It was a room full of top managers, client team, creative heads and my entire creative team. The year is 2016 and it’s the Viacom18 office in Mumbai. We were were brainstorming ideas for a new shoot and I know the exact moment, the exact feeling when I wanted to share an idea that I thought was interesting but did not share it because I thought:
“What if no one else likes the idea?”
It’s been 8+ years since then and I can still feel the sensation in my body, the constriction in my throat and the regret, warm and moving through me.
It’s been quite a journey since.
There have been multiple situations, places and rooms exactly like the one above that made me think: What makes me stop from sharing an idea or a thought? Where does this doubt come from?
The above image by Might Could Studios is something that I came across when I googled imposter syndrome. And it hits the nail. I have 10+ years of work experience now and there are still days when I question is it all good enough? Do I know enough? Will it ever be enough?
And then one day I told myself: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Of course there would always be things that you and I don’t know of. But what matters is our choice.
'It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities'
– Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
As I sat with my imposter syndrome even as I am writing this, I looked at her and told her, it’s okay to feel like that, but' we’ve got this.
I choose to
trust myself
go beyond that feeling
to trust in my experiences
to believe in people who believe in me
and to be okay with the discomfort of whatever comes up.
To strengthen my own belief, I looked for instances where I went beyond that feeling of doubt and believed in myself.
Here are 5 instances/images where I knew what I was doing:
I am sum of my experiences, hours of me investing in myself, honing my skills and learning. I am more than my imposter syndrome. And these instances are a reminder from me, to me to keep believing in myself and people around me.
1) Creating a 12-module ‘Brand Growth and Marketing Course’ for professionals and students
2) Hosting one of my first workshops on design and content
3) Holding a space with an organization’s team on communications and branding during a team retreat.
4) Holding space for and managing a group of 10-12 individuals during a rural immersion program in the remotest villages of Kutch.
I have been part of the core of this particular program for years now, but well, this was and is my favorite group of people :)
5) This is the most recent one. Coaching individuals on content and managing shoots.
Today, wherever you are, however your day might pan out, give yourself credit for all the journeys you traveled to be where you are today!
There are people around us we don’t even realize feel this way. All it takes is a smile, a message, a nod, you telling them that you like what they are doing and you are proud. Tell more people in your life that you are proud of them. Tell that to the person you see in the mirror too.
If you had to think about the one moment that made you proud of yourself, what would that moment be?
For me today, it was making myself a cup of tea and sitting down to write this.
Share your moment below or on a DM with me and let’s inspire each other to be more than our imposter syndrome :’)
Until next time,
Divyangna
Imposter Syndrome gets to the best of us. How beautiful to honour your own journey as a means to remind yourself! 🌻