We recently connected with Alicia Zamora and have shared our conversation below.
Alicia, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve overcome it yet—and I’m learning that maybe it’s not something you completely “get over,” but more something you learn to live with and push through. I really love this question though, because it gives me the chance to be honest about something that a lot of us deal with but don’t always talk about. For me, imposter syndrome comes and goes. Some days I feel confident and grounded in what I’m doing, and other days I feel like I’m just pretending—like I’m not qualified to take up the space I’m in. I remember struggling with it a lot during my freshman year of college. I was still trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted to do. That’s also around the time I started my blog account, and I remember feeling like I was stepping into a world I didn’t belong in. It felt like I was doing something bold, but also something kind of taboo, like, “Who gave me permission to create and share like this?” That feeling hasn’t completely gone away. I’m actually in the middle of rebranding right now, which is why all of my posts are gone from Instagram. That decision felt heavy. It felt like I was hiding all the work I’ve done, and in a way, I guess I was. But that’s what imposter syndrome does—it convinces you that no matter how much you’ve accomplished, it’s never enough. It tells you that you’re just faking it and eventually everyone will figure that out. I think I’ve also put a lot of pressure on myself with these unrealistic standards. Like, if I’m not constantly hitting a certain level, I must be failing. And if I’m failing, then maybe I never deserved any of it to begin with. But here’s what I’m learning: that voice isn’t the truth. It’s just fear. And I’ve started to realize that I can feel fear and still keep going. What’s helped me the most, especially recently, is having people around me who remind me of who I am. Friends who see me for more than just the “work” I do or the content I post. Friends who check in, hype me up, or just sit with me when I’m doubting everything. That’s made a huge difference. I’ve been really lucky to meet some beautiful souls through this journey, and I don’t think I would’ve made it this far without them. So no, I haven’t “overcome” imposter syndrome. But I’ve stopped letting it control me. I still have moments where I spiral and question myself, but I try to ground myself in the bigger picture. I try to remember why I started and who I’m becoming. I’m learning to give myself grace, to celebrate the small wins, and to keep creating even when that little voice tells me not to. If you’re feeling that way too, just know you’re not alone. And you’re not a fraud. You’re growing—and that’s the realest thing you can do.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
This is always such a hard question for me to answer! I feel like I’m constantly changing, growing, and trying new things—so putting a label on myself has always felt kind of limiting. I want to say I’m a journalist-creative, because that’s probably the closest thing that makes sense on paper. But even then, it doesn’t feel like the full picture. The truth is, I don’t just do one thing—and I don’t want to.
I love to write. That’s definitely a huge part of who I am. Whether it’s interviews, essays, film scripts, or just notes in my phone at 2am, writing has always been my way of processing the world. But I also love filming. I love directing. I love being behind the camera and in front of it, creating visuals that feel personal and alive. I find myself drawn to stories and people and ideas that make me feel something—and I just follow that. I guess you could say I like to do anything and everything that catches my eye and makes me curious.
Alicia’s Studio kind of became my space for that—my little creation where I get to just be myself. I built it as a way to connect with artists, learn more about their stories and their music, and also give myself room to explore all the different creative things I love. It’s not just about interviews or film or photography—it’s all of it. It’s whatever feels real to me in the moment.
Alicia’s Studio has also become this place where I don’t have to choose between my interests. I can film a mini-doc one day, write a personal reflection the next, or interview someone whose music moved me. I don’t feel like I need to fit into a single lane—and I think that’s the whole point. I’m still figuring out exactly what I want to “be,” but I know I want to lead with passion and honesty. I know I want to keep telling stories that matter to me. And I know I want to stay open to wherever that path leads—even if it doesn’t come with a perfect job title.
I think I used to stress a lot about having a “title” or making things make sense to other people. Like, am I a writer? A filmmaker? A storyteller? But I’m realizing now that I don’t need to pick just one. I don’t want to limit myself to a label that makes me feel like I have to stay in one lane. I’m still figuring things out, and I think that’s okay.
Right now, I’m just following what feels good—telling stories, creating things that matter to me, meeting people who inspire me. That’s the heart of it all. And if that means I can’t be easily defined, I think I’m finally okay with that.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
When I really sit and think about it, I think the three things that have helped me the most are: staying curious, learning to trust myself, and just… people. The good ones. The ones who remind you who you are.
The first one—curiosity—has honestly been at the core of everything I do. I’ve never been someone who sticks to just one thing. If something catches my eye, I want to try it. That’s how I ended up writing, filming, directing, designing, interviewing… all of it. I didn’t always know what I was doing, but I liked figuring it out as I went. If you’re just starting out, I’d say don’t worry so much about being great at something right away. Just follow what makes you excited or even just a little curious. That’s usually where the best stuff starts.
The second thing is learning to trust myself—which hasn’t been easy. I’ve had so many moments where I’ve overthought everything, or talked myself out of sharing something because I didn’t think it was good enough. Imposter syndrome definitely showed up a lot, especially when I first started posting on Instagram or putting out work under Alicia’s Studio. I’d look at what other people were doing and start doubting my own voice. But I’ve realized that trust doesn’t come all at once—it builds slowly. You have to keep showing up, even when you’re unsure. Some of my favorite projects have come out of moments where I had no idea what I was doing, but I went with my gut anyway.
And then the last thing—friends. That one’s honestly been everything. Just having a few close friends who really get me, who I can be real with without having to explain too much—that’s made such a difference. I remember one time I was talking to a friend and they said , “No one really knows what they’re doing,” and it was so simple, but it stuck with me. I think about that all the time. It reminded me that we’re all kind of just figuring things out as we go, and that’s okay. You don’t have to have all the answers. If you’re just starting out, I’d say make sure you’re around people who ground you. The ones who make you feel calm, not like you’re always playing catch-up. The right people remind you that you’re already enough, even when you’re in the middle of the mess. So yeah—stay curious, trust yourself (even when you don’t have it all figured out), and lean on your people. That’s what’s helped me the most, and it’s what I always try to come back to.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
It’s weird because on the outside, I keep things moving. I’m building Alicia’s Studio, working on projects, trying to stay consistent. But on the inside, there’s still this fear that maybe I’m not “good enough” in the way I think I should be. That maybe people will see through it. That maybe I’ve gotten this far off luck or good timing, and one day it’ll run out. It’s a hard thing to admit, especially when you’re used to being the one who keeps it together. A lot of this doubt, I think, comes from the pressure I put on myself. I hold myself to really high standards—sometimes without even realizing it—and when I don’t meet them, I spiral into this place of overthinking. Like I always have to prove something, not just to others but to myself. And that gets exhausting. What I’ve been trying to do lately is slow down and really question those thoughts instead of just believing them. I’ve been reminding myself that I’ve already done things I once doubted I could. I look back at older work that I used to be scared to release, and now I see how far I’ve come. That helps. I’m also learning that self-doubt doesn’t mean I’m not capable—it just means I care. It means I’m stepping into something that matters to me, and that’s why it feels so vulnerable. Talking to people helps too. I’ve had friends remind me that most of us are figuring things out day by day. That no one really has it all together, even if it looks that way. Hearing that from people I trust has been grounding. It makes the weight of it all feel a little lighter.I don’t have it all figured out, but I’m trying to be gentler with myself. To not let self-doubt make decisions for me. To show up anyway—even if I feel uncertain. That, to me, is progress.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alicias-studio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicia.blogss/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqTOlyE0Vzt6_L9hKaWRU-A
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