I have been intrigued to find that some of my favorite famous, successful people that I follow via podcasts and social media have or have overcome crippling anxiety and fear of failure. It’s one of those things that as an average Jane, I feel like my problems or my fears must be so unheard of to those that are successful.
What’s interesting though is the more I read and listen to these well-known personalities’ stories, the more I find out that these people daily have to face their own fear. Whether it’s in the form of anxiety or whether it’s just every day doubting. They make mistakes just like everyone else and because some of them put everything out there in the lime light for all to see, their failures are out there for all to see. In a weird way, knowing that they face these thoughts and insecurities as well helps me feel a bit more normal in my imperfections.
I am approximately two months into a new role as my home health agency’s wound nurse specialist. I’m no longer case managing patients. Instead I do a lot of remote and in-person consults with my fellow nurses looking at wounds and giving my “expert“ opinion on how we should go forward with treatment. I use those quotation marks around expert because I have had my wound certification for just over a year. It’s almost comical that someone is calling me a specialist or an expert when I am getting hands-on, under fire job training and I am my own trainer! Don’t get me wrong, I do know what I’m doing the majority of the time, but feeling like the new swimmer who’s been plunged into icy deep shark infested water isn’t too far from how I feel some days.
Are you feeling the same way right now? Are you feeling out of your element in your job, things that you were being asked to do in life, with your finances. Trying to squeeze water out of a piece of desert sand? Though I may not be going through the exact same thing, either myself or somebody else has definitely gone through what you’re going through! We all have fears and inadequacies. We all feel the sting of feeling like a fraud. I get it. My imposter syndrome game is strong! I laugh when my nurse colleagues will call me and say “since you’re the wound expert I wanted to call and ask your opinion.” I’m getting more and more comfortable with this and just take it with a grain of salt. All of them know how much experience I have (or rather, how little) but all of them also know my passion and my desire to learn and improve on the daily. I have to remember this when the auditors at work send me messages about things I’ve done wrong or charted incorrectly or things I’ve overlooked from time to time. I’m not perfect, you’re not perfect, and we’re all imperfectly navigating our way through life. Your imperfections are made all the more beautiful through your trials and putting yourself out there. And you may have your imperfections in your face a bit more the more you do put yourself in a place of vulnerability, but remember that it doesn’t mean that you’re less than.
not run from them
If you are going to tackle your money issues, the areas where you have fallen short, and try to create a new infrastructure for how you’ll pave the way for your best future self, expect to have good days and bad. Fear gives you the energy to do the best you can in your unique situation. You can either choose to fight it out and figure it out or you can run away with that energy. It takes the brave person to face their failures and shortcomings or to face or create new adventures ahead of you.
Just because you haven’t been able to save money (pay off your debt, pay your bills on time, stay within your budget, succeed at your job, etc) in the past doesn’t mean you can’t succeed at it now. It’ll be hard. You will have fear. Do it anyway!
Today is a new day. A day with new fears and challenges and renewed energy to face them with me cheering you on to succeed! Be your perfectly imperfect self and rise to the occasion! Do it through your fear and in spite of it! The key is to just get started 💛
Imposter Syndrome: the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.