Dear Katherine,

I’m really stressed out at work. I just got a promotion, YAY, but I feel like an imposter. How do I get my colleagues to respect me and how do I learn to trust myself?

--Rebecca

My dearest Rebecca,

A promotion and now you’re panicking? Darling, that isn’t imposter syndrome. That’s ambition wobbling in new stilettos. Fear likes to cosplay as logic, but here’s the truth: fear isn’t fact. It’s just a bad habit, and bad habits can be broken.

You’re wildly creative, darling. Unfortunately, most of that creativity goes into staging your own disasters. You can storyboard catastrophe with Oscar-worthy detail, so why not harness that same flair to script the absolute best? Picture yourself calm, capable, respected. See the steps it takes to get there. Rehearse the win, not the wipeout. The script in your head is the show you end up performing.

Here’s your wicked little rehearsal guide:

1.     Call fear out. When it whispers “you’re not ready,” smirk and reply, “Actually, I am.” Don’t give fear a speaking role in your script.

2.     Collect the receipts. Every win, every compliment, every crisis handled—stack them in a “Proof I Don’t Suck” file. That’s your highlight reel when doubt tries to recast you.

3.     Train respect. Respect isn’t gifted. It’s conditioned. Deliver your lines with conviction, because your ideas matter. Stop apologizing for being on stage. Watch how quickly your colleagues fall into supporting roles.

4.     Perform the calm. Straight spine, steady voice, one perfectly arched brow. Half the room is ad-libbing anyway. Confidence is chaos with better stage direction.

Remember: Fear is a habit you quit. Respect is a rule you enforce. Trust is rehearsing your greatest potential, not your greatest failure.

Choose wisely, darling — because the role is already yours. 

With all my wicked little heart,
Katherine 🖤