“Am I Even Supposed to Be Here?”: The Quiet Weight of Imposter Syndrome

It shows up in the moments no one sees.

After the presentation. Before the client call. In the silence after your kids are finally asleep and you wonder if you did enough, if you are enough.

Imposter syndrome doesn’t just whisper “you don’t belong.”It clings to your every move, especially when you’re a Black woman who’s constantly breaking barriers no one built with you in mind.

And when you add motherhood, marriage, and entrepreneurship to that list, it becomes more than a whisper, it becomes a daily internal negotiation.

The Burden of Representation

When you're one of the only Black women in the room, the pressure multiplies. You're not just trying to succeed, you’re trying to prove that you deserve to be there in the first place. You're balancing brilliance with humility. Confidence with quietness. And strength with softness because too much of either becomes a “problem.”

It’s not just about doing the job. It’s about navigating the invisible labor of constantly justifying your presence.

And even when you're winning, something inside still questions it.

Motherhood Doesn’t Silence the Doubt

Being a mother adds another layer of complexity. You could have shown up to the boardroom and closed a deal at 3PM, only to question your worth at 7PM because dinner was late or bedtime was chaos.

The world says you’re a “supermom,”but internally you’re asking,“Am I doing any of this right?”

You're nurturing little souls while trying not to lose your own. And imposter syndrome? It thrives in the cracks of exhaustion.

Marriage Doesn’t Make You Immune

Even in love, the pressure persists. You're trying to be a partner, not just a caretaker. A whole person, not just someone else’s support system. Sometimes you look at your marriage and think “Do I even know how to be a wife?” And society’s expectations? They don’t give grace for your growth. They expect perfection.

Entrepreneurship Magnifies It

Starting your own business, launching your dream, putting your name behind something you believe in.....it's empowering and terrifying. Every launch, every post, every offer feels like a gamble. You're asking people to trust your vision while battling your own voice that says:

“What if I’m not ready?” “What if this fails?” “What if they finally realize I have no idea what I’m doing?”

Spoiler alert: You do. You’ve been doing it scared. Doing it while healing. Doing it without a blueprint.

That’s not fraudulence.That’s faith in action.

So What Do We Do With Imposter Syndrome?

We call it out. We stop pretending we don’t feel it.We stop thinking confidence means never doubting ourselves.

Because the truth is: You can feel unsure and still be called. You can question your readiness and still be qualified. You can be learning and still be worthy of the room.

You’re not pretending. You’re persevering. And that’s a strength no title can give and no doubt can take away.

A Final Thought

Imposter syndrome doesn’t mean you don’t belong. It often means you’re standing in spaces your ancestors prayed for. Spaces that weren’t built for you but are now shifting because of you.

You are not here by accident. You are not making it up as you go. You are becoming. And that is the most honest, powerful thing you can do.

Keep showing up. Keep taking up space. Keep reminding yourself: You were never an imposter. You are the answer.