When You Feel Like a Fraud in a Life You Built: Imposter Syndrome at the Crossroads

By Erin C. Corman | Spark. MindShift

You’d think after all you’ve accomplished—career, family, survival, healing—you’d feel confident by now.

But instead? There’s this low-level hum in the background whispering: 

 “You don’t really know what you’re doing.” 

“You’re going to get found out.” 

“You’re not as put-together as everyone thinks.”

That voice? That’s Imposter Syndrome. And for women at a midlife crossroads, it can hit harder than ever.

Why It Hits Now

Imposter Syndrome doesn’t only show up in the boardroom or when you're starting something new. It can hit right in the middle of a well-established life. Because here’s the truth: You might be good at managing everything. You might be the dependable one. The strong one. The accomplished one.

But when you start to feel the pull toward something different—something more aligned, more authentic, more you—that’s when the imposter voice gets loud.

Why?

Because you’re not just stepping into a new phase… You’re stepping out of an identity you’ve had for years. And that identity—those roles, masks, achievements—became your safety net. Even if they no longer fit.

Imposter Syndrome isn’t about lack of skill. It’s about old programming trying to keep you safe.

The Programming Beneath It

Most of us were raised with subtle (or not-so-subtle) messages like:

• Don’t be too loud

• Don’t take up too much space

• Be nice, be humble, be grateful

• Keep everyone comfortable

So when you start to want more—more freedom, more honesty, more depth—you might unconsciously feel like you’re doing something wrong. Like you’re faking it. Like you’re unqualified to want what you want.

That’s not truth. That’s conditioning.

The Real Cost of Staying Small

Here’s what Imposter Syndrome looks like for women at midlife:

• You downplay your needs, passions, or big ideas

• You second-guess every damn decision

• You say yes when you mean no

• You stay in roles or relationships that drain you because “who am I to want more?”

• You spin in circles trying to prove yourself—again

But the real damage isn’t the doubt. It’s the slow erosion of self-trust.

And without self-trust, there’s no clarity. No bold decisions. No real shift.

So What Do You Do?

1. Name it. Call it what it is: a protective pattern. Not reality. Not truth.

2. Look at the story underneath. What belief is this really about? Not being enough? Being selfish if you want more? Being too old to change? Write it down. Get honest. Ask yourself…Is it true? Most often, it will not feel good when you think of it. That’s because it is not your truth. 

3. Start acting as if you already belong. Because here is the truth: You do. You are not an imposter in your own life. You’re just waking up to a version of yourself that no longer fits—and trying to find the courage to meet the one who’s ready to rise.

The Work We Do

Inside Spark. MindShift, I work with women who are standing in this exact tension.

They’ve outgrown their old identity, but they’re not sure how to trust the new one. They feel stuck, foggy, maybe even disconnected from their own power—but deep down, they know it’s time for a shift.

We clear the unconscious programming, the self-sabotage, and the imposter energy that’s been running in the background for years. Not through surface-level affirmations—but through deep, honest, nervous-system-informed, soul-reclaiming work.

Because you don’t need more credentials to be worthy of your next phase. You don’t need permission to change your life. You just need the right tools—and a mirror that shows you the power that’s already there.

If you're done performing and ready to shift into something more real, you're not alone. And you’re not an imposter. You’re a woman on the edge of something big. Let’s stop circling the drain and start making bold moves.

Want to talk more about this? DM me “MINDSHIFT” or click here to learn more about the 8-week MindShift Coaching Program. Let’s get to the root. Let’s shift the story.