I understand that sometimes it’s just not that straightforward to get a handle on imposter syndrome. Sometimes, there have been some unexpected things that have impacted my ability to manage my imposter syndrome. I wanted to share them with you in the hope that you might benefit.
While you might be thinking that imposter syndrome only strikes when you have big things to do, like you’re about to go into a networking event, speak on stage, or deliver a big report to a client/the boss – it’s not always the case. Some of these unexpected impacts have seen me having to overcome imposter syndrome on the most mundane of tasks. I will also add that what impacts one person may not impact another. What has previously led to the imposter syndrome may not be part of another person’s story.
Fatigue’s impact on Imposter Syndrome
OMG, as I write this, fatigue is kicking my butt. I knew I needed to write a blog; I wanted to write something unexpected about imposter syndrome. I knew something from the heart, rather than a heavy researched piece, was long overdue. But do you think I’m not heavily distracted and procrastinating on writing this? It’s crazy. Yes, distraction & procrastination are ways imposter syndrome can show up.
Fatigue makes it harder to concentrate. We just don’t have energy.
Fatigue makes it harder to manage our emotions. We just don’t have energy.
So, when we are tired or fatigued, it’s no wonder that the negative story creeps in and takes advantage of our lack of energy and inability to fight it off.
The thing I want you to remember is that you can have physical fatigue and/or emotional fatigue. Both will impact your ability to manage imposter syndrome.
How hangry impacts Imposter Syndrome
My hubby will attest that a hangry Kara is not a well-balanced and considerate person. (If you’re wondering, a ham & cheese toastie is my
cure)
Our brains consume a ridiculous amount of energy and there are so many reasons why we might find ourselves hangry. So if our brains do not have the fuel onboard, we can’t think straight & the old stories creep in to take advantage of us having dropped our guard.
The impact of hormones on Imposter Syndrome
Men, don’t skip over this one; you’re just as susceptible as we all have the same hormones, just in varying amounts. Ladies, we know meno-brain is real & that our periods can seriously mess with our feelings of anxiety & how we feel about ourselves.
A little story. In 2018, I finally went to my GP after months of hot flashes. He didn’t do any blood tests, but he said based on my family history, age, & symptoms that I was likely in perimenopause & prescribed oestrogen tablets. Within 2 months, I was petrified of turning on social media to do my work. I was crying when I saw other people online, I was certain they were better than me, more successful, & second to tenth guessed EVERY SINGLE comment I received. I was struggling to promote my business, let alone deliver. It was debilitating. I decided that I couldn’t continue and stopped the medication & went to an integrative GP. Within 2 weeks of stopping the medication, all of the anxious and teary feelings had gone, but it had left me with aching doubt about what was going on and my abilities. My new GP did blood tests and discovered that my oestrogen levels were normal, but my progesterone levels were low. Bingo! There was my answer & she confirmed that the oestrogen was the wrong treatment for me.
While everyone’s path through the hormonal swings of life differs, even men, I wanted to share this story to show you that it can have a massive impact on our confidence and amplify our imposter syndrome and that you are the expert on how your body feels & reacts to medication. Keep searching for answers.
Sunshine & Imposter Syndrome
Does winter get you down, or do the roasting temperatures of summer make you snappy (like me)? Either way, there’s science, not woo, behind how the sun can be impacting your ability to manage your emotions – including imposter syndrome.
Seasonal Affective Disorders are more prevalent the closer you get to the north and south poles and where the daylight hours are short and
the strength of the sun is weaker in winter. Why is this important? Sunshine is known to help us make Vitamin D and low vitamin D is linked to fatigue, low mood, increased anxiety & depression, and general feelings of hopelessness. Unfortunately, if you’re like me, you may not make enough Vitamin D and need to take supplements to help.
Another thing that sunshine can help is lower the stress hormone, cortisol. A spike in cortisol in the morning also helps us wake up. Not enough sunlight, especially first thing in the morning, and you can feel sluggish.
Speaking of slow and sluggish, I find summer the worst for this. I’m the sort of person that the heat saps energy from. Prolonged periods of hot days & nights leaves me with low energy, overtired, hot, and bothered. This tanks my resilience and ability to manage my imposter syndrome.
Summary
This isn’t a complete list, nor is it a diagnostic tool. I hope that you can see that there are many things that impact our resilience and, therefore, our ability to manage imposter syndrome and our emotions more broadly. I hope you have also noticed that while I may have simplified my journey with these things, I have also sought treatment to help me (including an iron infusion when my fatigue was actually anemia). So please, I encourage you to seek medical advice if any of these things are also impacting you. Most of all, be kind to yourself.
