How To Conquer Imposter Syndrome & Build Your Mompreneur Empire

Feeling like a fraud despite your success? You're not alone. This episode of Inhale Exhale Success tackles the myth of imposter syndrome and equips mompreneurs with actionable steps to silence self-doubt, build confidence, and achieve success on their own terms. 

Dee dives deep into the true causes of self-doubt and burnout, offering practical strategies.

Join Dee as she empowers you to embrace your imperfections, celebrate your journey, and step into your power as a capable and thriving mompreneur. Remember, success starts with believing in yourself. Breathe, find your balance, and get ready to conquer your goals!

Dee understands how running a business can be super stressful, especially for moms. Her 1:1 coaching helps you juggle it all without sacrificing yourself or the things you love. Clients have reduced their stress by 50% and doubled their revenue after working with Dee. Schedule your call here to see how Dee can help you reclaim your time easily!

Grab a copy of her book [here].

Connect with Dee:

Instagram: [@deep_dives_withdee]

Join the Conversation: Share your thoughts or leave a review!

**Disclaimer:** This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for any mental health concerns.

Transcript

Do you ever feel like you're not as capable or deserving of success and happiness as others believe you are? Even after finding your life's purpose and achieving thousands of dollars in your business, you somehow still feel like a fraud, questioning if you even truly deserve that success. 

And if you're nodding your head in agreement, then this episode is for you. We're going to explore why these feelings come up, how burnout can make them worse, and, most importantly, some actionable steps to overcome them. So, let's dive in.

Welcome to the Inhale Exhale Success Podcast, where we help women entrepreneurs create a life they love, feel confident in their bodies, and build a business without burning out by equipping them with the best tools, strategies, and my proven formula that every businesswoman must have. My name is Dee Medina.Let's get started and be successful together.

Hola, hola! Welcome back to another episode. I hope you had a fun and safe 4th of July with your loved ones. We certainly had an amazing weekend. For the 4th, what we like to do is light fireworks outside in the street. It's become a tradition because every year we usually stay in, and our neighbors do as well. So, when the sun goes down, we all come out and start lighting fireworks in our street. We even had another neighbor join us this year, which was awesome because it was great to see grown men just allowing their inner child to come out and play. So, we had a lot of fun on the 4th!

Then, over the weekend, I took my kids to the pool with some fellow single moms. One of the moms and I took our babies for pizza and games afterward, so all around, it was such a great weekend. It's always a blast hanging out with some awesome women who are just doing the damn thing. Single moms or not, if you're a woman chasing your dreams, you are superhuman—whether you're raising your kids, working a job, or starting a business, you are doing amazing. And I just want you to know that.

But what gets me down when I hang around these awesome women is that I hear they still carry plenty of self-doubt, regardless of what they've already achieved up to this point. And it's super understandable because I still doubt myself from time to time too. Shit, even now, as I think about this badass course that I’m creating for women who want to take control of their lives, step into the identity of being a successful woman, and have a profitable business—even though there’s literal proof that I’m living my dream—each time I dive into something that pushes me to grow, I have my days where I find myself asking, Am I even capable of doing this?

So, I feel you if you're dealing with that self-doubt, okay? Especially for those of you who are still working a 9 to 5 but are starting to dip your toes into entrepreneurship, which is why I’m diving into something many of us mompreneurs deal with—imposter syndrome.

Let’s talk about why imposter syndrome is such a big deal for us, okay? It’s because we’re trying to balance working a job, starting or growing a business, staying healthy, being there for our communities, our families, and ourselves, and that shit can be tough! But that’s not what causes imposter syndrome. What causes imposter syndrome is setting these sky-high standards for yourself, and when you don’t meet them, even if it’s just in your own head, you start doubting yourself.

Think about it: society tells us we have to be perfect moms, successful businesswomen, and all these other things. It’s like we’re always in this tug-of-war, constantly questioning if we’re doing enough or if we’re even enough. And then, when you’re running on empty, trying to do it all, *burnout* happens. You’re trying to be perfect here, trying to be perfect there, trying to be everything to everybody, and eventually, you hit burnout, which makes it even easier to let those self-doubts take over. You’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and your brain just can’t help but focus on what you think is lacking instead of on the amazing things you’re already doing.

I was coaching a client who's been a coach for half a decade, has a successful coaching business, has had multiple five-figure launches, and has clients who love her. So, you can imagine my surprise when she came into my session last week, crying her eyes out, calling herself an imposter for wanting to launch and scale her business yet again. She told me she felt like a fraud, like she’s a fake, and was waiting for someone to call her out and want their money back, even though we had just started preparing for her launch!

She was thinking the worst things imaginable when all the facts said otherwise. And for those of you just starting a business, know this: we’re all human. No matter the level of success, we all experience self-doubt. But this time, she couldn’t understand why it crept in so much more than other times. She’s tired of it holding her back, especially now that she’s preparing to launch again in about two months.

During our session, we discovered the root of it: she’s burnt out. Her kids are on summer break, her husband isn’t helping, and she’s relying on the old systems and frameworks that no longer apply because she’s wanting to scale her business. When the necessary systems that you need in order to scale your business aren’t in place, you will definitely feel stretched thin between your life, your business, and your family.

When she realized she’s a little burnt out, she wanted to jump straight to what she needed to do next. But before we could work together on systems and strategies, we had to talk about this diagnosis she was giving herself. And to be honest, some of you might be completely mind-blown but relieved by what I’m about to tell you: imposter syndrome literally isn’t a real thing, okay? It might sound like a diagnosis—it has *syndrome* in there—but in reality, it’s something many, if not all, of us face at some point. But it isn’t an official diagnosis; it’s a buzzword that spread like wildfire in the business community.

When you’re feeling self-doubt and skepticism, or even anxiety about starting or scaling your business, I want you to think about this: why don’t we say “imposter syndrome” for other areas of our life? When someone wants to become a mom but doesn’t think she’ll be a great one, we typically just say that she’s having doubt, and we remind her how awesome she will be, right? When someone’s applying for a new job or asking for a pay raise, do we call it “imposter syndrome”? No, we just say they’re skeptical.

Our minds are powerful, and if you believe you have a “syndrome,” you’re making things much harder for yourself than they need to be.Here is the text with corrected punctuation:

---

Do you ever feel like you're not as capable or deserving of success and happiness as others believe you are? Even after finding your life's purpose and achieving thousands of dollars in your business, you somehow still feel like a fraud, questioning if you even truly deserve that success. 

And if you're nodding your head in agreement, then this episode is for you. We're going to explore why these feelings come up, how burnout can make them worse, and, most importantly, some actionable steps to overcome them. So, let's dive in.

Welcome to the *Inhale Exhale Success Podcast*, where we help women entrepreneurs create a life they love, feel confident in their bodies, and build a business without burning out by equipping them with the best tools, strategies, and my proven formula that every businesswoman must have. My name is Dee Medina.

Let's get started and be successful together.

Hola, hola! Welcome back to another episode. I hope you had a fun and safe 4th of July with your loved ones. We certainly had an amazing weekend. For the 4th, what we like to do is light fireworks outside in the street. It's become a tradition because every year we usually stay in, and our neighbors do as well. So, when the sun goes down, we all come out and start lighting fireworks in our street. We even had another neighbor join us this year, which was awesome because it was great to see grown men just allowing their inner child to come out and play. So, we had a lot of fun on the 4th!

Then, over the weekend, I took my kids to the pool with some fellow single moms. One of the moms and I took our babies for pizza and games afterward, so all around, it was such a great weekend. It's always a blast hanging out with some awesome women who are just doing the damn thing. Single moms or not, if you're a woman chasing your dreams, you are superhuman—whether you're raising your kids, working a job, or starting a business, you are doing amazing. And I just want you to know that.

But what gets me down when I hang around these awesome women is that I hear they still carry plenty of self-doubt, regardless of what they've already achieved up to this point. And it's super understandable because I still doubt myself from time to time too. Shit, even now, as I think about this badass course that I’m creating for women who want to take control of their lives, step into the identity of being a successful woman, and have a profitable business—even though there’s literal proof that I’m living my dream—each time I dive into something that pushes me to grow, I have my days where I find myself asking, *Am I even capable of doing this?*

So, I feel you if you're dealing with that self-doubt, okay? Especially for those of you who are still working a 9 to 5 but are starting to dip your toes into entrepreneurship, which is why I’m diving into something many of us mompreneurs deal with—imposter syndrome.

Let’s talk about why imposter syndrome is such a big deal for us, okay? It’s because we’re trying to balance working a job, starting or growing a business, staying healthy, being there for our communities, our families, and ourselves, and that shit can be tough! But that’s not what causes imposter syndrome. What causes imposter syndrome is setting these sky-high standards for yourself, and when you don’t meet them, even if it’s just in your own head, you start doubting yourself.

Think about it: society tells us we have to be perfect moms, successful businesswomen, and all these other things. It’s like we’re always in this tug-of-war, constantly questioning if we’re doing enough or if we’re even enough. And then, when you’re running on empty, trying to do it all, *burnout* happens. You’re trying to be perfect here, trying to be perfect there, trying to be everything to everybody, and eventually, you hit burnout, which makes it even easier to let those self-doubts take over. You’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and your brain just can’t help but focus on what you think is lacking instead of on the amazing things you’re already doing.

I was coaching a client who's been a coach for half a decade, has a successful coaching business, has had multiple five-figure launches, and has clients who love her. So, you can imagine my surprise when she came into my session last week, crying her eyes out, calling herself an imposter for wanting to launch and scale her business yet again. She told me she felt like a fraud, like she’s a fake, and was waiting for someone to call her out and want their money back, even though we had just started preparing for her launch!

She was thinking the worst things imaginable when all the facts said otherwise. And for those of you just starting a business, know this: we’re all human. No matter the level of success, we all experience self-doubt. But this time, she couldn’t understand why it crept in so much more than other times. She’s tired of it holding her back, especially now that she’s preparing to launch again in about two months.

During our session, we discovered the root of it: she’s burnt out. Her kids are on summer break, her husband isn’t helping, and she’s relying on the old systems and frameworks that no longer apply because she’s wanting to scale her business. When the necessary systems that you need in order to scale your business aren’t in place, you will definitely feel stretched thin between your life, your business, and your family.

When she realized she’s a little burnt out, she wanted to jump straight to what she needed to do next. But before we could work together on systems and strategies, we had to talk about this diagnosis she was giving herself. And to be honest, some of you might be completely mind-blown but relieved by what I’m about to tell you: imposter syndrome *literally* isn’t a real thing, okay? It might sound like a diagnosis—it has *syndrome* in there—but in reality, it’s something many, if not all, of us face at some point. But it isn’t an official diagnosis; it’s a buzzword that spread like wildfire in the business community.

When you’re feeling self-doubt and skepticism, or even anxiety about starting or scaling your business, I want you to think about this: why don’t we say “imposter syndrome” for other areas of our life? When someone wants to become a mom but doesn’t think she’ll be a great one, we typically just say that she’s having doubt, and we remind her how awesome she will be, right? When someone’s applying for a new job or asking for a pay raise, do we call it “imposter syndrome”? No, we just say they’re skeptical.

Our minds are powerful, and if you believe you have a “syndrome,” you’re making things much harder for yourself than they need to be.

And in my client’s case, she was, until she realized that she already has the skills to do the things she’s wanting to do. It’s just that she’s hitting a different level. Now, if you’re someone who’s constantly telling yourself that you have imposter syndrome, I want you to imagine the toll that can take on your body due to the unnecessary tension and stress from a buzzword that’s causing you to ignore the root causes—which are self-doubt, skepticism, or maybe even a little anxiety.

You might be saying, “Okay, Dee, how do we tackle imposter syndrome, then? What solutions do I have to release the buzzword for good?” Well, I’m going to give you those steps, okay? The first one starts with:

 1. Acknowledge Your Feelings
You first have to recognize that feeling like an imposter when wanting to start or scale your business is totally normal, and you’re not alone. It’s okay to have those doubts; it’s okay to feel skeptical. It just means you’re stepping out of your comfort zone.

2. Reframe Your Thoughts
Challenge those negative thoughts. Instead of thinking, *I don’t deserve this success*, say, *I worked hard to get here, and my efforts are paying off*. Keep a list of your achievements and look at them whenever you need to remember who the hell you are.

 3. Set Realistic Expectations
I know you want to make hundreds of thousands of dollars. I know you want to make millions. I know you want time and financial freedom for yourself. But I want you to set realistic expectations. All the things you want to achieve in your life are absolutely possible. However, you need to be able to break them down into smaller steps so you have a clear plan on how to achieve them. Because when you say something and don’t make a plan for it, you will get overwhelmed, you will start doubting yourself, and it will seem impossible. But when you create and have a plan, you will have the necessary steps to take. And every step you take, I want you to celebrate every single one because it fuels your belief system that you’re actually capable and worthy of the things you are setting out to do.

 4. Seek Support
Girl, hire a coach, call your business bestie, join some groups, find your tribe, and connect with other mompreneurs who get what you’re going through. Share your experiences, and hearing other stories as well can help you release that self-doubt and skepticism because you won’t feel like you’re alone in it.

 5. Prioritize Self-Care
Unlike imposter syndrome, self-care isn’t just a buzzword. It’s an absolute necessity. It’s essential. It’s a must. It’s something I make mandatory for everyone I work with. Making time to recharge—whether it’s through a coaching session, exercise, hobbies, a quiet moment at the beach, the park, on a hike, wherever—is so important because a well-rested mind, body, and spirit is less likely to dwell on doubts and skepticism. In those moments when you feel imposter syndrome taking hold of you, if you feel the self-doubt creeping in, if you start being skeptical of yourself, and you need help working through it, you can coach yourself by asking:

- What evidence do I have that supports my success and competence?
- What are some specific achievements I’m proud of in my business or personal life?
- How would I view these accomplishments if they belonged to someone else? Would I still consider them “not enough”?
- What negative thoughts do I often have about myself and my capabilities? How can I reframe those to be positive?
- Who can I reach out to for support and encouragement because I’m feeling doubtful?
- What can I do for myself right now?
- What are some self-care practices that I can incorporate into my routine to help me manage stress and prevent burnout?
- What small but achievable goals can I set for myself to help build confidence? Is it getting up earlier? Going to the gym? Integrating self-care into my routine and actually doing it? Telling people I’m starting a business? Telling people I’m launching a program? Creating a business card? Booking a photoshoot? What can I do right now to create momentum?
- And then ask yourself: How can I celebrate these milestones, no matter how big or small the step is?

I want you to acknowledge that you did it. Tell yourself that you’re amazing for doing it.

And you might be saying, “Well, Dee, why am I going to celebrate every single step?” Because I’m so big on celebrating—not just my clients, my friends, my family—but myself. Everything I do, I celebrate. Because if I don’t, then I start being hard on myself.

In those moments when you have doubts about celebrating yourself or any step that you’re taking, ask yourself: Am I being too hard on myself? What would I say to a friend who’s in a similar situation? Treat yourself kindly. Love yourself like you would love your friend because it makes a world of difference. The love that you give to others, you need to give to yourself first and foremost.

And I also want you to ask yourself: What lessons have I learned from past experiences of overcoming self-doubt? I’m sure there was a moment when you didn’t think you’d be a good mother, but now you’re a badass mom. My son had so much doubt that he could get a raise, and he absolutely did. I doubted that I could start a business, and here I am almost three years later, going strong. I didn’t think I could start a podcast or know what to talk about, and yet here I am, girl!

I want you to take another look at yourself. I want you to see yourself as a mompreneur who’s capable of running a successful business and having a successful life—whatever that looks like for you.

Because when you do the opposite and think, I can’t start a business, I won’t have a successful launch, I can’t have time and money freedom, my business can’t be successful*—even though your business *can* be thriving—these thoughts can lead you to burnout, which can ultimately make you feel even worse and want to quit altogether before you even give yourself a chance to start.

So, I want you to remember all the accomplishments you have so far. I want you to reframe those negative thoughts. I want you to set realistic goals. I want you to find your tribe, and I want you to make self-care a priority.

Reflect on those coaching questions I gave you today. You’ll start noticing that your self-doubt will begin to fade away, and you’ll start focusing on starting and growing your business with confidence. Step into your power as a confident, capable mompreneur that we all know you are. And if you need help getting there, make sure you’re signed up for my email list to receive even more support.

Remember, success isn’t about being perfect. It’s about embracing those imperfections, continuously learning, and growing. Achieving that balance—when you’re fulfilled both professionally and personally while still earning thousands of dollars a month—is within reach, my friend. And it starts with knowing that who you are in this moment, right now, is enough.

Well, that does it for today’s episode. Thank you so much for joining us on the Inhale Exhale Success Podcast. If you enjoyed today’s topic, I’d love for you to subscribe so you don’t miss out on other valuable discussions, along with answering questions directly from busy women like you who are looking for ways to make life, business, and weight loss easy.

I look forward to having you here with us again next time. And remember, my friend, success begins when you take a moment to breathe, find your balance, and believe in yourself.