Imposter Syndrome never fully goes away.
Surprised to hear me say that?
Truth is, it ebbs and flows like ocean tides.
And the best response to the ocean tides of Imposter Syndrome is to learn how to surf the waves.
Here’s how.
Change as Catalyst
Imposter Syndrome creeps up during times of upheaval. When you are facing change and feel uncomfortable, that’s when it sets in. It doesn’t matter if you actively pursue it or passively resist it. Bottom line: change stirs up The Imposter.
Recent clients have brought up Imposter Syndrome, so I thought it made sense to explore this topic for a third time. For my previous thoughts on it, click here and here.
Emotional Waves
Ram Dass describes waves as emotions. Let’s play with this concept.
Visualize yourself surfing a wave of emotion instead of finding yourself in the wave. Feels different, doesn’t it? One feels powerful, the other does not.
Ride with me a moment. The emotion behind Imposter Syndrome is “not enough.” It’s the feeling that there’s something missing between where I am right now and where I should be. That gap makes you anxious and stressed. In other words, your perception of the gap is negative.
The Emotional Gap
Conversely, you can choose to see the gap as an opportunity. In How to Reframe Nerves as Anticipation, I explored reframing nerves as excitement instead of anxiety. Physiologically, the nervous system cannot distinguish between the two. Excitement and anxiety are felt the same way.
Thus, a simple reframing can let you see the gap positively.
Be a Surfer
When The Imposter takes over the nervous system, it’s fair to say you feel negatively.
What you want to do is shift out of that negative emotion.
- You can do that through PQ reps.
- You can also do it by surfing the wave.
As you surf the wave of your emotion, allow yourself to detach from the emotion itself.
Remember, the wave is the emotion.
You are not the wave.
You are the surfer riding the wave.
Your mission is to separate you, that is your inner being or inviolate Self, from your emotions.
Your emotions are important. They are your inner guidance system alerting you to pay attention. The key is to let your emotion rise up and then fall down, just as waves do.
Why it Works
Surfing the wave is next-level-work in relation to Imposter Syndrome. Not only does it get you out of the immediate spiral of “not enough”, but you can extend it to every area of your life.
Want a new career but you’re stuck?
- I’m too old.
- I’ve invested too much time in this career/industry.
- I want more money but don’t know how to get it.
Surf the wave.
Identify the (negative) emotion you’re feeling. Now picture yourself riding the wave. The wave will go up and then down. You know that the length of time spent surfing is finite. So too is your emotion.
Eventually, you can apply this to positive emotions as well, although most of us don’t want to give those up too quickly. And yet, positive emotions are also finite. They’re meant to be experienced as we surf the wave and then released.
Rethinking Imposter Syndrome
Imposter Syndrome isn’t real. It just feels real.
There’s an important distinction here. When you believe you are an Imposter, you feel it. When you feel it and cannot detach from the negative emotion around it, you act it.
Your thoughts create your beliefs which inform your actions.
Moving forward, practise the best solution to Imposter Syndrome.
Ride the wave.