ThePeopleAlchemist Edit: Valentine's Day - Be your best self - #SmashYourCeiling, change starts from within -Business & Lifestyle Experimentation for #TheWomanAlchemist

Hello everyone. Welcome back! With Valentine’s Day in our review mirrors, let’s not forget that loving yourself and loving your life should not be limited to one day, but instead, be something you do every day. So, on that note, I want to speak about something that affects us from living our best lives, which is imposter syndrome. So, what is imposter syndrome? Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments. Many people then question whether they're deserving of their accolades. As you and your journey towards success continues, you may find that you’re highly susceptible to this syndrome, and that, in turn, can negatively affect your quality of life. Some of you are challenged with this obstacle of disbelief in yourself, and to manage that, we must begin within.

Dealing with imposter syndrome

In a nutshell, imposter syndrome is an internal experience of believing that you’re not as capable as others perceive you to be. This leads to an over-exertion and desire for perfection in all that you do. It could also be limited to just one area of your life where you attempt to be ideal as an employee or perfect in a relationship – and thus place too much pressure upon who you are as a person. A psychologist lays out imposter syndrome quite well in this article here. Let me tell you this now before I continue. To err is human. You must be okay with making mistakes, and it is through failure we learn to succeed. Noting this, in dealing with imposter syndrome, you must first break the silence. Don’t internalise all your thoughts and emotions. Speak to someone about all of it. And if that may seem too difficult for you, then begin by journaling – I promise it will all become easier. Your next step is to look at your accomplishments to date. Understand that you are worthy. Note that you are capable. With that in mind, you will start to accentuate the positives in your life, leading to a more fulfilled, happier present. And as loving your life is the theme for this month, I task you with finding your love and happiness within by overcoming your imposter syndrome. To recap:

1. Voice/write your feelings
2. Acknowledge the positives
3. Visualise your success

So, start right now, and live the life you see yourself enjoying in the months and years to come. What’s stopping you? See you soon x