038- I am an imposter

Some posts on this blog contain affiliate links. If you click them, I may earn a small commission. It does not cost you anything extra, but this commission helps cover the cost of running this website.

I am an imposter.... I often tell myself.

Have you heard of imposter syndrome? If you haven't, it basically means that you question yourself like this: who am I to think people will actually read this blog? Who am I to think people will care what I write about or what I have to say? Who am I to think that anyone will share my blog posts on social media? Other examples might include, there's already X number of people sharing about this topic- is my story/information/feelings any different? Or, am I wasting my time/breath/words if I don't know if anyone reads or listens to what I have to say?

For fun, I used open AI on Chat GPT and asked it to write a paragraph about imposter syndrome. Here's what it had to say... Imposter syndrome, folks, is that sneaky little voice in your head that tries to convince you that you're just faking it and you don't really belong where you are. It's like your inner troll, but instead of living under a bridge, it sets up camp in your brain. You might be killing it at work, acing your classes, or nailing a new hobby, but imposter syndrome is that uninvited guest at the success party, whispering, "You're a fraud." The thing is, it's surprisingly common and can hit anyone, even the most accomplished people. So next time it pays you a visit, remember, you're not alone in this imposter syndrome club, and you're way more awesome than that pesky voice would have you believe.

I struggle with this a lot on this blog. I started it for my own creative outlet and to share things about life that are helpful to me. But I will be honest here... I want to know people read this blog. I want to know that it makes an impact. I want to know that people like what I write. I want to know that readers are sharing it with their friends and family. I get analytics through this site but they aren't all that helpful. I don't *want* to care about this, but I do. I think most people who say they don't care, really do.

One thing that's different about my blog is that I am not (at this time) trying to monetize it. Most bloggers use their platform to make money. I can't say that I never will, but it's not in my plan at this point. I just want to make an impact and I want people to tell me that I am making an impact. It's definitely a self-serving feeling... and I hate feeling this way. But those that know me well, know that I am about as real as it gets so I am being honest. As my friend Emily Reuschel said, I am a work in progress, but aren't we all?

My overall concept here on this blog is "Make yourself proud." Breaking through the imposter syndrome feelings is a way to help make myself proud. It's an ongoing journey and it's kind of like 3 steps forward, two steps back. I think we all feel this way sometimes. Do something that kicks imposter syndrome in the face that will Make Yourself Proud!