5 Steps To Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Learning to silence your inner critic will change your life. Here’s how to do it.
If you’ve ever sat in the toilets at work wondering if, and why, you’re bad at your job, then you’re not alone. What you’re dealing with is imposter Syndrome.
And it sucks.
These are all classic examples of imposter syndrome, too:
- Feeling like a phony or fraud in social or work situations
- Not speaking up because you don’t trust your own opinions
- Feeling like you haven’t “earned” the right to be where you are or don’t deserve what you have
- Thinking that luck is the only reason you’ve got to wherever you are in life
- Panicking when you’re put on the spot in case someone “uncovers” the truth about you
- Difficulty setting boundaries
I remember when I got my first job after university. I was working in PR and attended my first-ever marketing meeting… with the CEO of a multi-million-pound company (our client), his senior management team, and the Managing Director of the creative agency I worked for.
I had to give a presentation.
I looked around the room, at 21 years old, already knowing that I didn’t like my job, and thought “how the fuck did I get here?”
That’s the thing with imposter syndrome. It doesn’t matter how hard you’ve worked, it can still show up and shake you to your core. There’s a lot of merit in that old saying…
“you are your own worst enemy”
If you’re reading this article, I’m guessing imposter syndrome has reared its ugly head in your life, too. If that’s the case, then first and foremost, I want you to know and understand that you’re not alone.
A recent study found that 85% of professionals experience imposter syndrome at some point. So, if you’re looking at your friends and co-workers, wondering, like I did, how they’re managing to navigate effortlessly through life, without feeling unworthy, chances are, they’re looking at you thinking the exact same thing.
85%. When I say you’re not alone, I mean it.
The good news? With practice, you can overcome those daily feelings of unworthiness. Here are the five steps I use to deal with imposter syndrome when it appears.
- Acknowledge it.
Acknowledging how you’re feeling takes a huge weight off. The next time you feel imposter syndrome creeping in, I want you to find the nearest mirror, look into it and say “I feel like an imposter right now, but that’s ok and I am safe.” Say it until you believe it. You need to get yourself grounded FIRST so that you’re out of that fight or flight state.
If you take one thing from this article, let it be this: Removing the fear of the feeling removes its power over you. Get used to being uncomfortable and you’ll start feeling comfortable in the unknown — now that’s powerful.
2. Write it down
It doesn’t have to be eloquent, it doesn’t have to be neat, and it doesn’t have to be coherent, but it needs to be out of your mind and onto the paper. Write down how you’re feeling and brain dump all the crap that you’ve been telling yourself.
A few prompts that help me are: What triggered me to feel this way? What else in life could be contributing to this? Have I been taking care of myself lately? (Normally, when my imposter syndrome flares up, the answer to that last question is a big fat no).
Write for as little or as long as you want, but just get it out- out of your head to free up some thinking space to help you work through your emotions. This brings me nicely to #3.
3. Choose a better feeling thought
Don’t worry, I’m not telling you to “just feel happy”, we keep it real here. Pulling yourself out of the low-vibe, panicky cesspit that is an imposter syndrome episode can be hard, but choosing to be grateful for the opportunity to see room for your own growth through an uncomfortable experience? That’s a little easier. By “choosing a better feeling thought”, you’re not trying to suddenly make yourself ok, but you ARE choosing to take one micro-step up the ladder and turn that pit in your stomach into a slightly smaller one, and then a slightly smaller one, and then, well you get the picture.
I got this tip from the wonderful Gabrielle Bernstein, who says that, by choosing a better feeling, however big or small, we “stop the spiral of negativity, slow down the mental momentum and begin shifting toward more positive and empowering thoughts”
4. Praise yourself
We’re so good at praising other people that we often to celebrate ourselves, and when imposter syndrome strikes, it pays to remind yourself of all the things you’re wonderful at. Maybe you made a delicious breakfast this morning or didn’t check social media first thing after your alarm went off. Maybe you helped someone carry their shopping, or maybe you’ve been doing well at work, but a few tough days really brought you down.
Whatever comes to mind, celebrate yourself and the fact that you’re a perfectly imperfect, flawed person, just like the rest of us. As humans, we‘re literally hardwired with a negativity bias that’s supposed to keep us safe, but often, it just keeps us stuck. Be kind to yourself.
5. Move your body
I bet you’ve never been for a walk, got home, and then said “I wish I hadn’t done that.” Exercise, in all its forms, can work wonders for imposter syndrome, not least because you’re proving to your mind in real-time that you’re capable of achieving something.
Whether your exercise regime looks like an evening stroll, a two-hour session in the weights section, a 5k run, or a yoga class, just show up and get out of your head, and into your body for half an hour.
It’s amazing what a few endorphins and a good sweat can do for our mental health, especially when it comes to imposter syndrome. Remind yourself through movement that you’re strong, determined, and capable. Don’t forget to praise yourself for completing a workout!
I hope you feel inspired by this. Remember, you’re one of the 85%. Each small step forward brings you closer to overcoming imposter syndrome and taking your power back. We’re in this together!
A x
Follow Alice Gonzalez for more self-development tools.