You know that feeling when you come back from a break and suddenly forget how to do your job? Like your brain’s still on a beach towel somewhere, sipping a mocktail and ignoring your calendar?
Yeah. That was me this week.
After a lovely week off, I returned to my desk with a full inbox and a mild case of “Do I even know what I’m doing anymore?” syndrome. Classic post-holiday wobble. But this time, it came with a side of self-doubt and a sprinkle of imposter syndrome.
The rescue that rattled me
On Monday, I had a chat with a potential client. His books hadn’t been touched in 12 months, and he needed help … fast. We connected over small business stories, and I was genuinely excited to help him out. This kind of job is what we bookkeepers call a rescue. It’s messy, specialised, and incredibly rewarding. Think of it as the bookkeeping version of pulling someone out of a financial jungle with a calculator and a headlamp.
So, I did what I do best: audited the accounts, mapped out the chaos, and prepared a detailed proposal. I even built the cost of the pre-work into the quote (because experience has taught me that rescue missions aren’t free).
Then came the kicker: he casually mentioned he was shopping around for quotes from other bookkeepers.
Cue the sound of my confidence deflating like a beach ball in a cactus patch.
If I’d known he was collecting quotes like Pokémon cards, I would’ve politely bowed out. These days, I don’t pitch for work. I choose clients who are already pre-qualified and come recommended. It’s not arrogance—it’s boundaries. And after 13 years in the game, I’ve earned the right to say, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
But this one slipped through the net. And when I didn’t hear back from him, the self-doubt crept in like sand in your togs.
Comparisonitis: The silent confidence killer
To make matters worse, I spent the rest of the week scrolling through social media, admiring the achievements of other brilliant bookkeepers in our industry. You know the drill: “Look at her amazing client win!” “Wow, she’s speaking at another conference!” “How does she have time to run a practice and bake sourdough?”
Spoiler alert: comparison is a confidence killer. It never ends well.
Enter: My unexpected life coach
Just when I was about to Google “careers for people who like spreadsheets but hate rejection,” our son came to stay for the weekend. He’s usually the class clown - loud, cheeky, and armed with the world’s rudest jokes. But on our family walk, I opened up about how I was feeling.
And he did something unexpected: he listened. He asked thoughtful questions. He helped me unpack my feelings like a seasoned therapist in sneakers.
He parented me. With grace and humour and just the right amount of sass.
And you know what? It worked. I got clarity. I remembered who I am. I made a plan to shift my thinking. And just like that, I was back on the road to awesomeness.
So, who do you turn to?
Confidence wobbles happen to all of us—yes, even to award-winning bookkeepers with a coastal view and a killer automated bookkeeping game.
But the trick is knowing who to turn to when your inner critic gets loud. For me, it was my son this time. Next week, it might be a friend, a mentor, or a long walk with a podcast.
So, who do you turn to when your confidence slips?
And more importantly—how do you remind yourself that you’re still bloody brilliant?
