Feel Like An Imposter.
You’re not alone.
If you are filled with self-doubt, feel like a fraud, and worry about being called out despite evidence of your qualifications - know that you are not alone!
Most people experience some degree of imposter syndrome (imposterism), particularly in the work place. Especially when taking on new or unfamiliar tasks. However some people are more vulnerable to imposterism.
Understanding why some people are more vulnerable to imposterism requires us to look at closer at some of it’s root causes. Read on to learn more about the individual and cultural factors that often contribute to imposter syndrome. And, to learn about an evidence based therapy that can help address and counter the impact of imposterism so that you can embrace your life more fully.
Uncovering Imposter Syndrome’s Individual and Cultural factors.
Individual factors speak to early childhood experiences that continue to impact your beliefs about the self, others, and your overall world view. . For example: some people may have been repeatedly told by parents, siblings, or caregivers that they were not good enough, or that their accomplishments were insignificant Or, they may have been frequently compared to siblings or peers, causing them to feel deficient, ineffectual, or insufficient in comparison.
These early experiences can develop into negative core beliefs about yourself and your place in the world resulting in a pattern of negative self-talk and self-doubt that persists into adulthood.
Negative core beliefs that continue the cycle of imposter syndrome.
These early experiences can dramatically diminish your ability to sit comfortably with positive emotional experiences such as delight, pride, contentment. When positive experiences of the self are not available, it is much more difficult to feel and maintain positive emotional states. This is sometimes referred to as low positive affect tolerance.
Unfortunately, this can impact intimate and social relationships. For instance: while others are experiencing joy or elation, you end up feeling more like an observer going through the motions without experiencing emotional engagement. This can result avoidance or isolation and feelings of shame and loneliness - further anchoring your core negative beliefs. In situations like these, building positive emotions into your internal landscape is foundational.
To watch a video about the importance and impact of positive emotions, click Barbara Fredrickson: Positive Emotions Open Our Mind.
What about people that had healthy childhoods and still feel like imposters?
It is well established that cultural factors can play a major role in the development of imposter syndrome. Cultural factors include social media, places of study, and work. Some cultural factors have greater impact then other depending on your sex, gender, age, and ethnicity.
Broadly speaking, social media is a cultural factor. As a culture, we are constantly bombarded through social media with images of people who seem to have it all together and are achieving great success effortlessly.
For majority of people, over consumption of social media lowers self-compassion and esteem.
