Let’s discuss Imposter Syndrome, a topic that will be the focus of our upcoming newsletter. I invite you to contribute to this post and have a chance to be featured in the next TSG Blog.
Imposter Syndrome is a persistent feeling of undeserved success or doubting one’s abilities and accomplishments. As I connect with countless estheticians, I’ve noticed a recurring theme. These incredible professionals, with their beauty, intelligence, and skills, often battle with feelings of fraudulence and hold themselves back due to fear of failure or being seen for who they truly are.
Key characteristics of Imposter Syndrome include perfectionism, self-doubt, undervaluing contributions, paralysis, attributing success to external factors, self-sabotage, people-pleasing, setting unrealistic expectations, continuous fear of falling short, burnout, and procrastination.
Why do I want to address this issue? Because acknowledging our limitations is the first step towards overcoming them. It helps us transform those daunting monsters in our lives into something manageable, normal, and right-sized.
You might be surprised to learn that even your mentors and role models have experienced Imposter Syndrome. I encourage you to share your own experiences, how you conquered it, any advice you have for others, and anything else you’d like to contribute.
Together, let’s shed light on Imposter Syndrome and empower one another to rise above it.
I was top 10 finalist age management 2019. Boy, not knowing what the judges were going to ask and studying through me for a loop! I was blessed to “grow up” on an esthetic forum with a bunch of talented therapists. But, I was second guessing myself, comparing and stressing out! What happens if I look a fool in front of my peers? Good news, it threw me into “inner child” work in therapy and It uncovered A LOT and actually nothing to do with how I was feeling about the skingames. I feel everything has a reason for happening. I ended up journaling the outcome of the weekend as if it already happened all in the positive. I had a great time, met a lot of great people, felt very proud of myself and had a wonderful experience!
I’m very confident with what I do as a skincare professional. I specialize in a couple different modalities and in my opinion, the best doing what I do. I stay in my lane. Just because I can do other services, I don’t. My clients come to me because they sense my confidence and excitement for how I will help them. I feel focusing and educating myself on what I love doing has been successful for me. Nobody is better at doing what you do.
Love this topic, cuz like you said it’s a common theme among us.
One thing that has helped me is verbalizing when I feel this way. When I start to feel unworthy, I will turn to my peers and say “I’m having imposter syndrome” with this. And their encouragement lifts me up. I think it’s especially important when doing a competition like TSG! We can start to compare ourselves so quickly, but I’ve shifted my mindset to “we are all equals”. These people are my peers. The judges are my peers. We all have knowledge and expertise to bring to the table.
Another thing that can contribute to imposter syndrome I think is feeling like we have to be good at and LIKE doing all the things in the industry! Let that go!! Focus on a specialty and you will feel so much better about yourself. I used to do everything because I was trying to build my clientele, but I started to feel burned out. Find your niche, and your passion will rise and you will find who you were meant to be.
I have been 20 years in the beauty/skincare industry and seeing a big change in customer expectations. A lot suffer from body dysmorphia it’s impossible to meet their needs. I do have moments of burnout from time to time, but then I go back to the core of why I am in this business serving others
Honestly, I’ve been in the industry for 10years. For a while I had a hard time believing that people actually liked what I did. Even today I don’t completely understand my own success but I’ve become comfortable with the idea and knowledge that I DO do a good job. Not everyone’s a winner (as things go in this industry). And those days hit hard as always. But I’ve come to get used to the idea that overall my technical skills are very good and I AM competent and have earned my level of success.
I wish I could say there was a fast track but really it comes down to thinking outside of the concepts that I was taught in school. If someone comes and says they want A but also B is there a way I can do both? Is it safe? If it is then why not? It also comes to paying close attention to the client and asking yourself as the professional ‘they’re saying they want/have XYZ but is that actually what’s going on here?’
I had imposter syndrome when I first started out because I was inexperienced, but now I have reached 25 years as an esthetician, and I no longer feel this way at all! However, it takes years of experience to gain the knowledge and be able to provide our clients with a valuable experience in our treatment room.
I have in the past like others, “fan-girled” over very popular estheticians who I want to emulate, and when it’s happened to me, I can’t believe it. Like really, you want a picture with me? Who am I that you want a picture with me? Do you think I am someone else? Lol
Although I know who I am and who I want to become, I do find myself questioning the reason behind the ask when I get an invitation. It takes me a little while in the mirror to say: b*tch, you deserve this! Now go rock that sh*t!
I throw myself into being really open to criticism too much sometimes. I don’t mean it like it’s a bad thing all the time- but sometimes when I have those harder to please clients, I take it really hard still, even tho with a coworker or colleague in similar situations I am able to see the signs of stubborn client. I just really hate not pleasing every single person who sits in my chair. I want so badly to make everyone feel beautiful and happy so when I can’t, I really carry that with me still.
I am currently trying to navigate these waters. I am a nurse who started having panic attacks from overworking myself and allowing people to place things on me that should not have been my responsibility. I got my first massage and immediately decided to learn how to help people heal in a different way, through my journey as a massage therapist I discovered esthetics and I fell in love with yet another way I could use my knowledge and compassion to help people heal this way as well. I know that I have so much to offer but I am terrible at accepting compliments or accolades for things. I preach all the right things but I feel like a phony so often. I wish so badly I could find the root and rip that sucker out and wave it in the air from the rooftop. I really feel it keeps me from growing. I own a small spa and my soul craves more but my mind keeps me small. I get so scared even considering that things could grow and get bigger.