Is ‘Imposter Syndrome’ a feminist issue?

[MacaroonMama]

I am really struggling with this at the moment! I absolutely know it is a first world, entitled problem, but I have struggled with what my friend has recently told me is called ‘imposter syndrome’ my whole life, I think, and have started to link it to lots of things to do with how girls are socialised.

Now I am a mum to three young (absolute gorgeous little crackers of) children and have given up full time work to bring them up, also doing various different jobs to bring in money/‘keep my hand in’ - but I feel awful at all of them! Undeserving and that everyone is better than me, etc!

Has anyone else had this? What helped?

Thanks for any replies xx

Very common. The biggest step is recognising it.

if I spot it I can tell myself not to be so silly, or ask myself what would a man say/think/do

Happened yesterday, the boss praised something I had done and I immediately panicked that I would not live up to expectation , that the next phase would fail. I had to tell myself that I was already good, that I have proved myself time and time again.

The more interestingly question is what are we doing differently in raising boys and girls that leads to This? Do wel tell girls that pride comes before a fall whilst praising boys?

Yep. I’ve had this feeling. Maybe you are missing the confirmation/validation from a formal employer that you had before. I think lots of people have a tendency toward imposter syndrome. I know men who have had it and gotten over it, I don’t feel like that anymore with any work I do here and there. I did do though for a long time and I do think it’s partly a lack of validation from “above” and feeling that you need it. You can reframe it to get over it.

I often heard pride comes before a fall as a child- not from my parents though- and I did beleive it- but then I was told also in school that every sin created a black mark on my soul that had to be washed clean by confession 😬 I definitely think I was guilted into not expecting much as a little kid!