Meet Rebecca Gunn

We were lucky to catch up with Rebecca Gunn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

The subject of Imposter Syndrome is one I really love to dig into. I struggled with this concept before I even knew it had a name and once I found out its name, well, now I enjoy unmasking it so it cannot hold others back.

I still remember the exact moment I discovered this concept…I was mindlessly scrolling through my social media feed while waiting for an after school treat for my kids at a fast-food drive-thru when I came across a comment in a photography group that mentioned the Imposter Syndrome. The original photographer had posted something along the lines of, “at what point do you stop feeling like a fraud?” This stopped me in my scrolling exercise because I had often struggled with the same feelings – and not just in photography. After leaving a comment, another commenter encouraged me to look up the Imposter Syndrome. Ever the academic, I started diving into the research of this concept and I discovered it appeared in a variety of areas, especially among women, and especially to those who held positions of leadership.

As I started studying this concept, I became aware of all of the areas I had seen it in my own life where this concept had made me feel insignificant, not good enough, or where I had taken the “fake it until you make it” approach hoping people wouldn’t see through the facade I made…and where I had let this phenomenon stunt dreams, goals, and callings. Then I discovered that college students could especially experience these same feelings, so I dug into the concept further, contacted Dr. Pauline Clance (developer of the Imposter Phenomenon Scale) to have my college students complete the questionnaire, and spent one of my class periods each semester discussing what the Imposter Syndrome is and how to overcome it. What I am about to share comes from my academic background of research, conducting my own research with my students, publishing and presenting that research, my faith, and my own personal experiences…

Through my research, I have come to the conclusion that the Imposter Syndrome can be overcome by something I call the 4R’s which stands for Recognize, Recite, Recall, and Reliance. It is important to first recognize Imposter Syndrome and to understand what it is – doing that alone can help overcome Imposter Syndrome. One study even goes so far as to say that there is power “in being able to name and identify” this internal “enemy” (Bowman & Palmer, 2017, p.3). I know this was certainly the case in my experience. Once it has been recognized, reciting it (or communicating about it) with others – talking it over with trusted friends, family, counselor, mentor, etc. – can also be helpful in overcoming it because they will speak truth and often can help overcome a feeling of insignificance. The third way to overcome Imposter Syndrome I label Recall – this is the remembering what I have overcome in the past and what I have done, while not allowing internal lies to stake a claim in my behavior and beliefs. As a person of faith, I also believe there is a fourth concept – and that is Reliance on what God says about me in the Bible. When I would present on the Imposter Syndrome in my classes at a Christian university, I would also discuss how our spiritual enemy seeks to destroy our callings, talents, and abilities and will succeed in that if we believe the lies regarding who we are. And for me and in all of my research, this was the greatest eye-opener of all: that the giftings and joys we receive in walking out what we are talented in can be stunted by our beliefs (especially with the Imposter Syndrome).

Naming it and now recognizing it has greatly helped me overcome the Imposter Syndrome. Do those feelings like a fraud still sneak in? Oh yes – BUT, I now know how to overcome them through recognizing it and relying on my faith so that it does not hinder me from fully becoming all I was created to be and do.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

* I am a photographer and absolutely love to capture all the moments! From all the big and small celebratory moments for people, to the quiet and beautiful scenes that we may find ourselves in, I seek to find the beauty and joy in all of it! (www.rebeccagunnphotography.com)
* My 12-year-old daughter and I own a small online business where we create and sell earrings and accessories (www.undertheplumeriatree.com)
* I am a college professor. After spending over 10 years in the collegiate classroom, I recently stepped down to only teaching a few classes a year online so that I could be with my kids more; recently started homeschooling my 4 kids (ages 4-12)

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

*Don’t be afraid of big changes. They can be scary, but they also be some of the best moments. One of the scariest moments for me was leaving my secure professional job of 10 years (and half our income) to stay at home with my kids. It has been a journey but I wouldn’t trade it.
*Surround yourself with the right people – people who will lift you up, speak truth, and who know more than you.
*Read. Read the blogs, books, and insights that pertain to your passion.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

This is an area I feel it is sometimes easier to say rather than do, but I will share what I have done in the past that has helped me. I can probably sum up my actions as taking breaks, considering my surroundings, and finding what works best for me in completing tasks,

As counter productive as it can seem, sometimes the best thing for me to do is to just ignore everything on my plate for a time. It doesn’t have to be a long stretch of time, but sometimes just visiting my favorite coffee shop in town or spending a some time playing with my kids and not thinking about allllll the other things helps me take the breath I need to dive into all the tasks before me with a new sense of purpose. Sometimes playing songs that uplift my soul or make me happy while completing everything before me is also helpful (I have been known to play Christmas music in the summer). I think it also depends on the person, but I tend to be what I call a “chunker”…I love to get going on something and work on it in large chunks – but I know other people prefer to work on a little bit at a time – so find whatever system works for you. One thing that also helps me are checklists. Before leaving the full-time job I had, I lived by lists. Then 2020 hit and I basically threw my list making out the window. It has taken me awhile to arrive back at using lists, but I find they can really be helpful to keep me on task and with what I need to do by certain time frames I give myself (which are always before a deadline – also a key point to help not feel overwhelmed). And, probably easier said than done for some (myself included), remembering it is okay to say “no” – even if they seem like they will good – is okay.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All photos (both for Rebecca Gunn Photography and Under the Plumeria Tree) are by me (Rebecca Gunn Photography)

I realize each photo is actually a collection of images – if you need any of them individually, I own every single one of them as they are all my images and that is not a problem if there are certain ones you need.

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