Welcome to stand out from the crowd.
I'm Darine, and if you are anything like me, you have probably been through a few unexpected twist on your journey. My plan “A” was to be a diplomat, but life had other plans leading me to become an impact entrepreneur and champion for women's leadership. Sometimes life has a funny way of throwing us curveballs. Right?
I have always wondered why fit in when you were born to STANDOUT.
In this podcast, I sit down with remarkable women leaders who have embraced their unique path, defied expectations, and created lasting impact.
We dive into their stories, explore their mindset, their resilience, and the strategies that help them succeed even when life throws stones in their path.
Whether it's insights on personal growth, strategies to amplify your visibility, or tips to boost your well-being and overall productivity, you will find the inspiration you need to unlock your full potential.
Join me every other Wednesday for conversations that will empower you to stand out in your career, in your life, and in everything that you do.
Because, listen, here, we don't just follow the crowd.
We because listen, here, we don't just follow the crowd. We STANDOUT.
Welcome back to the second episode in our series, Redefining Having It All.
Last week, we talked about the burnout behind the badge of honor.
How the drive to do everything can silently erode our joy, our health, our overall well-being, and ultimately our connection to ourselves.
If you haven't listened to episode number one of this series, I strongly encourage you to do so because today we are going to dig deeper.
Ladies and gentlemen, today we are naming the pressure many of us carry but rarely question: the Superwoman Syndrome.
In a nutshell, the Superwoman Syndrome is that we have to be exceptional at everything that we do.
That our value, either internal value or perceived value, is measured by our capacity to manage, to nurture, to lead, organize, remember, support, solve problems, smile, and never break a sweat.
But here's the truth.
You were not born to be everything to everyone.
Let me repeat.
You were not born to be everything to everyone.
As I was doing my research and I came across superwoman syndrome, all of us, we have done it.
We have been there. Okay?
There is nothing new about it, but I didn't know it had such a name.
So I started to dig deeper and look at, you know, where does the superwoman syndrome come from.
The term Superwoman Syndrome was coined by author Marjorie Henson Shevitz in the 90s to describe women striving to excel in all areas of life: career, home, relationships, appearance often to the point of physical and emotional breakdown.
Fast forward to 2025, the expectations have only intensified.
According to McKinsey and Linen.org's Women's in the Workplace report, seventy nine percent of women say they are always on, mentally juggling work and home responsibilities even after hours.
And now, the World Health Organization classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon, and women, especially working mothers, are at higher risk.
And as you know, we are not only managing workloads.
We also manage mental loads: remembering birthdays, organizing school calendars, keeping track of groceries, emotional checkings, and so much more.
You may be wondering what over-functioning looks like.
And here are a few examples of what Superwoman Syndrome may look like in your day to day life.
You feel guilty when you rest.
This one was a big one for me.
You find it hard to ask for help even when you are drowning.
You constantly overcommit and then resent everyone, including yourself.
You get praise for how much you can handle, but inside, you are exhausted.
I can check that one as well.
Does it sound familiar?
If yes, you are not alone.
This is so common, especially for us women between 30 and 40 years old.
When career demand peaks, caregivers' responsibility often grows.
But overfunctioning is not sustainable. I will say it again: overfunctioning is not sustainable.
It leads to chronic stress, relationship strain, and emotional detachment from our own needs.
There is nothing positive about being over functioning.
Another factor that is contributing a lot to the Superwoman Syndrome is multitasking.
There is numerous research and studies out there that speak to the fact that multitasking is a myth.
Even for us women, we believe we can do multiple things at the same time.
Are we treating those tasks with equal quality?
That's a question.
If the response is no, then are we really multitasking?
Or are we just simply spreading ourselves in, thinking that we are doing it right?
Here is a reality check.
Being multitasking doesn't mean that you are more productive.
It doesn't make you more productive.
In fact, research from Stanford University shows that frequent multitaskers perform worse on tasks requiring focus and memory, and are more likely to feel mentally drained.
When you are switching from work email to parenting duties, to friendships, check ins, all in one breath, your brain isn't balancing.
It's burning out.
So while society may celebrate the superwoman image, science says she is running on fumes.
So now that we know more about it, how do we change it?
How can we finally let her go?
That superwoman. Just let her go. Easier said than done.
I know.
Letting go of Superwoman Syndrome starts with permission.
Simply give yourself the permission to not be everything to everyone.
You don't need to fix, rescue, organize, plan and perform all at once.
You don't have to.
And most importantly, you don't need to earn your worth through overextending.
So here are three powerful, subtle but powerful shifts that you can start implementing today. Number one, notice your triggers.
What people or situations make you feel like you have to over deliver or prove your value? That's your cue to pause and ask, who am I doing this for?
Number two, start a drop list.
And this one equals some of the tips that I shared in the previous episodes of this series.
If you haven't listened to it, I strongly encourage you to listen to it because there is a continuity in all the episodes so you can start practicing, shifting, making, you know, those little little changes as you listen.
And you can see the change for yourself.
You can see the progress for yourself.
So now let's go back to our practical tips.
As I was saying, tip number two, start a drop list. Forget the endless to-do list for a second. What are three things you are choosing not to do this week?
Write them down.
Let them go.
I like that.
Instead of doing a to do list or as we do a to do list, because I love to do lists.
Let's be honest here.
But how about having a not to do list to help make our life easier?
Love that!
And tip number three: practice the enoughness mantra.
Every morning this week, say this aloud: I am not here to prove, I am here to be.
And repeat until you believe it. If you're ready to take these insights beyond this episode and start integrating them into your daily life, I have created the STANDOUT Journal.
Inside, you will find weekly prompts and exercises designed to help you define your vision, boost your energy, deepen your relationship and show up with intention both at work and in life.
Just click the link in the episode description to start your journey.
You have already taken the first step by tuning in to the STANDOUT Podcast.
So now, let's build the momentum together.
If there is one thing out of this episode that I would like you to remember, it's that enough is not the finish line.
It's not the end.
It's a birthright.
You are enough right now, as you are, and you don't have to over extend yourself in order to prove your worth.
It's my hope that you enjoy the mini series where we are redefining the concept of having it all. In the next episode, episode number three of this mini series, we will dive into redefining success in your own terms.
Not based on what society is expecting of you, not based on what your community, your family is expecting of you, but based on what you want to be and who you were meant to be.
If you are at a point in your life when you feel that you are disconnected from the goals you once chased or craving a softer, more soul aligned version of success, you won't want to miss it.
But for now and for this week, let's normalize choosing rest.
Joy and boundaries over pressure and performance.
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Your feedback helps us to continue growing and bring more valuable content. Until next time. Bye.
