Imposter Syndrome

Do you feel like an Imposter?

Imposter syndrome and the anxiety surrounding that feeling of ‘Imposter Syndrome’ is something I still hear a lot of people talk about in one way or another and I I have a view on it that may differ to others, but I would love you to hear me out and see if I can help you adjust your own perspective of what it means to be an imposter! 

 The term Imposter Syndrome initially acme about when Pauline Clancy and Dr Suzanne Ames published ‘The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women” back in 1978. It has then evolved since then into a terms used more generally with both men and women (mainly women) to describe a feeling or a collection of thoughts that can often stop us from taking risks or moving forward in the direction we want due, to fear of failure.  

 If we say we have imposter syndrome, we are talking about – on some level – not feeling enough or adequate in comparison to others around us.

It’s often a fear of being judged as being ‘too ahead of our stations’ and not being enough for the job in hand and somehow getting found out as a fraud.

We feel we are imposters as we simply do not know enough or feel we have enough to offer. 

I believe that every single human being is enough to be and exist, we are born this way.We all have something so unique to offer in life and yet we are all imposters.

Every single day we wake up to a new day. We may do the same things we do every day, but the experience we have will not be identical. It’s always new on some level, we are always learning and exploring wether we ant to or not!

There is unknown and uncertainty attached to every day, and therefore we all wake up every day as an imposter to that day:

We have something to learn, opportunity to grow and certainly something unique to offer to the world! 

I am happy being an imposter, I feel excited by the idea of the unknown, uncertainty and the opportunity for newness. If that means I am an imposter then I am here for it!

 I haven’t always felt like that, I used to hate uncertainty as I didn’t believe I was in control, I didn’t trust myself or understand myself enough to ease into my ‘imposterness’ – I know that’s not a word but you know what I mean! 

 When I support those who would describe themselves as an imposter I don’t try to convince them they are not, but rather see that they are in some ways and why does that need to matter? What if thats an advantage? I would also encourage you to explore and reflect internally if you find yourself feeling like an imposter, and this then stops you from doing things or achieving things you would like to, why you may stop yourself? What are you actually afraid of? Is it the unknown and uncertainty? Its likely! 

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