This one shows up more than people admit. You get the opportunity. You get the stage. You get the room. And then the thought hits. What am I doing here Who do I think I am They are going to find me out So you shrink before you even start. You question your right to be there. Let’s call it what it actually is It is not imposter syndrome. It is unfamiliar territory. You are in a new room. At a new level. Doing something you have not done before. Of course it feels uncomfortable

This comes up more than you think. People soften themselves before they ever step on stage. They tone it down. They hold parts back. They try to be more “likeable,” more “acceptable,” more “palatable.” Why? Because somewhere along the way, they were made to feel like they were too much. Too loud. Too direct. Too emotional. Too honest. So they shrink. And in doing that, they lose the very thing that would have made them powerful. The version of you that holds back is not the