A lot of people struggle with what’s known as imposter syndrome. That’s where despite your own knowledge and qualification, you still feel deficient in some way to be writing about a subject. (Of course, it applies to more than just writing but that is our focus here!)
Lately I’ve been struggling with these feelings of imposter syndrome, so as I’ve done since an early age I used writing to process them. I sat down to make a list of reasons why I am knowledgeable enough and why it was important to write The Locust Years. I decided to share this as a blog post and hope of helping others who struggle with impostor syndrome. Here are some things I remind myself of when I start feeling the doubts creeping in.
1. My life is a testimony that must be shared.
I often feel as the verse says, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the officials asked him to keep the crowds quiet: “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Luke 19:39-40).
A person can’t go through the things I’ve been through, survive, and not see God behind all of it. How wrong; how ungrateful would I be if I didn’t testify to all of the things he has done for me! Without knowing God, I’m sure I would not be alive today. If I wasn’t killed by one of the many dangers I was exposed to growing up, I would have died at my own hand out of despair. I know I would. These days, I am not only alive but thriving, able to give back to the world in ways I would not be able to without those experiences. If you look back over your life thoughtfully, you will see the places where you’ve been through something unbearable, and God has carried you through. It’s what he does!
2. The people in my life DO care about what I’m doing.
Yes, we all know – don’t worry about what other people think. But we still do! Say you don’t – I’ll tell you that you’re deceiving your own self! But I am learning that when I feel like people from my church, family, or friends are not being supportive, that feeling is imposter syndrome rearing its ugly head. In other words, I am projecting my own deep-seated fear that people will not support or understand why I have shared my onto the people in my life. But I have discovered time and time again, that is not how they really feel at all! In fact, when I have taken the time to talk with them, not one has said an unkind word. They know me, and they know I have a good reason for the things I do. But even if the people in your life don’t understand why you are sharing your story, that doesn’t make it unimportant!
3. Sharing my story gives others strength to share theirs.
One of the main reasons I decided the poems in The Locust Years were worth collecting and publishing is because I know the healing power of telling your story. Often to get past some trauma that has happened to us, we have to get it outside of ourselves! There is such healing power in writing, and the really great thing about it is that you get to turn that trauma – that horrible, negative thing – into something positive. Basically what this boils down to is converting the negative energy surrounding the event into positive energy and putting that back out into the world instead!
So what is the point of all this?
Your story matters. Period. That’s all. When you know deep down that the work you are doing is important, keep doing it! Remind yourself of all the reasons you’re doing the work and all the people it has the power to help. Then just keep pressing on. You will be infinitely rewarded, in more ways than you could ever ask, or think, or imagine.
Are you working on a project you’ve had doubts about but decided it was so important you had to keep going and finish it anyway? I’d love to hear about it! Please share in the comments below!
