Welcome lovely people! My name is Kat, and I’m a Certified Hypnotherapist and Rapid Transformational Practitioner (RTT) based in Aberdeen, Scotland.
This is my first blog post and I’m really excited to start making this a more regular thing. To teach you the lessons that I have learned from my greatest teachers, my clients, and to impart my own knowledge and wisdom from my own life experiences and learnings.
And I wanted to kick off with a topic that is… close to my heart? Can I say that? Is that weird?
Imposter syndrome.
We have all felt like an imposter at one… or many points in our life. From our first day in that new job that we never thought we would get, to being in a job for 2,3+ years and all of a sudden thinking… how the hell did I get here, I’m not capable of this!
Of course, the imposter doesn’t just show up in our professional endeavours. They lurk in the shadows of our personal life too.
But you will be glad to know that you are in good company. Much loved icons from Serena Williams, David Bowie and even Michelle Obama have openly talked about feeling like an imposter at one or more points in their lives and careers.
So, you might be wondering…
How do I Know if I Have Experienced Imposter Syndrome Before?
Have you ever had that thought of… “What am I doing here? I feel like a complete fraud! I’m going to get caught out.”
And you think these thoughts despite all the evidence of your accomplishments, achievements and competence. You remain convinced that you are inadequate and might even actively dismiss your successes as pure luck or just good timing or… by complete coincidence.
You see any successes as a fluke and think… “okay what next, how else can I can I continue to prove my myself before I get caught out again”. Instead of stopping to look, and reflect on just how far you have come or to celebrate and praise yourself for these milestones.
Sound familiar?
Welcome to the imposter club.
Why do we Experience Imposter Syndrome?
Everyone experiences Imposter syndrome for different reasons and they could stem from one or several of the following…
Perfectionism: You might think… “Anything less than perfect is a failure”
Fear of failure: You might think… “I am so scared to make a mistake as it will reveal me as the true fraud that I am!”
Family expectations: You might think… “My family always had such high expectations but the pressure is just too much, this isn’t me… is it?"
Comparison: You might think… “Look at what they are doing, what they have achieved, how far they have come… I will never be as good as them. I have achieved nothing in comparison”
Sad really, isn’t it?
The fact that when we feel this way we think everything must be perfect, that we can’t “fail” (or try as I like to say), that we have to do or be better than everyone around us and please our family all at the same time. It sounds exhausting.
And it is.
But, once you understand how the mind works, this all starts to make perfect sense.
Your mind is wired to keep you safe, to keep you comfortable and most importantly to keep you alive. It’s a survival mechanism moving you away from perceived pain, the unknown and unfamiliarity.
So, when you step out of our comfort zone… into the unknown, it starts to send out signals. Some can use these signals to their advantage to drive, push and motivate them… but others start to ruminate, allowing self-doubt to creep in.
The problem is a lot of the things that we are fearing or doubting about… like being incapable, incompetent or inadequate… are not even true!
Afterall, you wouldn’t have got the job if your boss didn’t think you were capable of it…
You wouldn’t still be there if you were incompetent…
And you most likely have no evidence that anyone thinks that you are inadequate.
So, what can we do to change this…
How can we use Imposter Syndrome to our Benefit?
While imposter syndrome can be challenging and in some cases debilitating, we can use it to our advantage if we can learn to bring awareness to it, learn to understand it and begin to make friends with it. And we can do that by...
Motivation to improve: You might see it as the fire in your belly to drive you forward, to continuously learn, grow and enrich your knowledge.
Humility: People like people that are grounded, approachable and on their level. Not many people like a know it all, so if anything, it will make you more… not less, likeable.
Resilience: You can’t build resilience in comfort. You build resilience from trekking through the rough terrain. Your stress hormone system, actually becomes less responsive to stress when you challenge yourself (within your limits), making you better equipped to handle more stressful situations in the future. Effectively raising your stress bar higher.
Acknowledging these benefits doesn't mean we need to accept imposter syndrome as a permanent state of being… instead, we can use it as a stepping stone toward personal growth and more importantly, self-acceptance. Meeting ourselves where we are in any given moment, instead of trying to push how we are feeling away.
After all… The imposter is not you… the imposter is your ego disguised as you.
Some of my Personal Tricks and Tips
I am not immune to imposter syndrome. I have felt it in every single job I have ever had. I allowed my small self in the back of my mind to fester negative thoughts and keep me stuck in this loop of feeling like a con, like I didn’t belong.
But with time, consistency, continuous learning and personal development, I have become super self-aware, and can see what my mind is trying to do… I can see the imposter creeping in and now, I can stop it in its tracks before I spiral into self-doubt.
You might be wondering how I do this?
Here are my top 3 tips to stop the imposter in its tracks…
Reminder post-it notes: I stick post-it notes all over my flat reminding me to praise and celebrate myself, not just for the big wins, but for the little daily ones too. Reminding me that I am moving forward and doing my absolute best.
A brag sheet: I have a cork board up with visual and written examples of all of my achievements and accomplishments, so that whenever the imposter try’s to creeps back in and tell me I’m a fraud, I have evidence that says otherwise...
I literally tell my mind to f*** off: Not every thought you think is true… in fact more than 91% are not true or will never be realised, they are what I call, false fears, they are our imagination running wild thinking of all the possible outcomes and scenarios that COULD happen. Could, not will. So, whenever my mind starts on that false negative thought loop… I literally say out loud, “f*** off!” And remind myself that it’s not true.
A Path to Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Utilising Hypnotherapy
As a hypnotherapist, I've seen first-hand how powerful hypnosis can be in addressing and overcoming imposter syndrome which might be something to consider if your imposter is all consuming and you can’t see a way out. Here's how hypnotherapy can help:
Accessing the subconscious mind: Hypnotherapy allows us to tap into the subconscious, where deep-seated beliefs about ourselves live. Many of which we are not aware are running our lives. By bringing these beliefs out into the light, we can begin to understand and more importantly, change the negative narrative that fuels these thoughts, and the imposter.
Reframing negative thoughts: Through guided hypnosis, we can reframe our negative thoughts and replace them with positive, empowering, affirmations, so we can step into and embrace freedom from our subconscious programming.
Building confidence: Hypnotherapy includes visualization techniques where you will see yourself succeeding and achieving what you might believe is not available to you. Studies have shown that repeatedly visualising yourself succeeding, lights up your mind as if it’s already happening, making it more believable, more achievable and more exciting rather than daunting for your mind to go after.
Stress and anxiety reduction: Hypnosis is a powerful tool for relaxation. By reducing your stress and anxiety you will be better able to manage the triggers that once lead you to feeling like an imposter.
Moving Forward
I think it’s time that we made the imposter our friend. Rather than seeing imposter syndrome as a roadblock and deceiving ourselves into thinking that we are the only one that feel this way… we can instead, acknowledge how we are feeling with compassion and kindness, embracing the imposter and using it to propel us forward.
Afterall… we wouldn’t tell our friend that they weren’t capable, that they weren’t able and make them feel bad… we would lift them up, praise them and allow them to feel their full range of emotions, meeting them where ever they were at. Good or bad, up or down, happy or sad.
That’s how we need to approach the imposter. With love. With kindness. Without judgement. Just as we would with our friends.
And if it feels all too consuming and making friends with your imposter seems like an impossible feat, I am here to help. Hypnotherapy, can help you address the root cause of your imposter syndrome, understand how, why, where and when this first came into your life. So that you can close the chapter in your mind, let go of your past subconscious programming, moving forward with clarity and confidence.
To find out more about hypnotherapy and set up your free introductory call with me today, click here.
And remember, acknowledging your achievements, praising and celebrating yourself and embracing the journey your on, is key to conquering and becoming friends with your imposter.
With Love,
Kat
1111 Healing
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