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Speaker 1:
Hi, it's Annabel Mattson and welcome to the Steep your Soul podcast. Soulful guidance for women who are seeking deeper truth and meaning to their lives. If you're ready to move past what's been holding you back and awaken to your full potential and purpose in life, then let's get started. Hi, it's Annabel Mattson here. Welcome back to the podcast. Inside this episode, we're going to be talking about imposter syndrome, a phrase that we hear discussed a lot in circles of women, and I want to share my perspective on imposter syndrome and some remedies that I feel are really effective for imposter syndrome, because it is not something that we just need to accept and put up with. It's something we can absolutely transcend and let go of and not have to keep bumping up against it in our work life. So, yeah, let's talk about that inside this episode. It came up on our weekly mastermind call this week and we had some really interesting discussion around it, so I want to share a little bit more about that with you inside this episode. Before we get into this episode, if you're new here, I want to invite you to subscribe to the podcast or, if you haven't already subscribed to the podcast, check out some of the other episodes that are hanging out on the podcast feed, see which episodes might be jumping out at you. They might have some wisdom or perspective to offer you. So, if you've enjoyed this episode, head over to some of the others that you see and have a listen to those. I also want to remind you that my mastermind program, elevate, is open for enrollment and we begin really soon, in the next couple of weeks, at the end of February. This is my six month intimate group coaching program for professional women, women in business, leaders and aspiring leaders, women who are wanting to step into their next level of success, but do it in a calm and sustainable way. This is a place for you if you want to release things like imposter syndrome, to be able to sit in much deeper belief about yourself, your skills, what it is that you have to offer and, as a result, experience so much more ease in your work life. We are redefining what it is to advance your career and achieve the goals that you want to see in your work and life. I'm going to be showing you how to create a whole new relationship with work, one that feels so much lighter and easier on your mind and body. We flow for six beautiful months together. We meet weekly. It's such a powerful program and I'll leave a link to the mastermind in the description of this episode if you'd like to go and check that out. But applications are open and we start in a few weeks.
Speaker 1:
Okay, let's get into the episode. So imposter syndrome as I was saying, this came up as a topic on our mastermind call this week. We're actually used to afternoon at the timing of me recording this episode and I think what's really interesting is we hear the term imposter syndrome like spoken about a lot in circles of women, which is really good. So we're seeing that is more open discussion. More people are saying, yes, I experienced that, so it's really good.
Speaker 1:
But I think what happens is we sort of just stop there. We normalize the fact that imposter syndrome is common and happens for a lot of us, but we don't go any further than that. The conversation sort of ends there. But what I'm really passionate about is actually being able to show you and demonstrate that we don't have to keep bumping up against imposter syndrome. It doesn't have to be this thing that we have to lug around with us, this heavy weight, this thing we drag around, that really impacts us in our work life. It is absolutely possible for us to move through imposter syndrome, to transcend it and no longer have it be something that that impacts us or bothers us in our work and career, and I want to talk to you a bit about how we can do that. So let's take the conversation around imposter syndrome further and not only normalize it, but also let's talk about how we move past it.
Speaker 1:
So I see imposter syndrome as more of a surface symptom and the root cause is a gap in self belief. So I think that's important to recognise is maybe it feels easier for us to say we experience imposter syndrome, but maybe it feels a little more difficult to access what the root cause is or perhaps express or put words around what the root cause is. And the root cause is a gap in our self belief. So the great news is, when we feel the gap in belief, we release the symptom that we're experiencing. So imposter syndrome will cause us to leak our personal power and it will cause us to look for certainty in the wrong places. So when we're in imposter syndrome, we're sitting in a lack of belief in ourselves and our skills and because we've got that lack of belief, we've got that gap. We're looking to build that gap from somewhere, and so we'll often externalise it, so we'll go and look for that certainty outside of ourselves.
Speaker 1:
So often what's happening is unconsciously we're waiting for other people to fill that gap, to tell us that we belong where we are, to tell us that we're doing a good job, to give us permission to be in the spaces that we want to be in, and it's a really powerless place to operate from because we're waiting. We're waiting for other people to give us that, and sometimes we might receive that feedback and that feels great and really affirming. But oftentimes people aren't going to give that to us, and so we're sitting here waiting to feel good enough, waiting for others to recognise us, to see us, to see our value, in order to feel more certain about what it is that we're offering, and we can totally turn that around. The invitation here is to create the certainty for yourself. So, rather than waiting for people to fill that gap for you, it's go and look for the evidence yourself and the reasons why you are the person to be doing this. Why are you the person to be in this role? Why are you the person to be doing this kind of work, go and look for the evidence, and I would get really practical and actually get a piece of paper out and write it down. I think it's so important when we take it to this next level and do it as more of a written exercise, because we can think about the reasons why we are the person to be doing this. But we need to often take things from the mental knowing and bring them down into the body to really feel that certainty, to really feel that belief in ourselves. And that's what an exercise of writing things down creates for us. It takes the knowing of the mind and brings it down into more of an integration in the body where you really know that you belong, you really know that you are the person for this. So create the certainty for yourself. Don't wait for others to give that to you. Go and look for the reasons and evidence why you are the person to do it.
Speaker 1:
As I talked about, imposter syndrome is a surface symptom and the root cause is a gap in our belief. So we can't transcend imposter syndrome if we're not aware of the beliefs that we're holding that are driving that feeling. So I think it's really important to take some time to think about what beliefs am I holding or what thoughts am I thinking that are driving this feeling of imposter syndrome. So sometimes it can take a little bit more digging and digging around to identify exactly what the thoughts are. But think about in those moments when you feel yourself starting to freeze or you feel yourself shrinking, whatever situations you're in.
Speaker 1:
When you feel that, think about what thoughts am I thinking in that moment, what is my mind telling me, what are those disempowering thoughts in that moment that will give you a really good clue as to the beliefs, the thoughts that are happening that are driving this imposter syndrome. So the awareness is really powerful, because we can't change something that we're not aware of or that we don't understand. So when you know the beliefs or thoughts that you're thinking that are creating the imposter syndrome, it gives you the power to change it. So deeper belief is always going to be the remedy. The more belief that you're sitting in, the more personal power you have access to and the more you're going to feel like you belong in the spaces that you're working in. So, again, treating the root cause, which is the belief, releases the symptom, which is imposter syndrome. So you want to be thinking about working intentionally with some new thoughts, some new empowering thoughts and beliefs that really support you to feel good enough, to feel powerful, to feel more certain of yourself.
Speaker 1:
So here are a few, just off the top of my head, that I feel could be really helpful in this area. So, starting with the belief of I am good enough, I belong here, I have value to offer. I am more than enough for the role I'm here to do. I am exactly who my team needs me to be. My perspective is valuable. Think about if you were saying those things in your mind when you were about to go into meetings or enter into conversations with people that trigger the imposter syndrome. Think about how differently you would be showing up in those moments. If you're thinking a thought of I belong here, I have value to offer, think how differently you're going to not only feel, but also the energy that you'll be exuding as a result of thinking those thoughts. It will completely change the game for you. So really think about what thoughts do I need to be thinking that are going to really support me to feel a greater sense of certainty about myself. Now there was an awesome meeting hack that was shared on our mastermind call that I want to also talk about on this episode and it was shared from one of our members and so I'm sharing it here with her permission, because I feel it's a really great hack.
Speaker 1:
So, if you think about, sometimes, there are meetings or situations that we go into where we feel like there might be like big personalities, big egos, where there's just people coming together in a room and they're all talking really quickly, they're all trying to make themselves heard and in those moments that can often be what makes us shrink, makes us feel small. So one of the things that one of the concerns that was expressed on our call this week was I feel like I have to compete to be heard. The moment you feel you have to compete is the moment that you've lost the game, you've lost your personal power. In that moment, if you feel like you have to compete, it's exiting out of that dance and not dancing along with people around that there is so much power in sitting back rather than feeling like you have to be the loudest voice in the room to be the most influential.
Speaker 1:
Firstly, my advice would be to really think about it. Say you're going into a conversation, into a meeting room, with a whole bunch of egos and you know that this is where your imposter syndrome gets triggered. It causes you to shrink and play small. I would firstly really be aware of the body language that you're displaying in that moment. So my advice is always to lean back with an open heart. So take a deep breath and even do it with me now. Take a really deep breath in and then breathe out. Take another deep breath in and breathe out and, wherever you're sitting, feel yourself like, roll your shoulders back and then sit back in your chair and feel your heart beginning to open. This is a beautiful posture of personal power and I want you to think about how you can take up space in those moments.
Speaker 1:
If you know that you shrink in those moments, think about actually physically taking up more space. So sitting in your chair and physically taking up more space. So actually like have your arms on the table, have your elbows open right and, as I said, take that deep breath, roll your shoulders back, sit back in your chair and really see and sense your energy field, that energy around you enlarging, taking up more space, filling up the whole space around you, because that is what people are feeling from you More than anything that you say, it's who you're being that is the most influential. So really see this beautiful light, this energy expanding and emanating from you and going out in all of these directions. Open your body language up, take up space physically and energetically. That's a hugely important piece around this.
Speaker 1:
I mean, this was the hack that was shared by one of our Master I members and, as I said, I'm sharing here with her permission because I feel like it could really help you. So we go into these meetings, we start to feel that imposter syndrome being triggered. We focus on our body language, take the deep breath, sit back in our chair, take up space, and then what this member shared was she was saying to really sit back and listen. So listen to what's being shared, listen to what everyone is saying, let everyone else have their peace, and then, right at the end, come in with a summary or statement about where to go next and what needs to be done. So it's like, rather than you competing while everyone's trying to have a say, you leave your bit right until the end and it lands with so much more potency and power. I thought this was genius move and it ends up. You're actually facilitating and leading the conversation, which is a really powerful, influential move, without you having to be the loudest voice or competing with others or being heard the most. So just realize that there is so much power in sitting back and not being the loudest voice. It's being intentional about where we are using our voice in those moments. So I hope that helps.
Speaker 1:
If you know a friend or a colleague who might be coming up against imposter syndrome in their work, please do share this episode with them. Share it around, and there are two ways that I can help you. If you're listening to this, reasonably soon after I post it, I've got a workshop happening on Tuesday, the 13th of February, at night, and it's a mini workshop that I'm hosting alongside the organization Woman in Agri Business where I'll lead you through a step by step process to build the gaps in your belief, build more certainty on your skills and help you release this imposter syndrome. So it's going to be a great workshop. We're going to be doing a lovely panel with two of my clients where they have implemented this work and they'll be sharing about how they use it in their work and life and how it's helped them, and tickets are $15 to join and what we discuss is relevant for women in any industry or sector, so I'll leave a link to that below. That's that mini workshop, and then join me inside elevate the mastermind.
Speaker 1:
As I said, this is my six month intimate group coaching program for professional women, women in business, leaders and aspiring leaders, and belief work is a cornerstone of the work that we do inside the program. So you're going to let go of overthinking and the self questioning that can go on and stand in more certainty of yourself and your skills than ever before and you're just going to learn how to approach your work in a completely new way so you come home at night and feel light and relaxed. You feel like you can approach challenges and things that feel stretchy outside of your comfort zone and just feel so much more calm and at ease as you do those things. This is the place if you want to step into your next level of success, but do it in a way that feels easier on your body and mind. You can check out all the details with the link in the description of this episode.
Speaker 1:
I've also recorded an episode just prior to this one. It's a short podcast episode that tells you more about the mastermind, how it can help you and also how the program works kind of what you can expect on a monthly basis. So if you're interested, that could be a great episode to go and check out as well. So I would love to invite you into the mastermind if it's feeling like fit for you. I'm here if you have any questions and also if you'd like to book in a time to have a chat. And, as I said, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast. Go and check out some of the other episodes and see if there's anything there that can help and serve you in your work and life, and I look forward to connecting with you again soon.