Granting Yourself Permission to Pivot

A New Kind of Power

There comes a moment, quiet yet unmistakable, when a woman realises she has outgrown the version of herself she has been living. This realisation might happen during a meeting, while on maternity leave, during a job change, or after years of silently wondering, “Is this it?” 

This moment is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of wisdom. 

It is not a breakdown; it is a breakthrough. 

Typically, it arrives with a question:

“Whose voice am I listening to—and what would happen if I started listening to my own?”

That’s where the pivot begins.

“Imposter Syndrome” or a System Problem?

Let’s set the record straight: Imposter Syndrome is not a personal failing, nor is it something women need to “overcome” in isolation.

It’s a reasonable reaction to existing in systems that weren’t designed with you in mind.

While women are often told they need to be “more confident,” we really need spaces to be heard, seen, and valued.

As the Harvard Business Review sharply put it:

“Stop telling women they have imposter syndrome. Instead, fix the bias in the system.”

Coaching can play a crucial role here, not by “fixing” the woman, but by helping her remember she was never broken.

The Numbers Behind the Narrative

• According to the ICF, 80% of coaching clients report improved self-confidence, and 73% report better relationships after coaching.

• 36% of women seek coaching to build self-esteem and believe in their leadership voice.

• The European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) emphasises the need for inclusive coaching practices that challenge internalised bias rather than reinforce it.

And yet, the confidence gap remains;

A Kingstown College study (Ireland) found that many female clients hesitated to seek advancement, not because of ability but because of internalised narratives of self-doubt and a fear of being “found out.”

Coaching doesn’t erase these pressures, but it offers women a framework to question them, rewrite them, and rise above them.

You’re Not an Impostor—You’re a Pioneer

Let’s flip the script:

❌ Feeling unsure in a male-dominated boardroom doesn’t make you insecure.

It makes you a leader, forging new ground.

❌ Wanting more than the role you trained for doesn’t make you flaky.

It makes you a woman evolving with courage.

We don’t need to apologise for outgrowing old roles, titles, or seasons.

We need to give ourselves permission to pivot.

What Does “Permission to Pivot” Really Mean?

It means allowing yourself to:

• Change your mind

• Redefine success

• Prioritise purpose over prestige

• Say no to what no longer fits—even if it once did

Whether it’s a job, a career, a relationship or simply how you show up in the world, you are allowed to evolve.

“This is your permission to pivot—personally, professionally, or spiritually.”

Coaching Tools to Rebuild Trust

In my practice at Frankly Speaking Coaching, I’ve witnessed time and again how powerful questions can gently disrupt old patterns and make space for something truer to emerge. Questions like “Whose permission are you still waiting for?” or “What would you do if you trusted yourself just 10% more?” may seem simple, but they have helped women pause, reflect, and reconnect with the voice beneath the noise.

These aren’t just mindset tools—they’re turning points. They allow clients to shift from internalised self-doubt to embodied self-trust. Sometimes, that moment of clarity comes with emotion. Sometimes it comes with silence. But almost always, it comes with the realisation that they’ve had the wisdom all along—they just needed space, support, and the right question to bring it to the surface.That’s where the pivot begins—not with pressure but presence. And from that place, powerful change becomes possible.

Powerful Reframes:

• “You’re not lost—you’re in transition.”

• “This isn’t a detour. This is the path.”

• “You don’t need to be fearless—you need to be honest.”

Coaching Questions That Create Shifts

“Whose voice are you listening to?” “What would happen if you listened to your own?”

“What role are you holding onto that no longer serves you?” “What are you ready to say yes to—even if it scares you?”

These aren’t just questions. They’re invitation points—moments that expand the possible.

You Deserve More Than This Label

Let’s stop labelling ambitious, questioning, evolving women as insecure or unsure.

Let’s stop treating imposter syndrome like a diagnosis—and start calling it what it often is: a mirror of the world we’ve been navigating.

You’re not too much. You’re not behind. You’re not failing.

You’re becoming.

Final Word

You were never the problem.

You've reached a new threshold of self-awareness, and you're choosing to rise.

Let this be the year you trust your timing, honour your knowing, and pivot—not because you're broken but because you're brave enough to grow.

You don’t need to prove yourself. You need to choose yourself. 

This is your permission to pivot.

If this speaks to where you are right now.

Book a free clarity call here.