The Reality of Imposter Syndrome

Do you know what imposter syndrome is?

“It was luck”

“Somebody helped me”

“I’m not capable”

“I’m not anything special, I’m like everybody else”

“Anybody could’ve done what I just did”

Even the most successful people can feel imposter syndrome. To put it simply, it basically describes a feeling where you feel incompetent, like a failure, a phony, a fraud, to the point where you feel you’re not deserving of your success or don’t believe in your skills. Many high-performing people will go through this, especially a lot of entrepreneurs (but not limited to).

Kelowna influencer and imposter syndrome. Her aesthetic is clean girl aesthetic and pinterest fashion. Follow for blog posts every monday and social media tips and how to make money on social media.

I have definitely experienced this feeling of imposter syndrome as a business owner. An example of this, is when it comes to my branding service/photography skills. The reality is, I’ve been taking photos since I was in middle school. I was one of those people that would post albums and albums on Facebook of me and my friends doing nothing special. I’ve always had an interest in photography. Sometimes I don’t realize it, but I’ve been “practicing” photography forever.

I also did professional modelling for a number of years when I was younger and I would work on sets with high class photographers who knew what they were doing, allowing pick up tips from them. I find sometimes when clients hire me for brand photography, I go through this thought process of “do they actually want ME?”, “Was it a mistake or did they mean to hire someone else?” or…I think I got the job due to sheer luck.

This is not true.


So how do we work through imposter syndrome? Here are some tips:

  • Surround yourself with people who are like-minded and lift you up.
  • Recognize that you’re not failing, you’re making yourself better. You’re challenging yourself.
  • Fake it until you make it. A lot of people don’t like this phrase and I don’t mean it in a way where you’re fooling anybody. It’s putting confidence in yourself and putting energy out there that you can do it.
  • Realize it’s OKAY to be feeling this imposter syndrome and normalize the feeling.
  • Own your successes. People are hiring you for a REASON, it’s not luck.
  • Practice gratitude. Look back to see how far you’ve come. Celebrate the wins.
  • Acknowledge others that feel the same way and talk about it together. More than 80% of adults will feel imposter syndrome at some point in their life.

If you’re ever feeling unworthy again, don’t forget that it’s a completely normal feeling. Let yourself go through the motions and use these tips to get back on track. You can do it!

-Jenna xoxo

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