Are you ready for the fall?

Back to school photos rolling in while some are still on vacation? It can only mean one thing:

Pressure.

I mean fall, but really it’s the same.

My September calendar is filling fast, and the attempt at “normal” over-scheduling with a side of mask mandates is not good for my anxiety.

How are you holding up?

Specifically, what routines and activities are most serving you right now? In times of transition, doubling down on those usually is the best way to maintain grounded.

If it’s your weekday hot chocolate at 11am like it is for me, then cheers to both of us. For my fellow A students, you know I’m also walking or working out first thing and sitting up straight in my chair while typing. When all seems more complicated and overwhelming than I can handle, posture feels like just the kind of control I need. And making my bed, which I’m mostly doing as well.

Okay so this is a check-in to see how you are, so please please tell me. Comment here, hit reply to the newsletter hitting your inboxes shortly, DM me on social media. Supporting each other through change always helps and I’m doubling down on that too.

In fact, I have a special offer for mailing list subscribers to get us all through the fall more confidently — and while being kinder to ourselves — so make sure you sign up now to receive it too.

Now, how are you really, really?

You're an imposter and so am I

I’m not a fan of the word Imposter, nor have I ever thought of myself as suffering from Imposter Syndrome.

But I have:

• Worried about what other people will think

• Replayed a meeting in my head to review everything I said

• Wondered, “Why would [insert impressive person] want to talk to me?”

• Asked, “Who am I to receive this opportunity?”

Which by definition is Imposter Syndrome: self-doubt and feeling like a fraud despite evidence to the contrary.

Okay, okay, maybe, but having a name for it doesn’t help it get better.

Author and marketing guru Seth Godin’s perspective though puts Imposter, Fraud, Self-doubt in new light for me, and hopefully you too.

He went on to talk about how we have to be Imposters when launching businesses, writing books, interviewing for jobs, doing anything for the first time, because we haven’t done it before.

We’re seeing what can happen.

Experimenting. Exploring. Dreaming bigger. Taking action.

If Seth Godin or anyone we admire can be Imposters — if you and I can be Imposters and still try new things, survive setbacks and failure and find a way through — it’s much braver than it seems.

As my fellow A students can attest, we don’t like the potential of getting something wrong (the potential of not getting an A on our first attempt), but that doesn’t usually stop us from being scared & doing it anyway.

Many of us are leaping into new territory right now. Going after more meaningful work, more fulfilling relationships, more sanity and patience in a hyper-changing world. When the feeling of self-doubt surfaces, I hope we’ll take a second to remind ourselves of what Brave Imposters we are.

I’m proud of us.

Are you a Brave Imposter too?