#77 – Where does imposter syndrome come from?

When you give away your power too often, you get used to feeling powerless.

You allow people to interrupt you when you're speaking – you even expect them to do so because it feels too risky to say what you really mean. What if they don't like what you're saying and reject you and fire you and abandon you?

The result? You end up feeling like you can't speak up.

You let them make your decisions for you. You pretend it's your decision but you're constantly checking their reactions to your choices – do they approve?

You've created an identity of indecisiveness, when what you are is looking for validation.

And when you make decisions, it's often in response to what others did or said to you – wait and see what I'm made of!

Then you become like a jack-in-a-box, activated only by triggers.

But one day, you're asked to step up to a position of power.

They give you the title, or suggest you do the client presentation, or throw you on stage at the shareholder meeting.

And the only thing going through your mind is, "if only they knew..."

Because, even though you've got "rank," your self-inflicted powerlessness has gotten so habitual that you've come to believe it's your nature.

What have you done to reclaim your power?

Love,

Carolina

PS: Of course, I'm only speaking about myself here. Maybe it resonates with you?