Some of you avid monthly readers will remember my blog last year (I cannot believe it was a whole year ago!!) about IMPOSTER SYNDROME (if you missed it you can find it here; https://thedmcclinic.ie/imposter-syndrome/). Based on the comments and feedback from this blog I thought that this would be a good opportunity to revisit this topic and talk a little more about how to overcome imposter syndrome.
First of all, imposter syndrome is when you feel like you’re an imposter in your current role like you don’t deserve to be there which seems more common nowadays for a lot of people based on constant comparisons and perceptions as a result of social media.
Imposter syndrome tends to stem from the way we see people above us or more powerful than us, such as queens, kings, dukes etc. or in modern society this might include CEOs or entrepreneurs etc. We constantly compare ourselves to these people and think that they are not like us, that they don’t have anxious thoughts, they don’t slip up or make mistakes, we think they are confident and find their tasks easy but we must rid ourselves of these thoughts as this is what keeps us stuck in imposter syndrome.
The reality is that even these people do slip up, the queen does sometimes have anxious thoughts and the person that you look up to does get down or upset at certain times or can feel like they can’t cope. They are just like us, they have anxieties and are afraid. The more we understand that the people we see as successful (or royal or more important or superior) are in fact just like us and in turn understanding this alone can help you overcome imposter syndrome, as well as the steps below;
So, to help you with your imposter syndrome I thought I would become vulnerable right now and tell you my anxieties to show you I’m just like you. I’m terrified of not being good enough; either in my job or in my relationships. Who do I think I am? Am I doing a good enough job? Could I be doing more? Am I worthy of being loved? Do I deserve to be loved? Why would someone want to love me? To mention just a few of the questions that I constantly ask myself!
The most important thing to remember is we are all just human beings and the people you think are doing good in life are in fact just like you or me, we all mess up at times and have anxious thoughts because that is part of being human. So, don’t let your anxieties stop you from feeling like you don’t deserve to be where you are because you have worked extremely hard to get yourself to where you are right now and no one can take that away from you.
YOU ARE AWESOME… & MOST CERTAINLY NOT INFERIOR TO ANYONE.
If you are feeling down for long periods of time over the next few weeks or feel like you are stuck in a rut that you just cannot get out of, it is worth speaking to someone about how you are feeling. Reach out, do not suffer alone & remember…
“It’s Okay not to be Okay & It’s absolutely Okay to ask for help!”
The article is written by Leanne, Newly Qualified Counsellor at The DMC Clinic. If you would like to discuss how any of the topics mentioned above are impacting your mental health, please contact The DMC Clinic to arrange an appointment. |
