Borrowed Confidence: Dismantling Imposter Syndrome

Borrowed Confidence: Dismantling Imposter Syndrome

In this powerful episode of Happiness On Tap, host Leann Herron sits down with Stacy Brookman, leadership coach, keynote speaker, and former corporate high-flyer who knows exactly what it’s like to chase performance metrics and external validation.

After nearly 30 years in the corporate world, Stacy hit a breaking point — the moment she realized success without self-trust isn’t success at all. Now, she helps high-achieving women silence the relentless inner critic, release perfectionism and people-pleasing, and build the kind of confidence that doesn’t disappear when the applause stops.Together, we explore what it means to stop performing, start belonging, and finally trust your worth — from the inside out.

We discussed:

0:00 Greetings and introduction of Stacy Brookman

1:31 Stacy’s journey from corporate leadership to coaching women through imposter syndrome and burnout

3:09 The moment she realized external success couldn’t quiet internal self-doubt

4:05 What “borrowed confidence” really looks like — and how to stop outsourcing your worth

6:54 Genuine confidence versus arrogance

8:12 Leann shares her journey from working with temp agencies to developing professional confidence

13:00 Emotional mastery - you are in charge of your own emotions from thought to action

15:32 The Invisible “Manuals” Making Work Miserable

18:03 Where believing we are responsible for other peoples feelings come from

19:09 How to take back control of your feelings and emotions

23:29 What is imposter syndrome

31:42 Why even top-performing women still struggle with imposter syndrome even when they are excelling

32:42 How childhood memories and early experiences shape self-worth and leadership identity

37:10 Stacy coaches Leann on getting curious about and releasing negative emotional responses

48:55 The biggest myths about confidence that Stacy wishes more people understood

53:22 The importance of learning and teaching confidence, having a voice, and boundaries

1:00:40 What genuine resilience means — and how it evolves when you stop proving and start being

Stacy’s Message:True confidence isn’t about having the right title or the loudest voice in the room — it’s about finally valuing your own voice, even when no one else is clapping.

Episode Resources:

Guest: Stacy Brookman is a leadership coach, keynote speaker, and former corporate high-flyer who traded performance metrics for purpose. Stacy helps high-achieving women finally call off the inner critic, ditch the borrowed confidence, and build a sense of worth that doesn’t depend on applause.

For more information on Stacy Brookman, please visit:

Website: https://realliferesilience.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacybrookman/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RealLifeResilience

About your host:

Leann Herron is a Certified Life and Holistic Health Coach who is a passionate advocate for women’s health and empowerment, devoted to helping Gen X women break free from cycles of over-giving and the stories that keep them stuck. Leann guides women to release stress, reclaim their energy, and create lives that truly fulfill them—body, mind, and spirit.

For more information on Leann Herron, please visit:

Finding Resilience with Leann

Website: https://findingresiliencewithleann.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannherron/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/findingresiliencewithleann

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