Overcoming Impostor Syndrome!!!

This week, my “technical” post is going to be a little different. I decided to write about what I went through in regards to Impostor Syndrome *cue spooky music*. Impostor Syndrome is loosely defined as “doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud”. I have been through every emotion this week, even feeling disgusted looking at myself, because who on earth told me that I could be a software engineer?!

In this post, I want to highlight ways that I’ve overcome this thinking this week. So, here it goes…

Step 1: I began starting my morning off with meditation and prayer. Some of you may choose not to pray or meditate, but this is where you can do something that calms your spirit and the negative thoughts. I usually do this while my children are still asleep, so that it is completely quiet and completely my time.

Step 2:

I schedule my day so that I am not overwhelmed and feelings of inferiority don’t start to kick in. My schedule includes my children’s schedule as well. I have to make sure that I have enough time to handle their needs and get my “assignments” done for the week.

Step 3:

In my opinion, this is the second most important task. I started a journal. When negative thoughts enter my head, I jot them down and come up with opposite thinking. This is helpful because it makes me feel as if I am combatting negativity and feelings of inadequacy head-on with my own words and strength. I am able to halt the thoughts in their tracks and turn them and my emotions around.

Disclaimer: The thoughts will not automatically go away and they come at times that you least expect it, but if you work at it and start to retrain your brain, then the results will improve.

Switching to a new career has been challenging. Searching for a job and maintaining home and life is a challenge. Thoughts are going to creep in, telling you that you aren’t good enough, you’ll never get a job, you don’t understand enough, etc. I challenge you to use these steps to combat whatever thoughts come into your head and focus on the positive opposite.

If you have any advice or any extra tips, let me know in the comments!

I am a black woman.

I am a mother.

I am a software engineer.