Imposter syndrome - ever heard of it? Despite it sounding like something straight out of a spy movie, it’s a very real infliction that is more common than we think! 

You may have experienced this ailment yourself. Don’t worry; this article will cover everything you need to know about overcoming imposter syndrome. We’ll even give you an easy-to-understand imposter syndrome definition to dazzle your friends and family at your next dinner party. 

What is Imposter Syndrome?

The imposter syndrome definition, according to Oxford Languages, is:

“The persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills.”

Imposter syndrome involves feelings of self-doubt and personal incompetence that continue despite your education, experience, and accomplishments. These feelings are not only related to our careers and work, but also to our social lives. 

In simple terms, have you ever felt like you’re just not good enough despite your accolades or achievements? Perhaps it’s that nagging feeling you get when you attempt to go for that dream job telling you that your CV is far from impressive enough. 

It could also be that little voice in your head that peeps up after coffee with your friends, saying that they don’t actually like you because you’re not whatever enough. Starting to see a common thread? Imposter syndrome loves to make you feel like you’re not enough. 

How Do You Know if you Have Imposter Syndrome? 

Imposter syndrome can happen to anyone, regardless of whether you are super successful or just coping. It happens to the best of us! 

In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of Behavioral Science, it's estimated that 70% of people in the US have experienced impostor syndrome. But the news is not all bad! If you catch the thought pattern in its tracks, you can change your mindset and overcome your negative perspective. You can get back to feeling and living your best life! 

If you’re unsure whether or not you may be suffering from imposter syndrome, take this quiz from Psycom to find out where you rate on the imposter syndrome scale. 

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in 4 Steps

If you are struggling with imposter syndrome, we’re sharing some steps to help you overcome these feelings and start really living and loving yourself again! Remember, like with most good things; change takes time. Be gentle with yourself and treat yourself with kindness. 

Create a Praise Sheet

Creating a praise or a brag sheet is a great way to remind yourself of all the big and little things you have accomplished throughout your life. This list can contain anything in your life that you consider a win.

Maybe you recently completed an online course, obtained a degree, or just made a new friend. Your praise sheet is the perfect reminder of why you should be proud of yourself. 

In our opinion, even getting out of bed is an achievement in itself! Not all praises have to be significant. Sometimes, even the most minor action can be something worth being proud of and deserves celebration. 

Learn from Past Mistakes

While feedback may not always be constructive, try and take it and use it to strengthen and improve yourself instead of bringing you down. Identifying your weaknesses and working on them is key to moving forward in life and feeling better about yourself. 

In saying this, don’t beat yourself up when you make a mistake. Instead, take it as a learning opportunity. When all else fails, we can always grow from our lows. 

Try Positive Self-Talk

Many of us tend to talk to ourselves in a negative and self-defeating narrative without even knowing it. To overcome imposter syndrome (and just in general), this needs to change. In the words of RuPaul, “If you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?”

The key isn’t telling yourself lies to re-write your mindset but just changing how you frame things. Here’s a small exercise for you to try right now:

• Quickly name three positive things about yourself
• Write them down
• Stick them somewhere you can refer back to when feeling down

Taking a moment to focus on what you are good at and highlighting this for yourself can help. Refer back to your praise sheet whenever you need the reminder. 

When in doubt, try repeating these self-love affirmations when you are feeling down. This is a great way to give yourself a confidence boost.

Establish a Support Network for Yourself

Whether friends, family, colleagues or a professional organization, establishing a network of supportive individuals is key to overcoming imposter syndrome. You want to be able to connect with people to who you can relate. If you struggle to find the support you need, talking to a professional can also be a great help. 

Nobody wants to feel like they don’t belong, and the first step to overcoming imposter syndrome is acknowledging that you have these feelings. On behalf of our Celebrimo team, we’d like to remind you that you’re beautiful, intelligent, wonderful, and a fabulously strong individual!

If there are any words of wisdom we can leave you, let it be these ”Let that sh*t go, you got this!”.