From the Blog Posts of MSI Press Authors: Julia Aziz - "When Your Outside Isn't Matching Your Inside"

 


Julia Aziz, author of Lessons of Labor, writes:

Is it just me, or does it feel like the phrase "impostor syndrome" is getting confused and over-used? To clarify, I want to explore what it's like to feel like you're faking it. Maybe people assume you know what you're doing, but you secretly fear that you don't. 

First Things First: Being New is Normal

If you're new at whatever you're doing and feel like an impostor, then you're probably an honest person on the right track. When we're first learning anything, it's all skills practice. We follow what we've been taught and practice the tools handed down by those more experienced than us. Over time, we integrate what we've learned into our own personality and style until it becomes our own. Everybody gets there by mucking it up along the way. 

Impostor Syndrome is for Everyone

Impostor syndrome doesn't just affect newbies though. Everyone has days or weeks, even years, where they're just off. Sometimes it may feel like we're acting out an old version of ourselves; the autopilot works but doesn't feel true. Certainly deeper inquiries deserve attention here, but growth isn't only about change. Growth is also accepting the impostor feeling when it arises, without analysis. Winging it with whatever we've got, it's possible to even enjoy wondering and wandering for a while.

Feedback Isn't All It's Cracked Up to Be

Sometimes we may feel like a fraud because of our collective infatuation with feedback. Likes, followers, comments, shares--maybe these forms of acknowledgment boost self-esteem for a moment when we get them, but they're always fleeting. Does all this feedback (or obvious lack thereof) really help us? One might wonder if it actually keeps us more distracted by how we appear to others, rather than helping us cultivate and honor what's true inside.

The “What Other People Think Of Me” Trap

Read the rest of Julia's post here: When your outside isn’t matching your inside | Julia S. Aziz, LCSW-S, OIM (juliaaziz.com).

For more posts about Julia and her book, click HERE.


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