Don't Accept Witch Imposter Syndrome. Reclaim Your Power.

In my recent travels giving workshops about Intuitive Witchcraft, I’ve met a lot of people. Many are confident and at ease with their craft, but some told me they have witch imposter syndrome. For some reason, they don’t feel as magical as they want to feel.

After much research about the root causes of imposter syndrome, I’m here to eradicate it. I have proof that you ARE indeed the witch you wish to be!

imposter syndrome witch witchcraft pagan — *Photo courtesy of Pixabay*

Validate Your Practice

Do you practice witchcraft? If so, you’re a witch. It’s that simple. As the famous Star Wars quote goes, “There is no try.” If you do it, you are it.

You don’t have to do elaborate rituals or have big spells that require a dozen ingredients. All you need to do is put forth an effort at making an energetic change. This can be as simple as taking one conscious breath or deciding to own your power. Regardless, if you do any kind of witchcraft, you are what you do. Witches witch.

Magical Homework: Keep on witching!

imposter syndrome witch pagan witchcraft — *Photo courtesy of Pixabay*

Acknowledge Your Witchy Identity

If you identify as a witch, you are one. Even if you only identify as a witch a little bit due to your imposter syndrome, you’re a witch.

There are no limitations on witchcraft based on experience, your looks, being well read on pagan books, or any other silly thing. If you feel in your heart that you’re a witch, do yourself the honor of believing in yourself.

Magical Homework: Write ten positive affirmations about your identity and read them out loud every day until they begin to sink in. Continue reading them until you experience confidence more often than not.

imbolc fire candle woman pagan witch witchcraft wicca wiccan spiritual practice what to do holiday — *Photo by HShapiro, CC2.0*

Realize You Are The Only Authority That Matters

A lot of witches want some wise witchy person to scoop them up, see their vast witchy potential, and tell them that they are indeed a witch! Until that happens, they will doubt themselves.

The only problem is that this will likely never happen. Even if it does, you’ll probably still doubt yourself or misread the situation.

Magical Homework: If you long for an external authority, I challenge you to step up to only authority that matters. Face your reflection in a mirror. Get in the moment and give yourself a genuine, sympathetic smile. Tell yourself, “I see the potential in you. I see that you will do great witchy things. I give you permission to own your power.” Repeat as needed.

imposter syndrome in witchcraft confidence pagan witch — *Photo courtesy of Pixabay*

Give Up Your Witchcraft Aesthetic Fantasies

Some witches want to be taken under someone’s wing and trained in a cottage in the woods, where herbs grow wild and owls hoot every night. But we are made of this world. We live our actual lives, in our bodies, and in houses or apartments that usually look nothing like witchcraft aesthetic seen on sites like Pintrest and Instagram.

Witchcraft aesthetics are beautiful to look at, but if you don’t have time for that, or if your best effort only looks half as nice, don’t beat yourself up. It doesn’t have to look a certain way, which is great news if you can’t afford a $800 camera, $200 for lighting, $300 for materials, and a $20 filter.

Magical Homework: Is an impossible fantasy or witchcraft aesthetic keeping you from the actual here and now? If so, get grounded in your body and in reality. Do what witchcraft you can. Don’t practice escapism to make your life better. Do the witchy work to make the changes you wish to see in the world.

witch house music genre aesthetic modern soundtrack — *Photo courtesy of Pxhere, CC0*

Reclaim Your Naturally Occurring Witchy Experiences

I’ve always been a little bit of a spooky kid, whether it was seeing things that no one else could see, having out of body experiences, feeling my heart burn with ecstacy as I read about Artemis, or doing little activities that I later learned were considered witchcraft. I think we all have something like this in our pasts that come naturally to us. Looking back on them, we can say, “yep, that’s something a witch would do!”

If you had some of these naturally occurring witchy experiences, this proves that you’re not an imposter. Your witchiness is a natural part of who you are.

I was lucky to have hippie parents who encouraged my different behavior and could explain my out-of-body experiences to me. But not everyone has parents like mine.

If you didn’t have unconditional love and support from someone about your inherent witchiness, or if your naturally witchy inclinations were taken away from you, delve into why this may have happened. Were you limited by those who raised you? If so, why? Were you raised in a conservative household? Did your natural witchiness scare them? Did they want you to conform to social norms? Did they try to gaslight you into believing you weren’t powerful or magical?

Magical Homework: If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may be unconsciously mimicking your family’s conservative attitude about witchcraft. Taking on the oppressions of a controlling regime is a common adaptation trait to survive rough times, but it’s not ideal, especially if you’re in a safe place now.

Go to therapy or talk about it with a trusted friend. Do shadow work to talk back to those inner demons and take back your power.

Conclusion

Imposter syndrome is nothing new. It has been around for a long time. Don’t let it take your power away. I wish you could see yourself as I see you: as a powerful, amazing person capable of so much magic.