Beyond The Corporate Mask: Embodied Leadership, DEI, Well-being
6. Unseen Pressure - how impostor feelings show up in your body
Description
“Any second now, they’ll find out I don’t belong here.” The smile on your face looks convincing. You’ve prepared. You’ve earned your seat. But inside, your body tells a different story: clenched jaw, shallow breath, tense shoulders. That creeping fear of being exposed. In this episode of Beyond the Corporate Mask, Emma and Suzanne explore impostor feelings not just as thoughts in your head, but as patterns deeply wired into your body. From freezing in front of senior leaders, to over-preparing until exhaustion, we unpack how the impostor voice shows up in your body, and how to work with it instead of against it. You’ll hear: * Why impostor syndrome isn’t only “in your head” * How environments like competition, jargon, and exclusion amplify impostor feelings * The body’s survival responses (freeze, shrink, overcompensate) and how to notice them * Simple practices to calm your nervous system when impostor feelings rise * Why embracing a beginner’s mindset and experimenting with imperfection can shift the cycle We also share personal stories of moments when impostor syndrome hit hard, and how embodied practices helped us move from collapse into presence. This is an episode about learning to stay with yourself, even when the voice of doubt whispers the loudest. Resources & Tools Mentioned: * Somatic practices – Calming the nervous system and opening space in the body * Beginner’s mindset – Claiming both what you know and what you’re here to learn * Experimenting with imperfection – Training your body to survive “good enough” * Embodied leadership retreat [https://www.doors-open.nl/event/embodied-leadership-retreat/] – Practicing presence, boundaries, and belonging in community Try This: Next time impostor feelings rise, pause and scan your body. Where do you feel it? Is it in your jaw, chest, stomach, shoulders? Place a hand there and breathe slowly, telling your body: It’s safe to feel this. Notice what shifts. Links: Learn more about Doors Open - Institute for Corporate Sociology [https://www.doors-open.nl/] Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/doorsopenlearning/]/ LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/doors-open/posts/?feedView=all]for more on embodied leadership Beyond the Corporate Mask is a podcast by Doors Open – Institute for Corporate Sociology.
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