We were lucky to catch up with Berlina Washington recently and have shared our conversation below.
Berlina, 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.
I believe that overcoming imposter syndrome is something you must continue to work on. Here are the 5-steps that I’ve used.
First, recognize that this happens to every human being. We are all in different seasons of our lives, but remember you are not alone.
Second, talk and share your feelings. Keeping things bottled up is not good for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. So talk about it, even if it’s with a licensed professional. I believe wholeheartedly that you must have a great therapist on hand to help you navigate through things.
Third, work smarter not harder. When harboring imposter feelings it can make you feel that you must work harder than everyone else and prove yourself all the time. That’s not true!! You are placing more pressure on yourself, which is not good for your well-being. Trust me I know. I struggled with this. I felt that I needed to always prove myself. However, I’m human and make tons of mistakes each and everyday! Doing this will drain the life out of you. Remember, you can still be a go-getter but just strategize and create a game plan.
Fourth, celebrate the small wins. Recognize that you did something amazing, not only will this boost your confidence and also bring in more positive outlooks.
The fifth and final step, face your failures. I am hard on myself for the slightest failure and it leads me to be burnt out. However, over the years, I realized that I need to be more kind to myself. We either set ourselves up for failure or shield ourselves from the disappointments of the failure. Either way, you have to learn how to process and face it.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a mom, wife, Realtor and newly Certified Life Coach that specializes in helping those navigate through trauma-related experiences and finding themselves through the process.
In January 2023, I launched my brand called Within Her. Within Her Brand was created as a safe space for women who have experienced both childhood and adulthood trauma. Our mission is to help them overcome these experiences by providing a safe and empowered community with access to information, education, recreational activities, support, and services.
My passion and reasoning behind my brand was because of the fact that I myself am a survivor, and I resonate with how that trauma can impact myself and others. By sharing my story I am letting other women and survivors know that they are not alone.
Within Her Brand has been appearing at local markets within Austin and will be fully launching services and products in early 2024. Stay tuned.
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?
The most impactful part of my journey was that I didn’t allow my past to define the person I am today. Harboring events from the past can prevent from reaching your true and most authentic self, it stunts your ability to grow.
My advice to others would be that you don’t have to know actually what you want to do immediately. Healing is an ongoing process, it takes time.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Yes, one of my main goals is working with other women (women shelters, therapists, circles, psychologists, etc).
So far, I’ve met a lot of women that can help assist and organize mentorship, coaching and group sessions. Hopefully, very soon we can make this dream into a reality.
For more information on how we can partner/collaborate, please email me at [email protected].
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.withinher.co
- Instagram: @withinherbrand
- Facebook: @withinherbrand
Image Credits
Crowned Photography Drew Laine Photography
