Feeling less than you are and being more than you think

Are you feeling less than you are? Do you always attribute your success to luck or outside factors? Do you feel like a fraud or not enough?

Well, heads up as your may have the imposter syndrome…

What is that and how it can affect your career? Imposter syndrome is the psychological experience of feeling like a fraud despite any achievement or goal you have reached, affecting your self-esteem and confidence levels. The imposter syndrome can boost one’s motivations, but it can also stimulate anxiety, making you over-prepare and feel like a fraud.

This is a vicious cycle is that despite doing things well, this imposter syndrome steps in making you question every achievement and if you actually deserved it.

There are many professionals experiencing these symptoms and there’s no need to feel bad about it! In this article you will find ways to manage your emotions and be confident about who you are and what you do!

First let’s look at how you feel…

Did you know there are more types of imposter syndrome?

• The Perfectionists believe that, unless they were absolutely perfect, they could have done better.
• The Experts feel like imposters because they don’t know absolutely everything about a particular subject or topic. There’s always more to learn and they never feel like they know enough about.
• The Natural Geniuses feel like frauds because they don’t believe they are naturally intelligent.
• The Soloist feels like a fraud if they asked for help and got to a certain level thanks to the help of others, questioning their own competence or skills.
• The Superperson is the type of individual who has to be the hardest worker or reach the highest levels of achievement to stop feeling like a fraud.

Do you identify with any of these types?

If so, this article is for you! Keep reading to discover valuable advice on managing your thoughts and emotions, and overcoming imposter syndrome.

Why do I feel that?

This syndrome can be caused by multiple reasons such as family upbringing, new school opportunities, social anxiety, personality. Research shows that upbringing can play an important role in developing the imposter syndrome.

More specifically, parenting styles such as controlling or overprotective, or parents who flipped back and forth between offering praise and being critical may contribute to the development of imposter syndrome.

Also, entering a new role can trigger this syndrome and it appears to be more frequent when people are trying new things or making changes.

Furthermore, there are certain personality traits who associate with feeling like a fraud such as perfectionism or neuroticism (one of the five personality dimensions linked to anxiety, insecurity, tension and guilt). Lastly, people with social anxiety experience such feelings, but this does not mean that everyone who experiences imposter syndrome has social anxiety or vice versa.

How to manage this syndrome and minimize its symptoms

• Share your feelings with your family or trustworthy friends as talking about irrational beliefs then to be accentuated when they are hidden.
• Try to be less self-centered and focus on others such as help others who you feel are in the same situation, bring them into the groups, talk to them. As you practice your skills, you will enhance your confidence.
• Unplug and take time to reflect on yourself as assessing your abilities and accomplishments along with self-assessment can reduce the symptoms of imposter syndrome.
• Have patience and take baby steps. Don’t focus on perfection, do things reasonable well and encourage yourself with rewards or words to reassure your work.
• Question whether your feelings are rational and try to focus on listening to what other people are saying instead of constantly comparing yourself to them.
• Using social media can boost the imposter syndrome so try to reduce the time you spent on such platforms.
• Acknowledge Your Feelings: Recognize and accept your self-doubt to understand the core beliefs holding you back. This awareness allows you to confront and replace negative thoughts with a more positive self-assessment.
• Don’t let these syndromes hold you back. Keep aiming for what you want to achieve and reward yourself once you achieve one goal.

The power of our mind is incredible and by being conscious and actively working on our mindset, we can highly influence how we act and how we feel. Try not to put the victim mask on, put the confident one, talk to yourself, be patient, encourage yourself and things will get better!

Be kind to yourself! 🌺