Have you ever felt out of place? Undervalued or maybe undeserving?
Have you ever wanted to accomplish something so badly and finally get it and feel almost lost. Well, I am here to silence the noise and to prove that this is not true and you’re not alone. Let me introduce you to Imposter Syndrome, this is the “inability to believe the ones success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of ones on effort or skills” This syndrome is twice as likely to occur within young adults struggling with the pressure of newfound freedom and their newfound journey into adulthood. In this article we’re going to discover the roots and how to overcome this challenge.
What is Imposter Syndrome
Getting more in depth, imposter syndrome is the sense of doubt in yourself, no matter what you have accomplished in your past that says different. It’s almost like arriving at your destination and still feeling lost. This feeling is caused by one’s constant comparison to others and two the unhealthy expectations put onto us. Give yourself grace!
Why is Imposter Syndrome So Common in College?
College for some is a pivotal growth point that comes with new challenges and experiences. Everyone’s experience is so different, you’re surrounded by people who seem to have more things put together than you. Things that may spike imposter syndrome are.
Academic Pressure: In college your grades are above all and with so much happening its so easy to fall under pressure in such a competitive environment.
Comparison Culture: Looking at your neighbor’s grass instead of tending to your own can cause some damage. With the rise of social media comparison culture has gotten worse and is the root cause of the mental health decline in teenagers and young adults today.
New responsibilities: With this new independence comes new responsibilities we no longer have our parents to look over our shoulder 24/7 to make sure we are doing what we need to do its up to us to keep up with our spending, assignments, maintenance and more
Signs you might be secretly dealing with imposter syndrome.
- Feeling undeserving of your accomplishments
- Not giving yourself props for your hard work
- Fear of being belittled
- Fear of new challenges
How to overcome imposter syndrome
- Keep a sticky note or a board with all your accomplishments, seeing this will make you proud. Focus on what is facts and remind yourself of what you’ve accomplished
- It’s easier said than done but focusing on your journey instead of comparing yourself to others can make a drastic difference
- Remember that you’re not alone and more people feel like this than you think
- Your small achievements deserve recognition! A small push of a domino creates a big change without that simple push there would be no change.
- Lastly give yourself the grace you give others. Everyone’s timing is different and when you finally reach that goal, you’re going to be so happy it happened when it did.
This can be difficult to deal with on your own reach out to a friend or a professor or mentor. College is about growing into an accomplished adult, and everyone has a different process so embrace yours.