I lead workshops around the world encouraging people to get honest, vulnerable, loud. (Why, especially as women, are we so afraid to be loud or take up space?)
In my workshops, I often ask: How many of you feel like a fraud?
Almost the whole room raises their hands, usually.
It makes me wonder if it’s part of the human condition.
I know that I feel less alone when those arms shoot up in the air.
At some point we all feel like “What the F am I doing? How did I get here? Why is anyone listening to me? me, of all people?”
You think therapists have it all together? Teachers? Parents? Anyone?
Nope. Nopeville.
Most of us are treading water, figuring it out as we go along, doing our best not to be a**holes.
Here’s some things that torment me:
I teach yoga and I barely do yoga.
I teach people to be vulnerable and I have the hardest time ever being vulnerable.
Most likely – you are not a fraud – you’re just a human being. @JenPastiloff (Click to Tweet!)
The more we acknowledge that we have no flippin’ clue – that we’re just here learning, day by day, putting one foot in front of the other – the more we shed the cloak of “I’m such a fraud.”
I do my best to live a congruent life.
To be who I say I am but some days I’m sitting all day on my butt on my sofa, eating salt and vinegar chips and peanut butter cups, watching Netflix, checking Instagram – and you know what? That’s ok. I’m still good at what I do. I’m still a teacher. I’m still me.
Let’s let go of the b.s. ideas that say we have to be perfect. That’s what makes us feel like frauds. Perfect people make me want to barf in my own mouth.
Here’s to being human and imperfect and enough.
On a side note, I guess I am doing something right as People Magazine just did a whole story on me. I would be humbled if you read and shared as you guys have been with me for so so long now. Click here for it.
I’d love to hear your thoughts below as to where you have ever felt like a fraud in your own life.
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Dear Positively Positive tribe, All my upcoming workshops are sold out except for my Mother’s Day retreat in Ojai, Calif May 6-8. You do NOT have to be a mother- just a human being. I also have an intimate retreat to Tuscany Sep 17-24 (4 spots left) and a retreat to Vermont pct 20-23. Click here for info or email info@jenniferpastiloff.com for all retreats or questions.
Jen leads retreats that are a combo of yoga/writing and for ALL levels. Read this post to understand. Click here for all retreat listings and workshops to attend one in a city near you (Atlanta, NYC, St. Louis, London, Chicago & more, are next). Jen is the guest speaker 3 times a year at Canyon Ranch and leads an annual retreat to Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health every February, as well as an annual invite only retreat to Tuscany. She is the founder of the popular The Manifest-Station website. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter. She is the founder of Girl Power: You Are Enough.
Image courtesy of T. Chick McClure.
