IMPOSTOR

I sat on stage at the Women of Color Leadership Panel about a week ago. This was an event I was invited to speak at, to share my story of Music & Mindfulness to the students and staff of Crown Prep Academy. I put on a new black silk skirt, black tank top, and black and white patterned blazer I had just picked up the week before. I also got to put on my black Steve Madden stilletos. As I walked toward the campus, a young girl and I made eye contact. I smiled, and she smiled back. “I love your outfit,” she told me. She made my whole day.

On the panel, I was sitting next to top notch Queens. . okay?! I mean, these women were chief academic officers, directors of schools, and all but one of them were college graduates. And the one who wasn’t was a High School senior who had just been accepted to USC, UCLA, and many other incredible colleges. As the panel began, and each woman began to share her story, that heavy voice started ringing in my ear. “Girl. You not even supposed to be here.”

The more they spoke, the louder it became.

“You haven’t gone to college.”

“You don’t have a degree.”

“How are you sitting here, trying to inspire these kids? Clearly you’re not good enough. They’re all going to know your dirty little secret. You’re not that smart. You’re not even really that talented.”

The list goes on. I glanced down at the questions set before us. One question seemed to jump off the page. “Do you ever experience impostor syndrome? If so, how do you navigate through it?”

That’s when it hit me. That was exactly what I was experiencing, in that moment. How DO I navigate through that?

I take deep breaths. I shift my focus to the other panelist who has the mic, and give this Queen my undivided attention. She deserves it. I actively listen, because this moment isn’t about me. When the mic comes to me, I speak from my heart. I speak MY truth, and my story. I was invited on that panel for a reason, and my story is unique. It is my own. And I have inspired, helped, and am changing the school systems with a program that I made the choice to bring to life. I am more than enough.

When the panel was over, one particular woman whom I admired so much said that she knew who I was. She knew what impact I’ve had in these schools. You know what else? She told me she was proud of me.

I think we can remind ourselves on a continuous basis that we are more than enough. I think we can reach out and let another human being know that we see them, and that we acknowledge their efforts. I think we can let others know more often than not when we are proud of them, because especially as adults I don’t think we hear that enough.

This week, I invite you to celebrate each and every one of your WINS. Not because they look like someone else’s, but because they are your own. You deserve.

With Love,

Mama Shye