Especially when we don't feel like we measure up to others.
We may be strong in what we do and who we are and yet vulnerable when we have to express it out there.
It is also our beliefs that can really trip us up and thoughts that can come through,
Sometimes at lightning speed,
That can distract us from our truth.
This is often accompanied by social anxiety.
There may also be fear of being found out that maybe you don't have the certification and the degrees that can add to your credibility even though you do still carry a lot of wisdom,
Knowledge,
And experience.
When I gathered myself and looked at my beliefs and reeled in my thoughts,
I stopped trembling.
I remembered I was at that conference to cultivate community and connection,
To open my heart and mind so that I can gather with others who are also courageous enough to put their work out there,
Who are on a similar mission to help others succeed and live more fulfilling lives.
You see,
When I held that truth in front of me,
I knew I wouldn't get lost.
I knew that we all had the same mission to join together,
Collaborate,
And see how we can support each other in our work.
The experience also reminded me of a quote by Vincent Van Gogh.
If you hear a voice inside your head that says you are not a painter,
Then by all means paint,
Then that voice will be silenced.
Show up,
Be you,
Be present with what is right there in front of you and rise up to what's coming up through inside of you.
Move beyond any shadow of a doubt in fear of not being good enough.
When you feel like you don't belong or not capable,
You keep yourself small.
You may even keep yourself hidden.
You deny yourself and others the opportunity to shine.
When you step out of the darkness into the light,
Others around you become illuminated.
You start recognizing how and what you can offer are acts of service rather than being in service to ego.
So shine your light and be in the fullness of who you are without shame.
By taking a compassionate approach to service,
You can heal shame.
Shame is the one who could be described as the imposter.
And that might have been internalized at some earlier point in your life.
Perhaps there are times where you don't belong.
You might find yourself in a crowd you just don't resonate with.
Maybe they're better than you.
Maybe not.
Ego always likes to compare.
Soul on the other hand,
Likes to find a way to connect.
Decide which is going to lead.
If you feel that you might suffer from imposter syndrome,
Then you might be experiencing low self esteem,
Low self worth.
And an antidote to that is spiritual sovereignty.
Remember your divine nature.
Remember that you came here to experience what it is like being human.
And that first and foremost,
You are a spiritual being.
There are many ways to keep your spirit intact.
And you can check out my article on my inspired living blog.
For some tips on how to do that.
A lot of people still gravitate toward burying Williamson's quote,
Which is sometimes attributed to Nelson Mandela,
And I'm sure you've heard this one.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light,
Not our darkness that most frightens us.
And we ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant,
Gorgeous,
Talented or fabulous?
Actually,
Who are you not to be?
My interpretation of this is that we will fear our own intuitive guidance,
Because by its very nature,
It directs us into new cycles of growth that are sometimes uncomfortable.
Empowerment is being in a place of authenticity and walking your path with integrity.
It is staying true to yourself and your values.
So when you're questioning your abilities and your capacity,
You underestimate your potency.
So step up,
Accept and express yourself and what you stand for.
Authenticity is your superpower.
So shift away from improving yourself to knowing yourself.
Allow your true self to emerge as you let go of fear,
Shame,
Guilt,
And any feelings of unworthiness.
Stop doubting your abilities and trust what you know is enough.
Own it,
Own what you know,
And don't brush it off that it's just pure luck that people are actually listening to you.
So while imposter syndrome is not a recognizable illness or a mental disorder,
It is a real thing.
However,
The question remains,
Who is the imposter?
Thanks for listening.
