Self-Doubt, Imposter Syndrome, the Fraud Factor or Self-Sabotage has many guises and it has been showing up A LOT over the last week for me, my coaching clients and my yoga students.
Is it slowing you down?
Even today, as I write this, my inner Gremlin piped up, ‘why are you even bothering, who’s going to want to read this’? Of course, I politely thanked it, gave it the finger, then continued.
My friend Mary, who is also a fantastic Coach, calls her inner critics or Gremlins the ‘shitty committee’🤣 how brilliant is that!
Do you have a name for yours? When does your Gremlin or ‘shitty committee’ pop up?
I've noticed how my Gremlins are particularly shouty when I am going through shifts, growth spurts in my evolution or when I embark on a new project in my business. I used to freak out and then procrastinate, then do that thing I like to call Ostrich Syndrome where I bury my head in the sand! Thankfully, I don’t do that anymore - although procrastination does occasionally show up and when it does, I know it’s my self-doubt trying to out smart me!
Nowadays, I welcome my Gremlins (sometimes it definitely feels like more than one!) with open arms, give them a cuddle and shower them with love. Acknowledging that these Gremlins are just facets of me that are scared, small unresolved or unhealed parts of me, hidden and buried in my subconscious. They fear disapproval, judgement, being disliked and rejection. This stems from our past; if our ancestors were rejected from their tribes or communities, it resulted in death, but thankfully rejection these days generally does not result in death! The old primitive brain, or limbic brain, is doing its job and keeping us safe, as this is what it has learnt. So it's a matter of bringing this to our awareness, reassuring our brain (and Gremlins) that these fears do not have an awful ending. Yes, it will feel uncomfortable but we need to allow ourselves to sit with and be amongst the discomfort of those feelings, without distraction. Soon those feelings of rejection, disapproval, dislike no longer feel scary.
Growth is uncomfortable (remember growing pains?!) and transformation is icky, but if we don’t get comfortable with the uncomfortable, we continue to play small, or to stay invisible. As well as our limbic brain, our ego (in the form of Gremlin or inner critic) chimes in to protect us. They hold us back from radiating our true greatness. The best thing we can do is to surrender to the discomfort, give it the attention and love it needs to transmute it. When we transmute energy, this is where the alchemy happens. From here we can take action that is aligned with who we truly are.
So next time self doubt appears, know that it’s a sign that you’re on the right path and that a new you is emerging.
I no longer do the power pose in a corporate toilet cubicle before presenting to hundreds (although there is nothing wrong with it!) I have a Mary Poppins bag full of technologies and strategies to clear out the subconscious, to shift and transmute energy and emotions that come up in my day to help me navigate through the challenges with more grace, courage and ease.
This is why I chose the Good Morning Krya for last Thursday’s Kundalini Yoga class. Whether you are an entrepreneur running your own business, a corporate leader or a busy mother, this krya gets you started physically, emotionally and mentally.It’s called Good Morning because it gets everything started, just like the morning gets the day started. Of course, you don’t have to do it in the morning; it can be done anytime of the day. This krya will support with:
If you missed the live class, fear not! You can access the recorded replay here:
Go on, give it a go!
As one of my clients insightfully said to me after her session last week, 'sometimes we have to breakdown to have the breakthroughs!' As a Coach I hold space for my clients so that they are held and supported during and in-between sessions. Coaching is a co-creation, so don't ever feel you have to through any of the discomfort alone.
If you feel you may need some additional support with breaking patterns and habits of Imposter Syndrome and self-doubt, or heal subconscious blocks that are holding you back, then book your free 60 minute Coaching Consultation with me to see how Coaching can help you. Book your your Free Consultation here.
Beautiful Soul reading this, it is time for you to rise, to show up and be visible. The world needs your light right now, more than ever.