This article will be referring to the Smith College graduation speech of 2023. You can view the entire speech here.
Scrolling through Facebook Reels, as I do, I came across an inspiring idea presented in a graduation speech in 2023 by Reshma Saujani.
It had to do with imposter syndrome. A concept that describes why 86% of women feel like they shouldn't have, do, know, be, or live a life that their peers do. Because of some failure of their own, women don't feel worthy. The message came after I had spent some time watching another reader's TikTok live. I left thinking..."I don't think I can get there... do that.... be that.... who would pay me for that... what do I think I am doing?"
Saujani puts forward that Imposture Syndrome, in essence, makes the social constructs that demean women a woman's fault when she expresses feeling demeaned. This is the ultimate gaslighting by a society that systematically pays women less, giving them fewer opportunities, and less support than their male counterparts.
I am late to start my own business, utilizing my skill set to support myself in the most nominal of ways. It wasn't until Saujani's speech that I could understand why.
I was feeling like an imposter.
The facts do not support this view.
I have spent 20+ years learning my trade and longer than that being a seer - not learning to become a seer - being a seer.
I have been life coaching people for fifteen years, ten of them at Willow Dragonstone Community & Coven.
I have married too many couples to count.
I have spent fifteen years learning geomancy and ten years learning horary astrology.
I am more than qualified with my degree in psychology and a three-year ordination program under my belt.
Suddenly, these feelings felt false. I am more than qualified. Society, toxic friends, my abusive family are the voices that say I am an imposter. The simple undeniable truth is....
I Am Not.
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