One Positive Action

Keep a “brag sheet”:

The words “brag sheet” might make you cringe a little. It sounds like something performative, something you use to prove your worth to the outside world. But this version is different. This is a quiet, honest kind of list. Naming the things you’ve done, the moments you’ve shown up, the little wins you’ve earned. Not for anyone else’s validation, just for your own.

If you struggle with impostor syndrome, and let’s be real, most of us do, it’s easy to downplay everything you’ve accomplished. That voice in your head tells you it wasn’t that impressive, that it wasn’t enough, that someone else would’ve done it better. But that voice is never interested in truth. It thrives in vagueness and silence. When you take a few minutes to write down what you’re proud of, you’re putting language to your effort. And naming what’s real always brings you back to your center.

Maybe you led your first meeting and managed to stay steady, even if your hands were shaking under the table. Maybe you asked a question in a room where you usually stay quiet. Maybe you hit “send” on a project you’ve been second-guessing for days. It could be that you finally reached out for help instead of pretending you had it all under control. Or maybe you just kept showing up, to your work, your goals, your people, even when it would’ve been easier to check out. Those moments deserve to be seen. They’re proof that you’re growing, even when it’s uncomfortable. Especially when it’s uncomfortable.

So here’s the invitation: write down five things you’re proud of, big or small, personal or professional. Keep them somewhere you can revisit when that quiet voice shows up and says you don’t belong, or you’re not doing enough. You’re not doing this to inflate your ego, you’re grounding yourself in the truth when your fears and emotions try to run the show. When impostor syndrome kicks in, the facts matter. Evidence matters. And having a few reminders of what you’ve already walked through can help you stay steady in the moments when you start to doubt your rightful place.