#0013: NO MORE DUCK SYNDROME

NO MORE DUCK SYNDROME

EPISODE #0013

THE CONFIDENT MOM PODCAST

* What is duck syndrome – and how it has become a toxic part of your life

* Why fighting against it will increase your happiness.

* 5 specific ways to stop the syndrome

WHAT IS IT?

In 2003, Duke jolted academia with a report describing how its female students felt pressure to be “effortlessly perfect”: smart, accomplished, fit, beautiful and popular, all without visible effort. At Stanford, it’s called the Duck Syndrome. A duck appears to glide calmly across the water, while beneath the surface it frantically, relentlessly paddles.

The perception of a perfect life

"believes social media is a huge contributor to the misperception among students that peers aren’t also struggling."  It's easy to see how this could contribute to a feeling of loneliness and helplessness.

WHY I’M THINKING ABOUT DUCKS:

* Because Ellie is obsessed.

* Because I have suffered from both sides of effects of duck syndrome

WHY TO FIGHT AGAINST IT:

* Inauthentic

* Isolating

* Exhausting

* False and based on lies from our enemy

* Discourages us and discourages others – lifts no one up

* Self-glorifying – when we fall prey to duck syndrome we are focused on impressing others, not necessarily on making an impression in the world

HOW TO STOP THE SYNDROME:

* Be honest with your struggle

* Let people see your mess

* Live to love and build up others – not yourself

* Acknowledge your hard work (and give yourself periods of rest to glide)

* Change your goals (go against perfectionistic thinking and other people’s opinions / strive to significance, not success)