Doing Sh*t That Scares You: A Personal Reflection on Combating Imposter Syndrome

By Jessica Parks

Remember the first time you did the thing that you fell in love with? Maybe you went to a paint night and felt your stress get smaller with every brush stroke. Maybe you took a pottery class in high school and wanted that muddy cake on your fingers daily. Maybe you made a friendship bracelet when you were 7 and have never stopped dreaming of endless bead combinations (It’s me, Hi!)

At some point, you decide to start doing the thing you love with intention. But where did you go from there?

Build a Galentine’s Stack in Plymouth, MA with Jessica on 2/12/24

For many artists, imposter syndrome is the thief of joy. The thought that you shouldn’t be doing something because you haven’t been ‘properly’ trained, or because others may see right through your whole charade. In my experience, the only way to overcome imposter syndrome (or at least make it much smaller) is to put yourself out there and do the things that scare you most. My own relationship with imposter syndrome has ebbed and flowed my entire adult life. 

Like many young folk, I felt the pressure of society when I turned 18 to choose a career. I went to college to become an early childhood educator and looking back now, I know in my heart it was because I felt like it would keep me close to art. You need creativity to teach 5-year-olds right? While this certainly is true, I was quickly met with barriers that stifled creativity. Curriculum, administration, meetings, paperwork (oh my goodness the paperwork). The pressure of the system was immense. I started getting crafty at home as a way to relieve some stress. This is when my relationship with doing sh*t that scares me began. 

First, I put a name to my little side hustle, thus ‘Miss Lou Makes’ was born. Then I started an  Etsy shop (eek!!). I started to fill the virtual shelves with my creations, which at the time were quite random. Stenciled signs, upcycled beach art, beaded jewelry, custom shirts, etc. The more stressed out I was in my day job, the more I created. And with every little ‘ding’ of a sale which back then, was maybe once a week, I grew more and more obsessed with making and selling. 

I needed to do more, but didn’t know where to go from there. I was lucky enough to have a friend who owned a small business and she gently nudged me in the direction of vendor fairs.

At this point the imposter syndrome I was feeling was on overdrive.

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At this point the imposter syndrome I was feeling was on overdrive. 〰️

I never wanted to talk to other vendors for fear they would know that I wasn’t running a ‘real’ business. I didn’t have a business plan or even know what the heck one was. I was 100% faking it. But the satisfaction of knowing that people were willing to spend their hard-earned money on my creations gave me the rush I needed to keep going. 

In 2020, while I was on maternity leave, I was furloughed from my job as an Early Interventionist. This was the time when my life and my mindset truly began to shift. I was able to spend more time honing in on what art mediums brought me the most joy (beaded jewelry and color-rich painting). I ramped up my marketing on social media platforms. I hired my talented brother to make me a logo. But what was next? Why was I investing all this time into this ‘side hustle’ if eventually I would just have to go back to my job? That’s when I made the most terrifying decision of all. 

One late afternoon after my third letter explaining that my furlough had once again been extended, I told my husband, “what if I just never go back and try to take my business full time?”. I expected shock, maybe even horror, but was met with him mirroring the flicker of hope and curiosity in my eye. He somehow knew this was coming even before I did. And to my surprise, he was on board. Combating imposter syndrome alone is tough. If you haven’t already, you have got to find the person in your life who will support you wholeheartedly. I’m not talking about someone feeding you compliments or telling you what they think you want to hear. I’m talking about a person that actually sees your potential and is ready to not only be there for you, but give you the pushes you need to get out of your own comfort zone.

I am now in my third year of running my business full-time. I have taken words and phrases such as ‘my little business’ and ‘crafty’ out of my vocabulary. I don’t want anyone to belittle my work, so why would I do that to myself? I AM an artist. I OWN a business. I make high-quality pieces of jewelry and art and have dedicated hours upon hours to learning how to grow a brand.  I am learning how much my mindset affects the pull of imposter syndrome.You hear people say ‘fake it till you make it’ and honestly, I believe that is a sound piece of advice.

“I don’t think I’ve ‘made it’ quite yet, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to let my own fears stop me from growing. ”

— Jessica Parks

If you are waiting for everything to be perfect to begin, you never will. Just start. Jump in. Learn as you go. When you start to feel comfortable, find a way to surprise yourself. Make a list of the things you have done that have scared you. What were the outcomes? You either succeeded or failed, and both of those outcomes are wins in one way or another. Yes failure or denial can hurt, but it can also fuel your drive and passion. It didn’t work out this time, so how will I change it next time? I do think imposter syndrome is a natural part of learning about yourself as an artist or entrepreneur. It would be a shame to let it stop you from becoming your most authentic self and pursuing your art/work/dreams/ambitions. 

About Miss Lou Makes

We believe the concept ‘love at first sight’ was meant for art and the beholder.

If a piece of jewelry draws you in, it’s not to be ignored.

If you come across a painting that stirs up feelings, it’s something to be explored.

Invest in things that not only catch your eye, but make you feel some kind of way.

We hope you find that perfect thing you just never knew you needed.

Authors Note:

Writing this article was out of my comfort zone. Even as I was writing this I said to my husband “if this is trash, do you promise to tell me?”. Blogging is something I have always wanted to do and when the opportunity presented itself, I committed to it. Maybe my words won’t connect with all readers, but even just one connection makes it worth it. And dare I say, I had fun writing this? I WIN THIS TIME IMPOSTER SYNDROME.