Ambitious & Insecure? How High-Achieving Women Can Beat Self-Doubt

Welcome to the Be Well Club podcast, the go-to for ambitious women seeking to balance their lives through holistic well-being. In this episode, our host Bithiah delves into the subject of imposter syndrome, the hidden psychological pattern that rears its head even in the most successful individuals and encourages debilitating self-doubt. Bithiah, a wellness coach for driven women, enlightens you about the origins of imposter syndrome and lets you in on the tools that she has successfully implemented to combat it.

In our dive, we'll discuss how imposter syndrome is not an official diagnosis but a dangerous pattern of self-doubt. It whispers that you are a fraud on the brink of being exposed, triggering stress that, in turn, affects your health and well-being. Bithiah lays down the root causes of this syndrome, mainly societal expectations set upon women and an ever-pressing need for high achievers to outdo their own set goals.

Clearly connecting the link between imposter syndrome and nutrition, the episode emphasizes the role of holistic nutrition in tackling these nagging thoughts and stress. The host provides effective strategies like focusing on facts, reframing mistakes, sharing struggles, and acknowledging your triumphs.

This enlightening episode isn't limited to identifying the problem. It offers actionable solutions to curb the negativities associated with this syndrome. It also highlights the importance of balancing your nutritional health using brain-boosting foods and supplements and leaping back onto the wagon of positive mental health, leaving behind your self-doubt.

Concluding the episode, Bithiah assures ambitious achievers like you that, despite the time it may take, you can indeed weaken the grip of imposter syndrome and echo the truth - that you are worthy of your success. So, let's journey towards owning our power and nourishing our bodies along with our minds.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello, ambitious achievers. Welcome to another episode of the Be Well Club podcast.
I'm your host, Pithia. And as you may already know, I help driven women like
you level out their lives through a focus on holistic well-being.
And today, we are tackling something a lot of us struggle with,
even the most successful.

(00:22):
And if you guessed imposter syndrome, you are definitely right.
You know, those nagging voices in your head whispering, you're not enough,
not good enough, that you are a fraud just waiting to be exposed.
Well, ladies, let me tell you, you are not alone. own.
Imposter syndrome is a sneaky beast, especially for high achieving women.

(00:47):
And that's why we're here today to dive in, understand where it comes from.
And I will also give you a few tools that I myself have implemented.
So I know it works. And I'm hoping that you guys would also implement these
tips I'll be giving you so that you can reclaim your power.

(01:08):
All right, so the good the news here is imposter
syndrome isn't some official diagnosis and rather
it's more a pattern of self-doubt it makes you
discount your accomplishments saying things
like i was just lucky it was perfect timing or worse i just fooled everyone
i know i have felt all of these especially the timing part of my career and

(01:33):
i remember i used to just feel like hey i think i got that promotion because
I was just at the right place at the right time.
Even though when everyone around you praises your smarts,
but you still have this fear that you're going to be exposed and that you're
incapable and that you were just lucky being there at perfect timing, right?

(02:01):
And ladies, Please let me tell you, this isn't just nerves or low confidence.
Imposter syndrome is this relentless, nagging doubt that passers you even when
your success is undeniable.
You might think, wait, shouldn't my achievements make me more confident?
Sadly, that's not how it always works. Because as high achievers,

(02:26):
we often set impossible standards for ourselves.
I know I do. I constantly pushed myself to outdo my goals even when the initial
goal was crazy hard to reach so any little setback feels like proof I am not good enough,
And you know what? Women have it even tougher. Think about the messages we get as girls.

(02:49):
Be modest. Downplay your successes.
It's that whole good girl syndrome.
And it lays the perfect groundwork for imposter thoughts to take root.
And plus, a lot of us still work in environments where we are the minority.
And a lack of representation makes those doubts worse, doesn't it?
You start thinking, did I really earn this?

(03:10):
Or am I a diversity hire? Maybe I got lucky or they just peed at me.
And even amazing women battle with this.
Michelle Obama felt like an imposter at Princeton and Emma Watson,
a global star, still struggles with it.
All right. So if you're wondering what does imposter syndrome has got to do

(03:35):
with nutrition? Nutrition.
A lot. Imposter syndrome creates crazy stress, in case you didn't know.
And hey, we know, stress is my favorite topic.
When your mind is on fraud alert, it throws your whole system out of whack.
Stress hormones, cortisol, and adrenaline, they mess with your digestion,

(03:57):
your sleep, your energy, which in turn makes fighting those imposter feelings even harder.
I know, it's a nasty little cycle, but that's where nutrition or rather holistic nutrition comes in.
By nourishing your body with proper foods, prioritizing sleep,
and supporting your gut, you are building a stronger foundation to address those nagging thoughts.

(04:22):
Okay, let's get practical. How do you fight imposter syndrome?
Alright, so first things first, focus on facts.
When those thoughts hit combat them
with evidence list your accomplishments
testimonials or positive feedback because logic
is your secret weapon here when

(04:45):
you keep a handy reminder of your wins especially when
imposter syndrome kicks in you will be able to easily go back to it and remind
yourself of how good you are and how successful you are and keep doing that
until those negative thoughts fades away.

(05:09):
Okay, focus on facts. Number two, reframe mistakes.
Everyone messes up. I used to beat myself up so badly over mistakes.
Instead of catastrophizing, use mistakes to learn.
I now write them down right away
and make a plan to improve and this

(05:29):
honestly cuts down overthinking and has helped me focus on solutions usually
within a couple of hours let me tell you before i started reframing my mistakes
oh boy i will be in that overthinking cycle for Or, geez,
like from two to four to seven days, I'll just keep thinking and thinking about it.

(05:55):
But now, I've learned to read from my mistakes and I can bounce back super quick.
Thirdly, share your struggle. You will be amazed how many women feel the same.
And that's why talking lessens the power of these thoughts.
And if you have read Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.

(06:18):
You know how the author has mentioned that we love to talk.
So talk, talk things out, share your struggles, share it with obviously someone
that you trust, right? Right.
And remember, studies have shown 70% of people experience imposter syndrome and you are not alone.

(06:39):
For me, I realized that I tend to share my struggles more with my partner,
but obviously it depends on the topic.
Right. But I noticed that majority of the time I do share it more with my partner
just because we have created this safe space.
And I just feel very safe to share it with him and I know that he's going to

(07:06):
help me get out of it faster by motivating me by you know giving me pap talks or whatever.
So yeah share with someone that
you trust and lastly make sure
you are celebrating your wins it doesn't matter
how big or how small it is always acknowledge them

(07:27):
because what you're doing here is actually building a
positive track record in your own mind so that
when those imposter thoughts kick in you have
them in handy to counter them back so let's not forget our foundation or in
other words how nutrition can play a role here so make sure that you're always

(07:49):
eating for stability because balanced blood sugar keeps your mood steadier.
And when your blood sugar is steadier, it helps fight those anxiety spirals
imposter syndrome can trigger.
I used to binge on chocolate when I feel stressed due to various factors,
including imposter syndrome. Why?
Because it gives me an instant but short-term dopamine kick.

(08:13):
Oh boy, it made things worse for me in the long run.
As you know, I gained 20 pounds. But yeah, now I eat consciously.
I'm aware when I'm on fight or flight mode. And instead of reaching for that
bar of chocolate, I will go get walnuts yogurt or cranberry raisins from my

(08:33):
pantry yeah in fact I think walnuts are my,
go-to now I literally stock them
every month I get them from Costco I think
it's about ten dollars a bag it's super tasty
I love it and I love how it's also really good
for your brain health health win-win eh
yeah and now next

(08:56):
thing on my list is to incorporate more
brain boosting foods omega-3s from fatty
fish colorful veggies they support cognitive function and that makes it easier
for you to see things clearly and this is also how i've managed to not dwell
on negative thoughts for days honestly now as i mentioned earlier it takes me

(09:18):
two to four hours to get back up and get things going with a positive mindset.
Crazy, but honestly, nutrition plays a huge role.
Lastly, make sure you are stocking up on adaptogenic herbs or supplements.
They can help your body cope better with chronic stress. For me,
I like to keep my gut health in check every day with my Greek yogurt,

(09:40):
magnesium supplements, dandelion root tea, and maggot powder.
I also know my body so well that as soon as I can feel stress hitting me,
I will go straight to nourishing my body,
practicing mindfulness or somatic movements to calm myself down.
All right, ambitious achievers, imposit syndrome won't disappear overnight,

(10:04):
even if you apply all the tips that I've shared with you on this podcast.
But you can weaken this group. Trust me, because it has helped me tremendously.
And remember, you're worthy of your success. Own your power and nourish your
body along with your mind.
And if you need any support, check out my coaching programs at bithya.co.

(10:29):
That's B-I-T-H-I-A-H dot co.
Until next time, keep shining and believing in yourself.