Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Autumn Walker. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Autumn, 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.
God.
Impostor syndrome is rooted in self-doubt, self-criticism, and self-sabotage. Learning God’s character helps to lean into my true identity. When you know your true self, practices like self-validation, self-compassion and self-discipline become easier to exercise and apply to your everyday choices.
Even if you are not a follower of Christ (though I highly recommend), impostor syndrome cannot stand a chance when you have an undeniable knowledge of your identity, worth, and purpose!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a licensed therapist in Maryland and the founder of The Soul Reason L.L.C, a wellness and self-development company. I help to empower black women challenged with impostor syndrome rooted in lowered self-esteem to feel secure and free in their skin to overcome self-criticism, negative self-talk, and self-doubt.
I feel passionate about our mission to urge Black women to exercise a strong sense of self by centering mental wellness and self-development. At The Soul Reasons L.L.C, we envision a world of Black women living in their soul’s reason in an act to dismantle systemic oppression. We stand on the values of self-confidence, authenticity, and social justice.
As a clinical therapist, being a change agent in the world around me looks like sharing my expertise with anyone willing to receive it. This year, we launched two digital products for “Souldiers” seeking to get out of the way of their goals and purpose. We have a free guide entitled “S.O.U.L: 4-Step Guide To Becoming Impostor Syndrome Free” for those who want a quick start to challenging their inner critic. We also created “Make Up Your Mind: An Expert 3 Step E-Course On Confident Decision Making With Impostor Syndrome” to help you challenge impostor syndrome by making different choices with me as your personal guide! In this 30-minute workshop, you can go at your own pace. It is pre-recorded so you can take your time with the three downloadable worksheets and practice the makeup tips shared look and feel good!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three pivotal factors that changed the trajectory of my journey are grace, vulnerability, and self-awareness. Each intersects with another to help me sustain ongoing personal development. Additionally, they are all accessible to whoever is willing to invest in them.
Grace starts with your self-talk. Self-talk is your inner dialogue that shapes your reality and mental processing. To improve how you extend yourself grace, start with kindness and compassion. Vulnerability requires a sense of honesty with yourself to understand that you are forever evolving. Therefore you will be exposed to parts of you that need tweaking. Sometimes, bringing your “shadowed” areas to the light can be uncomfortable, yet it motivates you to unlock levels within that will bring you closer to your calling. Similarly, self-awareness becomes a source of confidence to keep your perspective and choices in alignment with your true self.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
After deep consideration, I would choose improvement because it will also sharpen my strengths.
To put into context, throughout my personal development I discovered how God gifted me with the spirit of grace. Grace helps me to see others as human and exercise the skills of empathy. By putting this to use, I landed in a career to which I have an authentic passion for that keeps me grounded and fulfilled.
On the other hand, I often struggled with self-criticism. While learning the art of self-compassion, I am also strengthening my gift of grace by expanding its use to myself. In this sense, it creates a positive feedback loop of both maturing my strengths while making room for improvement.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.autumncwalker.com
- Instagram: autumncwalker
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/autumn-walker-5a84a590/
Image Credits
Photos by Timisa and Dexter Davis
