Summer just began. With the beginning of a new season - and soon a new quarter for business - I can't help but feel...inspired. Like, it's a new beginning and it's time to get to work!

But ya know what always seems to happen? I'll tell you...nothing. I range from doing borderline-nothing to doing absolutely nothing and my "opportunities" always seem to pass me by. I sit and think about how I let myself down, how I don't really want the life I envision, and how I feel like a fraud in my business.

On an average day, I sit and stew in those fraud-like feels, breaking myself down more than necessary, but now that I'm developing my mindset, I've become better at handling it. Now, I can acknowledge these feelings without them feeling like they define who I am. Now, with these 3 techniques of dealing with this issue head on, I've been able to feel less like a fraud in my business.

1. Keep Doing the Work

No matter what you think or how you feel, keep going. I know my primary feelings of being a fraud come from not showing up. As if when I don't show up regularly, then I don't actually belong here. Luckily for me, this isn't the truth. Not only is there room for everyone, but when you continually show up to do the work, you build up confidence in your self and what you're doing. When you do the work, you can't feel like a fake because you're behaving like you are what you say you are.

2. Change Your Mindset

Altering my mindset has become very important to me and while I'm still - and forever will be -  a work in progress, it has had a number of benefits that I am grateful for. One of them, as mentioned above, is recognizing what might be negative feelings and not letting them define me but learning how to get passed them.

At times when I used to feel like a fraud, feels of self doubt would flood in. Now, I just question, "Why do I feel like a fraud?" From there, I unpack my thoughts. Is it because I didn't do something right? Well who or what am I considering "right", and why? Is it because I feel like I'm not doing enough work? Well where did I get the amount from or how do I quantify "enough" and why? From there, I get my affirmations and continue to put in healthy work on myself and in designing.

3. Believe and Affirm

It seems so easy but it is still one of the hardest things for me to do. Just saying, "I am a fashion designer" brings so many doubtful questions to my mind. And being completely honest, I hesitantly wrote the previous sentence and deleted it because I felt ashamed and like I don't deserve the title. But I'm a work in progress.

The more I tell myself that I am and actually believe the words I speak and speak them to others, the less likely the fraud feels will pop up.

In all fairness, I think feeling like fraud comes with the territory of being a creative. I mean, it's a roller coaster ride of feeling like the dopest thing on this planet to then questioning every move you make. So for those times when you feel you have your ish together but still feel a bit fraudulent then I give you this bonus tip, which has worked wonders in my life.

4. Forgive Yourself

At the end of the day, you are your harshest critic. You know what you're capable of so you may treat yourself pretty harshly when you don't reach your own standards. ...Oh is this only me?... Either way, offer yourself a little grace and understanding if you don't measure up in the moment. It doesn't mean you never will reach it so no need to beat yourself up over it.

What about you? Do you ever feel like you're being a fraud? How do you work through it? Let me know in the comments below!