Something that I’ve seen discussed more and more in the past year is the concept of the “Imposter Syndrome.” For those who are scratching their heads, it’s a phenomenon in which you experience self-doubt in the extreme. You feel like you are unworthy of your accomplishments, and that every achievement you’ve made is an undeserved victory.
I think plenty of people can relate to this feeling! I can’t imagine how powerful we would be if we believed in ourselves. It’s hard to feel like you’re doing your best, like who you are is good enough, when we see people online who are miles ahead. You have people like Malala Yousafzai, who is a Nobel Prize laureate/advocate at 22, and then you have people like Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, who are billionaires at 33. What’s a girl in her mid-twenties to do?
I’m currently watching America’s Next Top Model reruns with a cat on her shoulder, after stealing a few handfuls of chocolate chips from the jumbo bag. Suffice it to say, I’m not exactly the girl “who has it all together”! That said, I have a couple of different ways to help me feel like I am one of those people who has it all together. Here’s a few ways to put the “star” in “Impostar”!
- Wake up early. Benjamin Franklin once said “Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy and wise.” Okay, technically it’s “makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” But, as icon Cher once said, “Mom, I am a rich man.” I set my alarm for 5am each weekday, so I can wake up and BE awake before I go to the gym in the morning. I don’t set that alarm on the weekends, but I tend to wake up organically at 7 on the weekends! “Sleep is for the weak” is outdated these days. You know what’s the sign of a real champion? Getting your ish done, with seven hours!
- Look put together. It’s not about having the best clothes or the fanciest makeup! What matters is showing up and looking your best. Step one: look clean (three-day old eyeliner rings = not cute. I speak it from experience). Step two: look alert (find a five minute makeup look). Step three: know your style! My go-to outfit is a pair of jeans, a simple tee, and a long cardigan. It’s comfortable, but can be dressed up with the right accessories!
- Take 5… for EVERYTHING. Clean your space for five minutes. Go for a five minute walk. Meditate. If there’s things you want to get done, but can’t find the energy/time, do it for five minute. If you can get lost on Instagram for thirty minutes, you can get those dirty clothes off the floor and into your hamper.
- Read. Fun fact: All those successful people you admire? They all read. Find what you like and turn the page! You may learn something about others’ experiences, and you could learn something about yourself!
- Smile through it. Good days, bad days, when you want to cry, scream, set a cleansing fire, just smile. A positive attitude makes a world of difference! When accomplishing any goal, perseverance is everything!
I leave you with the words of my main man Kenneth Parcell: