On the outside, you’re the success story everyone admires – you are driven, reliable, and accomplished. Yet behind the scenes, you secretly wonder how long you can keep this up. Despite your achievements, you’re haunted by self-doubt, battling the exhausting fear that someone will soon discover you’re not as capable as they think. How do I know this? Because I’ve been there too.
I’m Anna Shears, Positive Psychologist MSc, EMCC accredited coach practitioner, and founder of ‘the authentic imposter co.’ I specialise in helping high achieving women just like you, step out from behind their masks and reclaim genuine confidence.
Having worked closely with entrepreneurs and leaders, I know firsthand the hidden struggles beneath your outward success. Through my signature positive psychology informed coaching programme, The Unmasked Method.
I will be joining you here at Elevate regularly to share The Unmasked Method with you and hopefully supporting you to move beyond imposter syndrome and reconnect with your true self-worth.
For this first month we are going to focus on finding calm after a season of doing it all… sound familiar?
Much like the glow of Summer, success has a way of looking polished on the outside. The full diary, the constant reliability, the career milestones that others admire.
Yet when the seasons turn, it’s often the quietest doubts that surface: Did I make the most of those long days or was I just rushing through them? Why do I feel more drained than restored? Am I really keeping up? Autumn especially can magnify these questions, as the light fades and routines shift.
Psychologists know that transition points in the year can unsettle our sense of control. But they also offer the opportunity to restore it, and here is how we can all reset as the new season approaches.
- A consistent morning ritual, no matter how small, creates stability when everything around you can feel like it’s shifting. Think going for a walk, journaling, light exercise, or 10 minutes of quiet time with your favourite drink before the day begins.
- Another proven technique is to write down even modest wins throughout the day. This retrains the brain to see evidence of your worth rather than overlooking it and for an extra boost of positivity, why not read back through all your accomplishments at the end of the week.
- And finally, when times can feel heavy, making space for catchups with someone you trust can soften the weight of carrying it all alone.
The women I work with often discover that their confidence grows not from pushing harder, but from choosing quiet, grounding acts of self-empowerment such as these.
This Autumn, give yourself permission to stop performing, feel proud of all you have achieved and step into the season’s calmer rhythm.
Credit: Anna Shears, Positive psychologist, accredited coach practitioner, and consultant. www.annashears.com
