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Imposter Syndrome can have us living in our heads a lot and left in our thoughts we can overthink things, ruminating over past experiences, worry about the future and keeping the same old negative thoughts on repeat. Using so much brain space each day can be both mentally and physically exhausting.
From my experience of Imposter Syndrome there is a common thread and that is that we can all be a bit (ok a lot) kinder to ourselves with our thoughts and actions. So to break the cycle of negativity we have to learn techniques that help to question that negative chatter that goes on in our heads. Journaling is a great tool to help you do this. There’s something magical about putting pen to paper and asking yourself better questions than you currently do and discovering that what your Inner Imposter says to you might not be the truth!
There are many different ways you can journal and you can decide to purchase a guided journal that gives you daily prompts or you might prefer to have a blank journal so there isn’t a pressure to complete it each day and you also have some flexibility to write about whatever you want and enough space to capture what you want to write. If you fancy the flexible approach, then here are some ideas you could start with now that will help to tame your Inner Imposter:
Gratitude - write about what you’re grateful each day may not seem obvious for tackling Imposter Syndrome, however focusing on what you have and who you have can be a great way to help create a healthier mindset. A study found that writing gratitude letters found that participants had significantly better mental health so from that place you can then start to use that mindset to challenge your current thinking about yourself too.
Capture inspiration - have you ever seen a quote or read something that inspired you? A great way to keep these all in one place is to make a note of them in your journal so when you’re having a confidence wobble, you can flick through and find a quote that grounds you or gives you a boost.
Goals and Achievements - our Inner Imposter likes to think that no achievement is ever good enough so training yourself to make a note each day of your achievements is a great way to prove that you’re doing great things. Research found that when people wrote down 3 good things that happened in their day, their productivity improved, so doing this on a regular basis helps strengthen self confidence and builds self-efficacy.
Empowering questions - all too often when we feel like an Imposter a lot of the questions in our heads when we think about ourselves are negative such as “who am I to be doing this” “I don’t have anything special to offer” “I’m not good enough”. So by asking empowering questions such as “what did I do well today” “what kind words can I say to myself today” or “what are my superpowers” gets you thinking about yourself from a different perspective.
Learn from mistakes - all too often someone who experiences Imposter Syndrome will look negatively on any mistake or failure that happens and may dwell on the issue for too long in their heads. Asking yourself what did you learn from this helps you then to make some changes that can help you should this happen again.
Process negative feelings - it’s all too easy to get stuck in our feelings but sometimes it’s helpful to sit with them and find out what is causing them. Externalising them by putting pen to paper can give you a sense of release and clarity that you might not get from staying inside your head.
Journaling is a great habit that can change your mindset for the better. It can help you to explore your thoughts, declutter your fears, track your progress and recognise your successes. It’s like finding the “unlock” button for your brain so you can start to build confidence from the inside out.
If you would some help with getting started with journaling or you’ve started yet you’re not quite sure what to do or you need to get back on track, take a look at a guided self study online programme I created A Calmer More Confident Me where I guide you through different ways to use your journal. Or if you want some journal prompts to help ask more empowering questions, then check out my coaching card deck which are designed to build self love, self belief and self compassion.
There really are no rules to journaling. The best thing is just to get started. Don’y worry about it being neat or having the right notebook. It’s really about getting started to question that Inner Imposter and recognise you are way better than you think you are.