New Year, New You: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

The new year often brings me a sense of freshness, beginnings, and possibilities. For many of us, it’s also a time when we consider our biggest struggles in the previous year and what personal development goals we want to be serious about in the new year.

For many BIPOC professionals, that struggle is often imposter syndrome. That feeling that you’re not good enough, that your successes are a fraud, and the fear and anxiety that you’ll be found out that you’re not where you’re supposed to be.

This year, let THIS be the time that you finally let 👏🏼 that 👏🏼 go 👏🏼. Let’s rewire and reframe that narrative. Let’s make the new year a time where you overcome the self-doubt and embrace your authentic self. Let’s pay no attention anymore to self-criticism and place no more of that energy into feeling unworthy and undeserving.

Here are 5 methods below on how to eradicate imposter syndrome, once and for all!

1. Reframe the narrative

   1. Most of us have a loop playing in our minds that play narratives like “I am not good enough, I am a fraud, I am unworthy”. Tune into what it is for you and whenever it plays, stop it in its tracks. Label this loop (suggestions: loop, story, judge) and practice breath work for 2 minutes. Once you’re done, reframe the loop into empowering self-talk.

   2. What this is doing is rather than strengthening that neural pathway in your brain that’s strong in the negative narrative, we’re building up those mental muscles that are positive and empowering.

   3. Reminder: you are not your thoughts, that loop is not truth

2. Focus on your strengths

   1. Focus on how you contribute to your team and community. In addition to the things you do for them, also include your essence and who you are. Are you empathetic where people feel safe to talk to you? As a BIPOC, do you bring a fresh perspective to problems and solutions?

3. Celebrate your wins

   1. Keep track of your wins! I encourage you to do this daily. At the end of each day, track amazing things that happened each day or your wins. This will help shift a negative bias to look for the positives.

4. Embrace vulnerability

   1. Sharing how you’re feeling especially can be scary, but it can be empowering. Find a trusted person and consider opening up to this person about how you’re feeling. Often, we think we’re alone in how we’re feeling, but once you share, you might find that others share your feelings.

5. Seek support

   1. You don’t have to go through these struggles alone. Surround yourself with folks you trust and you feel your best around. Often being around the people we feel most authentically ourselves will remind us that we are not our imposter syndrome. You might also consider coaching to help hold you accountable and to fast track your progress even further.

Remember, overcoming imposter syndrome is a journey. Celebrate your wins daily. Everything starts with self-awareness so the fact that you’re here reading this is an awesome start! Our darkness cannot survive once we shine a light on the things we feel most anxious about. There will be ups and downs in your journey, and this is normal. Do not give up. Stay committed. Keep going.

If you’re serious and ready to eradicate imposter syndrome once and for all, I invite you to schedule a free coaching session with me to start your journey!