Am I an Imposter or Am I Oppressed?
Activist and Writer, Shivani Seth, recently wrote a post for Rest for Resistance that explores the concept of the imposter syndrome. In the post, she shares her growing awareness of self includes an understanding that her self-confidence is connected to her ability to name her oppression. Her thoughts are honest, thoughtful and relatable. This matters to our mental health! For an exert, please see below:
There’s a thousand self-help books, talk shows, and Ted Talks about self-confidence. It seems to be seen as a magic bullet, something that would solve everything if we could get enough. But what I never see is an examination of why people continue to struggle with low self-esteem in the first place, particularly within oppressed communities.
Low self-confidence affects most aspects of my life. When I walk into a space, I often find myself looking for a validating presence. Someone who I can lock eyes with in the middle of a meeting if something strange happens or if something horrible gets said and no one else seems to react. This may sound intense or like a great deal of effort, but if you’ve ever been in a place where you feel like you’re the only one reacting, or where people discredit when you say something isn’t right, you may know what I’m talking about.