You know the feeling. You walk into a meeting, a pitch, a networking event, or a conference, and you do a quick scan of the room. And then it hits you: I’m the only one.
The only woman. The only Black person. The only openly queer person at the table. The only one who didn’t grow up with money, who learned English as a second language, who doesn’t have the “right” last name or the “right” alma mater on their resume.
And suddenly, the voice starts. “Do I actually belong here?” “If I say the wrong thing, will I confirm every assumption they already have about someone like me?”
That voice has a name. It’s called imposter syndrome. And while it affects people across the board, it hits differently when you’re the only one in the room.
Here’s what’s important to understand: imposter syndrome is not a personal failing or a character flaw. It is a psychological response to environments that were not designed with you in mind.
When you’re a woman in a male-dominated boardroom, a Black entrepreneur at a predominantly white industry conference, or an openly queer professional in a space that’s never had to think about you before, your brain is doing something rational. It’s reading the room, noticing the gap between you and everyone else, and trying to protect you. The problem is that protection mode can look a lot like self-sabotage: staying quiet when you have something valuable to say, shrinking your ideas before you even pitch them, or working twice as hard to prove something nobody asked you to prove.
So What Do You Do With It?
Name it when it shows up
The first and most disarming thing you can do is simply call it out. Not necessarily out loud (though sometimes that helps too), but internally. Naming it separates you from it. You are not imposter syndrome. You are a person experiencing it, and there is a difference.
Collect your receipts
This is what I do! Build a folder, a note in your phone, a doc on your desktop. Call it whatever you want. Fill it with every kind word a client has ever said, every win you’ve had, every problem you’ve solved, every goal you’ve hit. When the voice shows up, go read your receipts. The evidence of your competence is real. Remind yourself of it regularly, not just when you’re spiraling.
Find your people
This one is not optional. Community is one of the most effective antidotes to imposter syndrome. When you’re in a room full of people who share some version of your experience, you realize that you are not alone. You are a capable person navigating systems that weren’t built for you, just like everyone else in the room.
This is a big part of why spaces like Sesh exist. Not just to give you a desk and Wi-Fi, but to put you in proximity to people who get it. Community stories of experiences and achievements normalize what’s possible. And that normalization is powerful.
Reframe the “only one” from burden to signal
Being the only one in the room is not just isolating. It also means you have a perspective that nobody else there has. Your experience, your background, your identity–these are not liabilities to manage. They are assets that bring something genuinely different to the table. The organizations, clients, and collaborators worth your time will recognize that.
Talk to someone
Imposter syndrome that goes unaddressed can turn into chronic anxiety, burnout, and self-sabotage. If it’s significantly affecting your quality of life or your ability to show up in your work and relationships, talking to a therapist or counselor is worth considering. There is nothing weak about getting support. In fact, recognizing when you need it and going to get it is one of the most powerful things you can do.
Imposter syndrome when you’re the “only one” is real, it’s heavy, and it makes complete sense. But it is not the truth about who you are or what you’re capable of. It’s a story your brain tells you when you’re in spaces that haven’t fully caught up.
You were not a mistake. You were not a diversity checkbox. You earned your seat. And you don’t have to shrink to keep it.
Looking for a space where you’re not the only one? That’s kind of the whole point of Sesh. Come find your people. Book a tour or grab a Day Pass →