Rip Me Out of the Plastic: Detoxing Imposter Syndrome as a VA
Before the inboxes. Before the Notion boards.
Before the client calls, you smile through the chaos…
You were her.
The sharp one. The confident one.
The one with ideas, presence, and receipts.
Then somewhere between your first discovery call and your fifteenth “Can you just…” Slack message, she got buried. Under doubt. Under discounting your prices. Under convincing yourself you had to be “easy to work with” instead of powerful to partner with.
But bestie, that season’s over.
Rip. Me. Out. The. Plastic.
I’ve been actin’ brand new.
Part 1: Imposter Syndrome Has Entered the Chat
Imposter syndrome doesn’t walk in with a red flag.
She slides into your inner monologue wearing a polite little blazer and a nervous giggle:
“I’m still figuring it out.”
“I’m just here to help.”
“I’m not ready for higher rates yet.”
Sound familiar?
That’s not humility. That’s hesitation in a fake mustache.
Let’s call the plastic what it is:
Self-doubt.
Comparison.
Low self-worth in business-casual.
And here’s the gag: the clients you’re comparing yourself to? Half of them don’t even know how to format a Google Doc. They’re just louder. Or bolder. Or not waiting to feel ready before charging what they want.
Part 2: Acting Brand New (and Why That’s a Good Thing)
"Actin’ brand new" isn’t about switching it up.
It’s about switching back.
Back to your voice.
Back to your zone of genius.
Back to the confidence you had before you muted yourself in meetings to seem “professional.”
Here’s what acting brand new looks like in the VA world:
You stop saying “I’m just a…” and start owning your title.
You charge for the strategy and the task.
You say “no” without a 3-paragraph apology email and a link to your calendar.
You don’t become someone else.
You become louder about the expert you already are.
Part 3: The Clean-Up Starts in Your Mind
Detoxing imposter syndrome isn’t about journaling until your hand cramps (though, hey, write it out if that’s your thing).
It’s about interrupting the narrative.
Catch the self-doubt mid-sentence and hit it with:
“No, I’m not lucky. I’m qualified.”
“No, I’m not new. I’m skilled.”
“No, I’m not winging it. I’ve built this with intention.”
You don’t owe anyone an underwhelming version of yourself just because that’s what feels familiar.
Part 4: Detoxing Changes Everything
When you stop hiding, everything, and I mean everything, shifts.
✨ Your discovery calls stop feeling like auditions.
You’re not begging to be picked. You’re curating partnerships.
✨ Your content starts sounding like you.
Not watered-down, palatable, LinkedIn-template-you. Real you. Bold you. The you that gets bookmarked and followed.
✨ Your client roster upgrades.
Because when you start showing up like a leader, the energy you attract matches it.
You don’t need more courses. You need more conviction.
You’ve already got the tools, now it’s time to believe you deserve to use them at full price.
Part 5: Let This Be Your Re-Introduction
You’ve been here. Before the reels. Before the templates.
Before the time you let a red-flag client make you question everything…
She was always there.
This is your moment to reintroduce her.
Not with a whisper.
Not with a “just following up…”
But with a “Hey. I’m back. And I’m done apologizing.”
Say it with your full chest:
“I’ve always been her. I just stopped hiding.”
“Rip me out of the plastic. I’ve been actin’ brand new.”
Now go take up space, and don’t shrink back down.
You don’t need permission.
You don’t need a new strategy.
You needed a moment—this moment—
to remember who the f*ck you are.
So let this be your entrance.
Louder. Sharper. Unapologetically branded.
Rip the doubt off.
Rip the discounting off.
Rip the fake humility off.
You’re not “just” a VA.
You’re the asset. The architect. The one that keeps it all together.
🫧 Rip me out the plastic.
I AM actin’ brand new.
And this time? You’re not going back in.
—Monica ✌🏽❤️
