Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Faking It

Lately I've heard a few different young professionals confess to me that sometimes, they feel a bit like they're faking it. Like they are frauds. And I could relate. Even after 4 and a half years of undergrad, 3 years of full time grad school, an additional year of specialized training in my field, and work experience to back me up, there are times I dive in to a therapy session thinking, "can I really help this person?". Then once the session gets rolling, I am able to feel the connection between myself and the client and the nerves settle back down.

But it got me thinking--don't we all feel that way sometimes? Like we're still 17 and someone just gave us a job or a kid or some other huge responsibility, and now we have to sink or swim? While parenting has always felt pretty instinctual to me, there are definitely moments where I feel like I am too young or inexperienced to possibly do this right (PS: I'm 29--not exactly a spring chicken).

I think the interesting challenging of your twenties is figuring out who you are--your values, beliefs, goals, all while pursuing career and family and chasing your passions. And then one day you look around shocked that you're an adult. A real bona fide grown up with the responsibilities to prove it.

The key is to trust yourself. Trust your abilities. And when you're feeling a little overwhelmed once in awhile, there's nothing wrong with faking it.

1 comment:

amira said...

Oh man, this is practically the story of my life! Sometimes you just don't know how or when you got to where you are (or maybe you do), but I figure if you're already there, it probably means you can handle it. Or at least pretend to.

Faking it FTW!