Kim-Adele Platts and I have partnered with Lisa Ventura to launch International Imposter Syndrome Awareness Day on April 13th 2021.
International imposter syndrome awareness day or #IISAD2021 is being launched on April 13th 2021. I am excited to be a part of this project and working with Kim-Adele Platts, one of the most amazing people I have ever met!
Kim-Adele has recently helped me overcome some self confidence issues that were holding me back. This blog post will introduce you to International Imposter Syndrome Awareness Day and it contains a playlist from the 8 interviews with those who suffer or have suffered from the imposter syndrome phenomenon.
We have also put together a series of interviews with people who have suffered from the imposter syndrome phenomenon and our guests have kindly told their stories about when they experience imposter syndrome and how they handle it.
During international imposter syndrome awareness day we will be sharing lots of stories and methods to help people get over this phenomenon and lead happier lives. Checkout the series of interviews we have below in the playlist.
You can signup here to the mailing list and you can also apply to write a chapter for the book: https://subscribe.influentialvisions.com/im
“Do you ever think I am not enough? Do you ever doubt yourself? Get overwhelmed by the inner critic? Do you dismiss people’s words of praise and compliments? Are you afraid people will find out you are a failure or that you are useless? If so, you could be suffering from imposter syndrome.
Kim-Adele Platts
Imposter syndrome is a huge topic and one that is valuable to explore. Even for people without full blown imposter syndrome exploring one’s self confidence is a great idea.
Imposter syndrome is rife in people’s minds. Self-confidence is the core of the problem, and in fact, 70% of business leaders are affected by Imposter Syndrome at some point throughout their lives. ?”
Kim-Adele
Imposter syndrome checklist:
- Identify your “I am” statements
Identify your “I am” statements. What do you say to yourself when things are going well? When they go poorly, what is it that pops into the head first and foremost about who YOU think of as being a failure or not good enough for this task.
- Understand what actually happened and what you made it mean
Understand what actually happened and then understand the meaning you gave it. What is your story about this event? How does that make YOU feel, or how do other people react to hearing YOUR version of events as opposed someone else’s take on things ?
- Acknowledge what is happening and how it’s making you feel
Acknowledge that you are feeling this way and what it is making YOU feel. What does the imposter syndrome make ME want to do? How can I change my behavior so as not be a victim of these thoughts, feelings or behaviors ? What am I going through right now with regards Impostor Syndrome (IS)?
- Ask yourself if there is any evidence that the opposite could be true.
Ask yourself if there is any evidence that the opposite could be true. What are some of my successes? How do I feel about those moments ? What can you tell me to help remind myself how good it feels when things go well for ME and what am doing right in life, work or relationships because these thoughts have been so pervasive
- What labels are you using and how are they serving you?
What is the evidence that I am not an imposter? What are some of my strengths and what do they say about me ? How can you help ME to see these as a strength, rather than something negative or wrong with myself.
How does IS make YOU feel in your body (heart rate up/down; stomach tight?
- Borrow other’s beliefs in your capabilities to move beyond it
Borrow other’s beliefs about you to move beyond it. What do they say that I am capable of doing and how can this help me see my own abilities more positively ? How will these thoughts serve ME better than the
Reframe your thinking to succeed in life
Reframe your thinking to succeed in life. According Kim: “All of our experiences contain a lesson, blessing or both.”
What are some things that I have learned from my experience with imposter syndrome? How can these lessons help me move beyond the feeling and into success ?
Exploring and understanding what is holding you back from being happy is really important.
In my own case I didn’t have imposter syndrome but my confidence levels have been low for many years. Over the past three or four years I have worked with a mentor who has helped me get over these self confidence issues somewhat.
Thankfully around 9 months ago I met Kim-Adele Platts during 2020 and we have been unpacking this topic in detail together and with some amazing guests. Many of them have suffered with imposter syndrome throughout their careers and some even still suffer from it today.
We have been very fortunate to have learnt some techniques that help us to cope with imposter syndrome personally. Our guests generally shared a way that worked best for them, so for everyone listening to these episodes you will find great relief in knowing that if they succeeded in life so can you.
In my case like I said I haven’t suffered from imposter syndrome directly. A lack of self confidence yes, imposter syndrome no. However working on my self confidence has been extremely beneficial.
In the mornings for about two weeks I took some quiet time to reflect on what I was saying to myself subconsciously. Going over my “I am” statements and working out this negative programming and how it had been affecting my brain and preventing me from being happiness.
Kim and I talk regularly together about the inner child being our happy little helper and this is so true. This is another factor that people seem to forget about when doing self development work.
Listen to Kim-Adele’s story below in the short video.
The subconscious mind is what sabotages us and our efforts or actually when working in harmony with our goals it turbocharges the attainment of them.
I replaced these negative statements every morning with a positive evidence based statement and so enjoyed freeing up my mind from this baggage that I had held in my subconscious mind for decades.
Understanding how to get out of it and move beyond imposter syndrome is certainly possible. Helping people when they’re feeling alone, when they feel like there’s only them, to regain that control is very rewarding and opens the door to a new life. It is what prompted Kim-Adele Platts, Lisa Ventura and I to launch International Imposter Syndrome Awareness Day, to raise awareness and share advice to help you regain control of your inner critic.
international imposter syndrome awareness day
It feels great to be free. So if you are available on the 13th April for International Imposter Syndrome Day then please get in touch and get involved with the day.
To conclude, you can move beyond imposter syndrome and will be ok and we will be sharing stories, resources and having panel discussions around this to help you move beyond it.
You can signup here to the mailing list and you can also apply to write a chapter for the book: https://subscribe.influentialvisions.com/im
In addition here is Kim Adele’s post on the subject: https://kimadele.org/2021/03/26/imnotenough/
Or listen to our first interview https://natschooler.com/overcoming-imposter-syndrome/#more-9414