Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Embracing Your Intuitive Power as a Woman Leader
We all know that Impostor Syndrome can wreak havoc in our lives and businesses. From stopping us from being as visible as we’d like, from causing us to resist taking action, to making us doubt ourselves, Imposter Syndrome is an unwelcome companion.
According to one study, 75% of women in leadership roles have experienced Impostor Syndrome across their professional journeys, and for women of color, this is amplified. So when it rears its ugly head, it's important to have tools that not only support but shut it down.
A brief look at where it comes from
Imposter Syndrome stems from an inner sense that you aren’t deserving, that beneath it all and no matter how much you’ve accomplished, you’re a fraud, and it takes what are natural and recurring moments of self-doubt and exaggerates it. And while all that feels awful when you’re experiencing it, there is something hidden within Imposter Syndrome that can be used to our benefit.
On the other side of the imposter is the intuitive.
How to go from the imposter to the intuitive
The first thing to do is to acknowledge the feelings.
Pause and acknowledge what you’re feeling in the moment. Try to name it if you can. Are they feelings around worth, deservedness, or doubt. Once you acknowledge that you’re feeling something, then the next step is to ask yourself about the thoughts that are presently swirling, “Is this/Are they true?”
Start with whatever prompted the thought of: “I feel like I don't deserve ______.” Then stop and question, “Is this true?”
Acknowledging how you feel allows the sensation to be cleared instead of morphing into a consuming thought spiral. Then you pause and allow the intuitive self to respond to the inquiry of whether that thought is true. You will feel this response in your mind and body, so listen closely. Note: The moment of pause can often interrupt dissolving thought patterns and you’ll feel instant relief, however go the next step after the pause and become curious. Remember the power of the intuitive is giving it a chance to weigh in on the question of “Is this true?”
When self-doubt gets exaggerated
One of the biggest and most common and sinister ways that Impostor Syndrome shows up for us is exaggerated self-doubt. This is when our natural moments of self-doubt get exacerbated, compounded, and attached to specific - and possibly recurring - triggers. Exaggerated self-doubt can cause both mental and emotional imbalance further moving us away from our intuitive connection. A double whammy.
Soul Power is the kind of power you feel regardless of what is happening in your inner or outer worlds. It's rooted so deep within us, it's untouched by global events, economic recessions, or personal drama.
This next tool will effectively shift exaggerated self-doubt from the unconscious to the conscious where it can be dealt with instead of tolerated.
Don't stress, stretch! Stretch your intuitive muscles and stretch your body.
Do something different to get a different result. Once the feelings are acknowledged, they're in your body. We know that the body remembers so we want to stretch it out to move it out. Moving the body provides the feelings somewhere to go instead of going down deeper into our physical bodies and lingering in the emotional body.
When you feel like a fraud
Some of the most powerful, celebrated, and famous women have often said that they feel like a fraud. No matter how successful they are, they have an inner sense or fear of ‘being found out.’ Viola Davis and Maya Angelou are just two examples of women who have achieved amazing things and received accolades for their work yet still felt like they weren’t deserving of it and would one day be found out to be a fraud.
So while feeling like a fraud is common, it doesn’t need to stick around. The sense of feeling like a fraud can be shifted by writing down your accomplishments and achievements and feeling into them.
Counteracting this idea of being a fraud stops the imposter in its tracks and awakens the intuitive because the emotional connection to what you’ve actually done is stronger than the imagined. When it comes to feeling like a fraud, our imagination is not our friend. It’s often very unambiguous in its thinking and rather tragic in its approach. This is why it’s important to look at and celebrate the evidence of what you have - in reality - already accomplished.
When your thoughts feel overwhelming
Another common feeling that comes from Imposter Syndrome is overwhelm. This type of overwhelm is often caused from over-thinking, which is one of the biggest culprits of Imposter Syndrome. The best way to combat the over-thinking from overwhelm is to get into the present.
This is a quick way to slow everything down and settle into the moment. And it’s simple. Some deep breathing for a count of ten will slow your thinking, calm your nervous system, and get you back to the present. Slow and intentional breathing works wonders, but you can also enhance the experience by grabbing your favorite essential oil. Dab some onto your wrists, apply to a sachet to have nearby, or take a full inhale directly from the bottle to further calm, soothe, and settle yourself into the present moment.
Did you know that aromatherapy can support you in as little as 60 to 90 seconds? Not only does it help to settle and relax your mind and body, aromatherapy is also good for reducing stress, improving sleep, easing discomfort, soothing headaches and joint aches, revitalizing your mood, and more. Each scent is beneficial in its own way, but allow your intuitive self to lead you. What smells good to you will often benefit you.
Reimagine to Reignite
How can we reimagine the imposter to reignite the intuitive? Here are five simple ways to begin:
Ask before the task provides the opportunity to ask for divine guidance instead of trying to figure it out on your own. Before you start something, pause and ask yourself why you’re doing it. Once you ask, listen, then follow the guidance. We’re not meant to be doing things on our own so develop a habit of asking for guidance before you begin something new.
Talk less, listen more is very similar to my advice for dissolving the over-thinking overwhelm. In talk less, listen more, the premise is to pause and ponder for a moment when you’re feeling triggered or anxious. Try journaling to ask the imposter, “What are you trying to show me right now? What triggered this?” This supports listening to the intuitive self and quieting the imposter before it takes over and becomes the star of the show.
Add rituals into your life, not routines. Routines create habits and habits create behaviors, but when you ritualize things it shifts things from a task-oriented intention to a wellness initiative. Adding rituals to your life can be supportive in allowing for a conscious shift away from the external (imposter) and focused toward the internal (intuitive).
Awaken the inner mystic to stop feeling stuck and stagnant. It takes a recalibration of the nervous system to reignite the intuitive so it’s time to shift some stuck energy. Move the body, shake the body, have a dance party - anything that allows you to shimmy, shake, and shift that energy out. A niggling sense of stagnation is energy being held within so by moving that energy out, it awakens the intuitive.
Boundaries that recharge your batteries. Lastly, the imposter creates more obstacles than opportunities so it comes down to recognizing your current level of capacity. The capacity to add more or less to your life depends on setting and confirming boundaries. When there are boundaries around your time, energy, and level of interactions, you've set an intention which declares, “This is the capacity that I'm able to take on,” and therefore creating for yourself a sense of focus and intention which leads to aligned and intuitive action.
These are only a few quick, effective, and powerful ways to support reimagining the imposter by reigniting the intuitive. When we allow ourselves to reimagine the imposter, we take back our power to embody the intuitive.
What steps will you take to reimagine the imposter in your life in order to reignite the intuitive?
TLDR: The article discusses strategies to transform Imposter Syndrome into a catalyst for tapping into your intuition. By acknowledging feelings, questioning their truth, and shifting focus from self-doubt to intuitive guidance, you can move from feeling like an imposter to embracing your inner wisdom.
Tonya Melendez, is an award-winning Psychic Medium, Astrologer, Human Design Guide, a former Librarian, Tonya turned her coffee shop tarot readings into a thriving online business. In 2012, Tonya was voted the #3 Psychic Medium in the world by STB TV Channel (Europe/Kyiv, Ukraine) She’s helped thousands of clients and students, including best-selling authors Layla Saad (Me & White Supremacy) and Alexis Daria (You Had Me at Hola), sharing how to embrace intuition in their lives as a superpower.
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