“I’m not insecure, am I?”
Ritchie Cunningham
on the TV show Happy Days

That line from Happy Days strikes me so funny. The answer is self-evident – that’s what makes it funny. Or maybe I find it funny because I can relate to it at times.

Do you ever feel insecure? I used to feel bad about my feelings of insecurity. I approached them with various methods of banishment. Then I learned about the “impostor phenomenon”.

The impostor phenomenon  is a psychological peculiarity among high achievers and anyone stepping into a new role. For instance, it is common for students who are entering graduate school to experience the impostor phenomenon. Even though they are top students who have reached an impressive level in their education, they often feel as if their peers are smarter then they are and that they don’t belong in the class.

I remember feeling insecure when my first child was born casting me into the role of “mother”. I felt overwhelmed by the responsibility and completely aware that I was bound to make mistakes. I believe I experienced the impostor phenomenon when “Life,for instance” started to garner attention from my fellow, esteemed bloggers. What? Who – me?

Maybe feelings of insecurity are to be expected when we step into something new and challenging and exciting. In that case, it’s not so bad. It means we just deal with it and move on. It means we’re human and we are not alone.

Have you experienced insecurity or the impostor phenomenon? How have you dealt with it? I’m not insecure, am I? Are you?

photo credit: New England Secession