How to Trust Yourself: Overcome Imposter Syndrome, Feel Confident, and Let Yourself Be Seen

Anna Holtzman
  • 5.0 (28)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
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Are you a sensitive creative, coach, or entrepreneur who wants to share your work—but feels held back by imposter syndrome, self-doubt, or fear of being seen? How to Trust Yourself helps you build confidence, overcome creative resistance, and show up without burning out. I'm Anna Holtzman, a therapist turned coach who spent years as a creative-for-hire in publishing and TV before launching my own business. Now I help others use nervous system tools to move past fear, own their voice, and step into lasting visibility. 🌎 Work with me → www.annaholtzman.com

  1. 1D AGO

    Ep 109: When the Cheese Moves: Navigating Pivots, Fear & Reinvention with Zack Arnold

    In this deeply honest and wide-ranging crossover episode, Anna sits down with Zack Arnold — award-winning Hollywood editor (Cobra Kai, Burn Notice, Glee), creator of the Optimize Yourself program, and now host of The Zack Arnold Podcast — to talk about what REALLY happens behind the scenes of a life pivot. Together, they explore the messy middle of reinvention: income dips, identity crises, disappearing industries, burnout, fear spirals, and the slow rebuilding of confidence and clarity. Both Anna and Zack share what caused them to walk away from long-held identities, how they each discovered they were “optimizing the wrong thing,” and the small, compassionate actions that helped them get unstuck. This episode is a balm if you’re currently: Questioning your career pathStaring at an uncertain futureTrying to force yourself down a path that no longer fitsFeeling behind, frozen, or overwhelmedOr sensing a pivot is coming but terrified to beginZack also shares powerful stories from his coaching clients — including one who went from panic and paralysis to choosing a whole new creative direction — and Anna talks about using her Melt-Through Method journaling practice to move through the fear of her own recent pivot. In this episode, we explore: What it feels like when life kicks you into a pivot before you’re readyWhy “waiting for things to go back to normal” keeps you stuckHow to know when your brand (or identity) no longer fitsThe difference between overhauling your life vs. finding the next right experimentWhat happens to your nervous system during change — and how to support itWhy connection beats problem-solving when you’re spinningThe power of micro-actions when motivation is goneHow to create safety during a pivot instead of forcing yourself to “push through”Practical stories of people choosing a new direction — even in a collapsing industryConnect with Zack Arnold Podcast: The Zack Arnold PodcastSubstack newsletter: (search “Zack Arnold” on Substack)Coaching, courses, and The Arnold Academy: https://thearnoldacademy.comConnect with Anna Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_holtzman/Website: https://www.annaholtzman.com/Free workshop — Let Yourself Be Seen: https://www.annaholtzman.com/beseen

    1h 19m

  2. FEB 6

    Ep 108 Leadership Under Stress: Tightening Lids, Chocolate Milkshakes & Nervous System Support

    What happens when life gets stressful — and you’re still the one who needs to lead? In this solo episode, Anna shares a very real story from a winter blizzard in New York City that involved a burst pipe, displaced tenants, exhausted nervous systems… and, unexpectedly, a chocolate milkshake. Using the metaphor of “tightening lids” versus “chocolate milkshake energy,” Anna explores how stress shows up in the body, how it changes the way we lead and relate, and why learning to soften inside stress can completely shift how we show up — at home, in our work, and in visibility. This episode is an invitation to notice when you’re white-knuckling your way through responsibility, and to experiment with small, nervous-system-supportive shifts that bring back lightness, connection, and presence — even when life is demanding. In this episode, we explore: Why stress is inevitable — and burnout doesn’t have to beHow “tightening lids” shows up in the nervous systemThe role of play, pleasure, and lightness in leadershipWhat it means to lead while stressed, rather than waiting to feel calmA simple reflection exercise to identify your own version of “chocolate milkshake energy”Reflection Invitation:Think about a recent moment when you were “tightening lids.” How did that energy show up in your body? Then recall a moment of lightness or play. What helps you shift between the two? Anna would love to hear what this episode brought up for you. You can email her at Anna@AnnaHoltzman.com. If you’re navigating leadership, visibility, or responsibility while feeling stretched inside, this episode offers a compassionate reframe — and a reminder that you don’t have to clench your way through life.

    28 min

  3. JAN 30

    Ep 107: Quiet Creatives: Showing Up Authentically on Instagram with Ilona Glastonbury

    In this gentle, honest, deeply encouraging conversation, Anna talks with Ilona Glastonbury, Instagram strategist, chronic illness survivor, and founder of the Quiet Creatives Academy — a space for sensitive and introverted creatives who want to grow on Instagram without burning out or becoming someone they’re not. Ilona’s journey from potter to disabled creative to Instagram coach is rooted in lived experience: learning how to find visibility that honors her health, her energy, and her nervous system. Now she helps other Quiet Creatives do the same — creating simple, sustainable strategies for showing up online with integrity and ease. In this episode, we explore: What a “Quiet Creative” actually isThe unique challenges Quiet Creatives face on Instagram (and why typical marketing advice doesn’t work for them)Ilona’s personal experience with fear of visibility — and the practices that help her move through itWhy authenticity performs better than performative contentWhy quiet voices are needed more than ever in online spacesHow Ilona helps clients grow their reach and sell their work without betraying who they areWhat lights her up most when supporting her clients and groupsHow to build a relationship with Instagram that’s sustainable for sensitive, introverted, or chronically ill creativesThis episode is like a cup of tea and a permission slip — especially if you’ve ever wondered whether you can grow online without losing yourself.   Connect with Ilona Instagram: @quietcreativesacademy / @ottimadeFree resources for Anna’s audience: https://www.thequietcreativesacademy.com/annah  Connect with Anna Seen & SafeA supportive, intimate group for sensitive creatives, practitioners, and entrepreneurs who want to reconnect with themselves, work with fear instead of against it, and return to flow again and again. Enrollment open now through January 26👉 https://www.annaholtzman.com/seenandsafe Free Workshop — Let Yourself Be SeenCurious about the work before committing? Join Anna for a replay of her free workshop where you’ll get a taste of the tools shared in Seen & Safe, including a gentle introduction to the Melt-Through Method.👉 https://www.annaholtzman.com/beseen Questions?Sent me an email anna@annaholtzman.com

    1h 6m

  4. JAN 23

    Ep 106: Turning Your Story Into a Movement with Chantelle Adams

    In this episode, Anna sits down with Chantelle Adams — professional speaker, story strategist, and “courage igniter” — to explore what it really takes to share your story out loud, even when fear is loud in your body. Chantelle has delivered over 1,000 talks, built a six-figure speaking business, and helped countless women craft and share talks that feel like a homecoming to who they really are. But this work was born from loss, grief, and a wake-up call: realizing she was alive but not truly living — and that fear had been quietly running the show. Now she helps other “rebels with a cause” get their brave on, find the message inside their lived experience, and turn that message into a movement. In this episode, we explore: Why speaking your truth matters in a world where everyone technically “has a voice”How Chantelle went from living in quiet fear to writing her Fear List and crossing items off, one brave act at a timeThe deeper fears underneath “fear of public speaking” (it’s not just about the stage)The patterns Anna saw in herself while working with Chantelle — and why this work was so transformative for herHow to move through fears like:“I’m not good enough”“Who am I to say this?”“What if I fail… or succeed?”“What will people think of me?”What Chantelle means by “channeling” when she speaks and does story work with clients (and how that’s different from memorizing a script)Simple ways you can begin to tap into your own channel — even if that word feels woo-woo or unfamiliarWhy your story is not just content, but the spark for a revolution in how you and your people live, work, and leadYou’ll walk away with a more compassionate understanding of your fear, a clearer sense of how powerful your story already is, and some very grounded next steps for bringing your voice into the world.   Connect with Chantelle Website: https://chantelleadams.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chantellespeaks/Speaker Amplifier: https://speak.chantelleadams.com/the-speaking-amplifier Connect with Anna Seen & SafeA supportive, intimate group for sensitive creatives, practitioners, and entrepreneurs who want to reconnect with themselves, work with fear instead of against it, and return to flow again and again. Enrollment open now through January 26👉 https://www.annaholtzman.com/seenandsafeFree Live Workshop — Let Yourself Be SeenCurious about the work before committing? Join Anna for a live, free workshop where you’ll get a taste of the tools shared in Seen & Safe, including a gentle introduction to the Melt-Through Method. Tuesday, January 20Live + replay availableRegister here:👉 https://www.annaholtzman.com/beseenLIVEQuestions? Send me an email anna@annaholtzman.com

    1h 8m

  5. JAN 16

    Ep 105: A Leadership Wound: Why Stepping Into Leadership Can Feel So Risky

    What if your discomfort with leadership isn’t a confidence issue — but an old nervous-system story that’s never been updated? In this solo episode, Anna explores the concept of a leadership wound: early experiences that quietly shape how safe (or unsafe) it feels to step into leadership later in life. Drawing from a personal story from fourth grade — when stepping into a natural leadership role suddenly became fraught — Anna unpacks how childhood interpretations can linger beneath the surface, influencing our relationship with visibility, authority, and being seen. You’ll hear: Why leadership can trigger fear even when it feels alignedHow childhood experiences shape our nervous system’s response to leadershipThe difference between a visibility wound and a leadership woundHow old stories can run quietly in the background until we name themGentle ways to begin updating these stories with adult awareness and compassionAnna also invites listeners to reflect on their own relationship with leadership — and offers journaling prompts to help process early experiences that may still be shaping how you show up today. If you’re a sensitive creative, entrepreneur, or leader who feels a pull toward leadership and a simultaneous urge to shrink back, this episode offers a compassionate lens for understanding why — and a softer way forward. Work With Anna If you want to explore visibility, leadership, and nervous-system safety in community, Anna’s membership Seen & Safe is currently open for enrollment. Seen & Safe is a twice-monthly group for sensitive creatives, entrepreneurs, and leaders who want to practice being seen without overriding their nervous system. Learn more or join here:👉 www.annaholtzman.com/seenandsafe  Anna is also hosting a free live workshop, Let Yourself Be Seen, for those who want a taste of this work before committing: www.annaholtzman.com/beseen

    23 min

  6. JAN 9

    Ep 104: Evolving Into Your Next Chapter with Stacey Brass-Russell

    In this inspiring conversation, Anna is joined by Stacey Brass-Russell—performer, yoga teacher, studio owner, master-level coach, and creator of the E.V.O.L.V.E. change system—to explore what it truly takes to reinvent yourself at any age. Stacey shares her extraordinary path from Broadway to wellness to coaching, and how she learned to turn fear, uncertainty, and life upheaval into fuel for the next iteration of her purpose. Together, we examine how sensitive creatives can move through overwhelm, trust their desires, and build businesses that feel both aligned and abundant. In this episode, we explore: How to get out of overwhelm and into clear, grounded, doable actionWhy so many people stay stuck in a chapter that no longer fits—and what it takes to choose evolutionHow Stacey helps clients shift limiting beliefs about money, self-worth, and the ethics of abundanceThe emotional and identity challenges of making a midlife career pivotWhy reinvention is less about starting over and more about remembering who you’ve always beenHow to build a values-driven coaching or service-based business using clarity, alignment, and service instead of hustleConnect with Stacey Website: https://www.staceybrassrussell.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staceybrassrussell/Free resource: 7 actionable steps to shift your mindset, get in gear, and start making money right now www.staceybrassrussell.com/money-mindset-anna-podcastConnect with Anna Website: https://www.annaholtzman.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_holtzman/

    1h 11m

  7. JAN 2

    Ep 103: How to Get Back Into Flow When You Hit Frustration, Fear, or Burnout

    In this short solo episode, Anna explores a gentle, nervous-system–informed approach to getting back into flow when things feel hard. Instead of treating frustration, fear, or burnout as problems to fix, Anna offers a different framework: these states are signals of inner conflict — moments when parts of us want different things at the same time. And it’s that internal tug-of-war, not the emotions themselves, that drains our energy and pulls us out of flow. In this episode, you’ll learn how to stop fighting yourself and start bringing your energy back onto one team. In this episode, we cover: Why frustration, fear, and burnout aren’t the problem — and what actually isHow inner conflict drains your energy (and how to gently resolve it)A simple practice for working with frustration instead of spiraling against itHow to meet fear with care, curiosity, and reassurance — rather than self-criticismWhy burnout is often a signal to rest intentionally, not push harderHow choosing rest can actually bring creativity, motivation, and clarity back onlineWhy practicing these tools in community can create an upward spiral of support and flowAnna also shares how these practices are used inside Seen & Safe, her twice-monthly group for sensitive creatives, practitioners, and entrepreneurs who want to move forward without overriding their nervous system.   Work With Anna Seen & SafeA supportive, intimate group for sensitive creatives, practitioners, and entrepreneurs who want to reconnect with themselves, work with fear instead of against it, and return to flow again and again. Enrollment reopens January 14Join the waitlist for early access:👉 https://www.annaholtzman.com/seenandsafeFree Live Workshop — Let Yourself Be SeenCurious about the work before committing? Join Anna for a live, free workshop where you’ll get a taste of the tools shared in Seen & Safe, including a gentle introduction to the Melt-Through Method. Tuesday, January 20Live + replay availableRegister here:👉 https://www.annaholtzman.com/beseenLIVEQuestions?Sent me an email anna@annaholtzman.com

    28 min

  8. 12/26/2025

    Ep 102: Launching with Flow: Energy-Aligned Strategy with Danielle Weil

    If you’re a sensitive creative, healer, or entrepreneur, then whether you use the word “launch” or not—you’re always putting something out into the world. A new offer. A group program. A workshop. A book. An idea. And let’s be honest: that visibility can feel vulnerable, overwhelming, and dysregulating. But what if launching didn’t have to feel like forcing yourself into a mold? What if it could feel more grounded, intuitive—and actually energizing? In this episode, I’m joined by Danielle Weil, copy and marketing strategist and creator of LaunchFlow®, a methodology that helps expert business owners launch in a way that builds momentum without burnout. Over the past two decades, Danielle has written dozens of 6- and 7-figure launches and generated over $170M in sales—but her approach centers flow, alignment, and ease (not hustle, urgency, or bro-marketing tactics). We talk about:✨ What “energy-aligned launching” really means (and why it matters)✨ How to spot the sneaky signs that your strategy is out of sync with your natural rhythm✨ Why resistance might not be a mindset issue—but a sign that something’s off✨ Common traps sensitive entrepreneurs fall into when launching—and how to shift out of them✨ Client transformation stories that show what’s possible when you launch from a place of flow✨ Why having support to reflect your blind spots can help you come back into alignment✨ Danielle’s “soapbox” message for anyone trying to find their way in business without selling out Whether you're launching a product, a service, a program—or simply yourself—this conversation is here to remind you that you don’t have to sacrifice your energy, your well-being, or your truth to grow your business. ✨ Connect with Danielle:LaunchFlow Roadmap: www.dwcopy.com/roadmapPodcast: Market Like a ParentInstagram: @daniellekweilLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danielleweil ✨ Connect with Anna:Free workshop — Let Yourself Be Seen: www.annaholtzman.com/beseenInstagram: @anna.holtzmanEmail: anna@annaholtzman.com

    53 min
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5
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

Are you a sensitive creative, coach, or entrepreneur who wants to share your work—but feels held back by imposter syndrome, self-doubt, or fear of being seen? How to Trust Yourself helps you build confidence, overcome creative resistance, and show up without burning out. I'm Anna Holtzman, a therapist turned coach who spent years as a creative-for-hire in publishing and TV before launching my own business. Now I help others use nervous system tools to move past fear, own their voice, and step into lasting visibility. 🌎 Work with me → www.annaholtzman.com

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