Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1441323
New member benefit! Get the ASCP SkinPro App at ascpskincare.com/skinpro 51 THINKING YOU DON'T REALLY BELONG in a room full of business owners. Having a full schedule but feeling like you "just got lucky" in running a business. Turning down a chance to be a speaker at a trade show because you "don't know enough." These are feelings many business owners experience. They're also common indicators of impostor syndrome. Impostor syndrome is common and pervasive in all professions and certainly not exclusive to beauty and wellness providers. The term impostor phenomenon was coined in the late 1970s by psychologists Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clance and was later popularized as impostor syndrome. They found the phenomenon occurs among high achievers, especially women, who struggle to internalize their success. 1 Rowan Blaisdell, former massage therapist, current psychotherapist, and host of the Therapy for Humans podcast (therapyforhumanspodcast.com), describes impostor syndrome as the feeling that you don't belong or haven't earned your place, that you're not smart or experienced enough. Impostor syndrome often includes the fear you will be "found out" and uncovered as a fraud. Blaisdell says impostor syndrome is often rooted in low self-esteem, performance anxiety, and fear of failure. A work or home environment where people are harshly criticized for mistakes can increase all these feelings. Impostor syndrome is common in people starting a new endeavor, like beginning school or opening a business. It often happens when doing something outside your comfort zone. While it is normal for a new venture to cause self-doubt, impostor syndrome can allow fear to overtake the feeling of accomplishment that has truly been earned. 2 THE PHENOMENON OF IMPOSTOR SYNDROME AND STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING IT AT BAY by Allissa Haines