Feeling like a fraud is a right of passage for any authentic woman.
If you’ve ever told yourself:
… I’m not really intuitive
…. I just make this stuff up! I don’t even have a qualification for it!
… I don’t feel as much as she feels
… I’m not as poetic, or elegant as her
… I’m far from perfect, who am I to share/teach this stuff!
… There are so many women with more to offer than me
Then realize – you are not alone.
And you are also not a fraud.
I’ve noticed two critical stages where we, as a spiritual woman who desire to authentically serve, feel like a fraud.
They’ve both come up for me recently, in fierce and potent ways, so I wanted to share them with you today.
Potential Fraud Trigger #1:
What qualifications do you have to teach this?
I’m usually asked this by a sceptic, or a friend of my parents. It’s a great question, and one that can reflect strong patriarchal conditioning, or a genuine interest.
Many of us consciously or unconsciously, are programmed with the belief that, of course, the only decent teacher is the one with more qualifications than letters in their name.
Our society is so conditioned to value intellect over wisdom.
Yet life doesn’t exist within a book. The essence of a rich and purposeful life is not on the curriculum of most schools (just look at how woeful sex education is!).
Yet this question, “what are your qualifications?” can trigger the best of us.
My loud and proud response to this question is this…
I don’t have any.
I don’t have any qualifications in this.
I don’t have a coaching qualification.
I’ve not formally studied this stuff.
Sure I’ve done plenty of learning – Bachelors and Graduate Diplomas, Certificates and Diplomas in NeuroEnergetic Kinesiology, 10 different types of energy medicine training and then some.
But more important than this.
I’ve lived it.
I’ve done it wrong 1000 times over.
I’ve devoted every waking hour to refining this way of living.
I do it every single day.
I live and breathe what I teach.
That is my qualification. And I don’t promise it to be anything more (or less) than an authentic embodied experience.
What’s more?
Our society doesn’t always appreciate the vibration, the frequency of coming together with an embodied teacher.
An embodied teacher is someone who elevates you, purely by their presence. Their energy draws you in, supports you + helps you to find the same within yourself.
It’s that subtle trait that your favourite yoga teacher, or closest friend has. That intangible quality that creates new possibilities for you. Because they are already living the possibilities that your soul is craving.
This is the power of being the living experience.
It’s not something you can take a formal training in.
It’s something you have to find, and embody, within yourself.
You’ve got to practice what you preach.
But that doesn’t mean you have to be perfect.
Potential Fraud Trigger #2:
Your imperfections are your authenticity
We are taught that vulnerability is a weakness. Being seen as imperfect makes you less of an expert, makes you less successful. And thus we aim for perfection.
And when perfection doesn’t arise…
We begin to fear… Am I enough to do this?
We doubt… Can I do this?
We wonder… Is it good enough to be successful?
We get stuck.
Waiting for perfection to arrive.
And feeling like a fraud to boot.
I’ve got a confession to make.
Nothing much in my life is perfect. Nothing in my business feels 100% perfect. There is SO much I want to change! I want to re-do this, and up-level that. But there are only so many hours in the day.
I’ve got to take progress over perfection, I’ll do it.
Every time.
Because at least I’m making it happen. And more than 99.9% of the population.
I’m not afraid to be imperfect.
I don’t mind sharing my stuff-ups with you.
I don’t mind telling my clients “I don’t have the answer for that one” (but I’ll help you find it within yourself)
I don’t mind putting myself out into the world, knowing that I could do better.
I don’t mind speaking, and only being 80% clear what my message is.
Because I’m human.
I’m never going to be perfect.
I match the level of investment to the potency of my offerings.
I promise only the results I know I can help you create.
I have built a business based around the fact that WE ARE ALL IMPERFECT, and when we learn to embody those aspects of us, we become more whole and more potent within ourselves.
I’ve created a business + life where my imperfections are my authenticity.
And I claim them.
They are my superpower.
And they can be yours too.
Now I want to hear from you.
What’s your unique flavor of feeling like a spiritual fraud?
Let me know in the comments. We are also having a juicy conversation over in the Embodied Woman Facebook Group about spiritual fraud-ship, which I would love to invite you to join.
