Dealing With Impostor Syndrome? These Psychologist-Approved Tips Can Help

It's no surprise that with the current state of the world, people are more anxious than ever. In 2024, about 43 percent of Americans reported having anxiety, which created side effects like burnout at work, racing thoughts at night before bed, and functional freeze, or the inability to move through certain emotions—no thanks to (*looks around*) all the things to be done in a given day.

But thankfully, the increase in anxiety has also come with an increase in resources to help. Teletherapy, support groups, and even online courses provide new avenues for not just overcoming anxiety, but using it as a guiding emotion to help improve our lives.

This is why MasterClass, the online platform allowing people to learn from the world's leading experts, launched a new original series in March called In Practice. Here, we spoke with the series host, renowned clinical psychologist Alexandra Solomon, PhD, to learn more about the first episode—"Your Anxiety Toolkit"—and her tips for relieving anxiety and impostor syndrome.

More about In-Practice on MasterClass

Each episode of In Practice will cover a different mental health topic and feature advice from Dr. Solomon and experts in various fields. (The first episode featured guests like drag superstar RuPaul, author James Clear, and neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, sharing how they've overcome anxiety in work and life.)

More specifically, "Your Anxiety Toolkit" covers why anxiety happens in the first place, ways to work with it, and how it affects your relationships, self-image, and home and work life. Dr. Solomon also discusses topics like toxic productivity, the mind-body connection, reframing negative thoughts, daily stress-relief rituals, and overcoming impostor syndrome, a phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments in people who are high achievers.¹

Read on for Dr. Solomon's unique take on impostor syndrome (spoiler: it's not all on you!) and other anxiety relief tips she shared in the class on MasterClass.

Why does impostor syndrome happen in the first place?

"There are few things more stressful than feeling like you're walking around as a fraud or like you're about to get found out," says Dr. Solomon. You've likely fallen into the thought trap that impostor syndrome is a result of your lack of effort or shortcomings, but that's not usually the case. Dr. Solomon suggests it's often due to larger systemic issues, especially in today's society.

"We get really convinced that somebody else in our spot would be coasting," Dr. Solomon explains. But systemically, there could be barriers keeping you from feeling comfortable, confident, and capable. Here are the top three culprits she outlines.

1. You're the first person like yourself to be in this position

When dealing with impostor syndrome, "don't personalize something that is inherently systemic," Dr. Solomon says in the class on MasterClass. "It may just be that you are the first person who looks like you in the room that you're in, of that gender, race, or country of origin in a space like this," she adds.

Instead of wondering whether you're not qualified or experienced enough, stop to consider if you're the first person of color, woman, or minority of any kind in your position or even field. If no one (or very few people) has come before you, it makes sense that you might feel out of place at first.

Recognize that sometimes, impostor syndrome can be a result of marginalization (i.e., certain people being "othered"), a toxic work environment, or a societal issue. This is an important first step toward undoing its hold on your mental well-being.²

2. You haven't received enough training or guidance

In some cases, impostor syndrome can simply mean that you need to ask for some help (which is okay, BTW!). Maybe you haven't received enough training for certain parts of your job, or you haven't taken enough classes on a topic to feel comfortable enough teaching it to others.

"Impostor syndrome can mean you truly aren't ready, but instead of taking that to mean you are 'bad' or 'wrong,' take it as a blinking indicator light that you may need to ask for some more training or supervision," Dr. Solomon suggests.

3. You are growing—so, give yourself grace

Lastly, impostor syndrome can be reframed as a reflection that you are growing, according to Dr. Solomon. Maybe you're out of your comfort zone because you started a new job, or you're feeling challenged by a project at work. This just means you need practice and time to grow. Over time, you will feel more comfortable.

That's not to say you won't still have negative self-talk while doing hard things. But thankfully, Dr. Solomon says you'll start to create a "feedback loop where doing hard things turns down that critical voice," also known as your inner critic.

4 ways to relieve impostor syndrome

You can't guarantee you'll never feel impostor syndrome again, but there are a few ways to help relieve its effects next time it comes around in life. Here's what Dr. Solomon recommends.

Ask yourself 3 clarifying questions

In the class on MasterClass, Dr. Solomon lays out three critical questions to ask yourself to figure out where your impostor syndrome is stemming from. They are:

• "Am I taking something systemic and making it personal?" Maybe your feelings are a natural byproduct of your environment. If you feel ill-equipped or out of place in certain spaces, it could be that society has not made that space easily accessible for you in the first place.
• "Might I need to ask for more training or resources to do my job?" If yes, it might be time to check in with your boss or a trusted life mentor to ask for help.
• "Do I need to give myself more patience and grace?" Having grace, patience, and time on your side will help you feel more comfortable and capable over time.

Ultimately, "the skill of giving things back to the system, or knowing things are hard because they're just hard, creates a very different relationship with your talent and opens up a whole set of possibilities for how we move through it," Dr. Solomon adds.

Talk to your friends

"Talk to your friends about your experience to know that you are not alone," Dr. Solomon says. You might be surprised to learn they're feeling the same way from time to time. With the right support, your feelings of impostor syndrome might dial down.

Try not to compare yourself to others—online and IRL

Dr. Solomon says most people share highly curated versions of themselves on social media, which can create a dissonance between the self you put online and the ways you truly feel on the inside, making your impostor syndrome feel more like you "capital T" truth.

To counteract this, try to avoid playing the comparison game—be it friends, family members, or strangers—online and in real life. More often than not, people are sharing only the highlight reels of their lives, not the flops. While it's not inherently bad to share your wins on social media, just remember it doesn't always give the bigger picture of who you are collectively. Say to yourself: This isn't all of me.

Let yourself explore other paths

If something is not right for you (think: a job, hobby, or other experience), your feelings of impostor syndrome might also be a sign that it's time to try something new. Let yourself be open to the possibility of other paths in life; you may find something better suited to your skillset and personality.

More of Dr. Solomon's favorite anxiety-relief tips

One of the topics covered in "Your Anxiety Toolkit" is called interoception, aka how we perceive what's happening inside our bodies. Because of the nonstop nature of life (read: social media, notifications, news, work, kids), you might feel a bit disconnected from your body and inner world.

But your body and mind are highly connected: "Research shows that 80 percent of the information [we receive] travels from our bodies up to our brains," not the other way around, Dr. Solomon says. This is why being in touch with our bodily sensations—including pain and tension—is important for relieving things like anxiety.

Consider these tips and tricks that Dr. Solomon suggests to tap into your mind-and-body connection and relieve anxiety.

Do a body scan

A great interoception exercise discussed in this class on MasterClass is called the body scan practice. It's a type of meditation that takes stock of how your body feels in moments of tension versus relaxation. Research has found the practice to help reduce daily anxiety and improve a sense of well-being.³ Here's how to do it:

• Find a comfortable seat and place your feet firmly on the ground
• Soften your gaze
• Begin deep belly breathing, and notice how your body feels as a whole
• Starting at your head, begin to slowly take stock of how each major body part and muscle group feels, and when you come across a clenched or tense part, notice it and try to soften
• Once you get to your feet, take a few more deep breaths to return to the present moment
• Repeat as needed

"Being able to notice and tend to bodily cues keeps us from veering too far off track into a state of numbness and flatness, or too far into a state of anxiety or hyper-arousal," Dr. Solomon explained in the class.

Try a thought-reframing exercise

Instead of punishing or putting yourself down for having anxious thoughts, try to reframe them. For example, if you're nervous about an upcoming event, try reframing it in your mind by telling yourself that you're excited instead. You can also repeat positive affirmations to yourself to counteract negative or anxious thoughts, like "I am enough" or "I've got what I need," when you're feeling inadequate or stressed.

Get some morning movement in

Moving your body first thing in the morning will help ground you and kickstart your mind-body connection. Dr. Solomon suggests taking a 10- to 15-minute walk or jog, doing some stretches or yoga, or practicing mindful movement like Tai Chi or Qigong to reduce anxious energy. And if you don't have time for that? Just stand up and "shake it out" (i.e., shake your body for a few seconds to release your muscles).

Take midday mindfulness breaks

Building breaks into your day can actually increase productivity and support your emotional well-being. For example, Dr. Solomon loves to eat mindfully at lunch, noticing the tastes, smells, and sight of her food. She also suggests taking slow, mindful showers (i.e., not thinking about your to-do list while scrubbing away), guided meditations, a quick journal entry, listening to music, or doing a few chores slowly, like dishes or laundry.

Stick to an evening wind-down routine

Try watching a show at the end of the day that requires your full attention, rather than watching micro clips of content from your phone screen, Dr. Solomon suggests. Before bed, you can also try listing some things you are grateful for, or what she calls the "high, low, grateful" exercise in the class on MasterClass. This involves noting one high point, one low point, and one source of gratitude from the day.

Separate what you can and can't control

"From our partner's behavior, our kids' behaviors, things that happen in the workplace, or the news of the day, there are things that are beyond our control," says Dr. Solomon. But learning to separate what we can and can't control often sets us free from unnecessary anxiety and overthinking. If it's something out of your control, there is no sense in ruminating over it—try to reflect on it and then let it go.

Practice radical self-acceptance

Part of the anxiety-relief process involves radically accepting yourself at all stages of your growth. By accepting yourself, you're also permitting yourself to live more authentically, and "authenticity is a powerful antidote to anxiety," Dr. Solomon explains. Accepting who you really are—living as your most authentic version—may help you move through anxiety instead of fighting against it.

The bottom line

Remember: "Anxiety is less like a foe and more like a guide," says Dr. Solomon. The thoughts and feelings that come with anxiety can serve as a reminder to slow down, rest, and reset, so you can move through life a little more easily and stress-free.

So, the next time you feel overwhelmed at work, school, or just by life in general, "rather than saying to yourself, 'I have worked hard enough to rest,' start asking yourself, 'Have I rested long enough and well enough to do my best work?'" Dr. Solomon says.

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