🌀 The Confidence Loop: How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome and Rewire Your Brain

Recently, in one of our Freedom Collective meetings, a member bravely shared why she is not always as visible as she would like. She described a quiet yet persistent voice in the back of her mind, questioning whether she could truly deliver on her promises to her clients.

Sound familiar?

This is impostor syndrome in action — that quiet dread, fear of being “found out,” and the creeping sense that you are not as capable as others believe you to be.

“You should not be here,” it whispers.

Impostor syndrome can be more than just self-doubt. It can quietly shape your decisions, delay your progress, and limit your potential, especially as an entrepreneur. I want you to know that you are not alone if you have ever felt it.

In fact, a 2020 KPMG survey of 750 high-performing women executives at Fortune 100 companies found that 75% had experienced impostor syndrome during their careers.

And here is something important:

That woman you admire — the one who seems confident, polished, and endlessly capable? She hears that voice, too. Even now. Even after all she has achieved.

🧠 So Why Do We All Feel This Way?

That voice in your head is not proof that you are failing — it is proof that your brain is doing what it was designed to do: protect you.

Any time you step into unfamiliar territory — launching something new, speaking publicly, becoming more visible — your brain registers risk. And when your brain cannot find a memory to match the moment, it triggers an alarm.

This is called a prediction error — your brain cannot “predict” success because it has not done this before. And if your brain cannot predict it, it cannot feel safe.

So, it plays it safe. It keeps you small.

Here is the encouraging part: your brain is changeable. With the right practice, you can rewire it to respond differently.

🌀 The Confidence Loop: A Brain-Based Framework

Here is a practical, neuroscience-backed process for shifting out of impostor syndrome and into self-trust — one action at a time.

🔍 1. Notice (without judgment)

“Ah, there’s that voice again. I see you.”

This is your first moment of power: awareness. Instead of spiralling or reacting, pause, breathe, and notice what your brain is doing. That alone starts to change everything.

Why it works:
Naming the fear without judgment calms the nervous system. Cortisol (your stress hormone) drops, and you increase GABA and serotonin, which help you feel grounded and clear.

A word of caution here: skipping this step is like building a house without laying a foundation. Your brain cannot grow under stress — it can only survive. Regulating your state comes first.

❓ 2. Ask: “Is this absolutely true?”

“What else could be true right now?”

This creates distance between the fear and your response. It opens the door to other possibilities.

Why it works:
You shift from emotional reactivity (amygdala) to critical thinking (prefrontal cortex). This reduces panic. Your brain gets a small dopamine reward for finding a fresh perspective.

💬 3. Affirm: “What do I know to be true?”

“I have done hard things before. I know what I am doing.”

Affirming is not about mantras; it is about facts. You are offering your brain objective evidence that you are capable.

Why it works:
When you speak to yourself with compassion and truth, you increase serotonin and oxytocin. These two chemicals help your body feel safe; a safe brain is a learning brain.

🚀 4. Act: Take the imperfect, brave step

“Just do the thing. Even if it is messy. Especially if it is messy.”

You have calmed the fear. You have grounded in truth. Now, act.

Not because you feel ready — rather, because action is what builds readiness.

Why it works:
One small step teaches your brain to recognise: this is safe. Dopamine spikes reinforce the action. Noradrenaline sharpens your focus. As a bonus, endorphins reward your courage when the action goes well.

✅ 5. Review & Refine: Celebrate and Adjust

“What worked? What would I do differently next time?”

This step is often overlooked, even though it is essential.

Celebration is not a distraction from progress. It is what helps accelerate it. When you pause to reflect, you build internal evidence. Your brain records that win and becomes more willing to try again.

Why it works:
Looking back activates learning systems in the brain. Dopamine and serotonin rise. And BDNF (a brain chemical that supports long-term change) gets released when you reflect on progress.

🔁 6. Repeat: Rewire through repetition

“Let’s do it again — only smarter this time.”

The power is not in doing it perfectly. It is in doing it again, and again, and again.

Every loop — each small, imperfect pass through this process — strengthens the neural pathway for confidence. It becomes easier, faster, and more natural each time.

Why it works:
Dopamine maintains motivation, BDNF reinforces change, and cortisol decreases as the brain learns that being seen, taking up space, and showing up are no longer threats.

🧠 Final Word

This is how you rewire your brain for confidence.
Not by eliminating fear — by choosing to move through it, one step at a time.

Over time, the voice fades.
And you begin to trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

Here is to showing up before we feel ready — because that is how we become ready.
And that is how true confidence grows.

Much Love, 

tan!a xo

PS  If you want to get more in depth with this - watch my YouTube Video Beat Impostor Syndrome in 30 Days