The CEO Showgirl

About The CEO Showgirl

Where I/O Psychology & Burlesque Meet

Publisher

Lavinia Vale

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Jun 2024

Latest episode

3 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Nov 2025

   #MM - Toxic Gratitude

   This week’s episode digs into the shadow side of gratitude. You know that moment when someone tells you to just be grateful—even though you’re drowning? Yeah. That. Gratitude is powerful, but only when it’s authentic. Forced gratitude doesn’t heal you—it hides you. ✨ You don’t owe survival your silence. ✨ You don’t owe your trauma a silver lining. ✨ You do deserve the space to feel what’s real. #MondayMinutes #MentalHealthMatters #ToxicGratitude #CEOShowgirl #ShowgirlScience #UnmaskingPain

2. 

   26 Oct 2025

   #MondayMinutes - Masking

   Hey everyone, This week’s Monday Minutes digs into something deeply personal for a lot of us: Masking. You know the drill: Pretending you’re okay when you’re not, smoothing your voice, hiding your stims, editing your tone to be “easier to digest,” or even reshaping your identity just to feel safe, accepted, or employable. Masking is something many neurodivergent, queer, disabled, and trauma-surviving folks do to survive. It’s a strategy. It works. But it also costs—energy, authenticity, relationships, sometimes even our sense of self. This week’s short video is your reminder that if you feel exhausted, disconnected, or like you’re playing a character just to get through the day… you’re not broken. You’re adapting. And it’s okay to start unmasking at your own pace. 🧠 Let’s reflect: When did you first learn to mask? What parts of you feel safest to show now? What parts are still hiding? Drop your thoughts in the comments—let’s be real together. And if you need the reminder: Your weird is not too weird. Your truth is not too much. You are allowed to take off the mask. 🖤 Lavinia / Dr. Chrissy

3. 

   22 Oct 2025

   #MondayMinutes + Updates

   What a year this has been. On January 28, I flew to Harrisburg, PA, because my sister informed me that our mother was not likely to make it through that weekend. She ended up having the Momdacity to hold on til February 12. I was in PA in a sort of indefinite manner. I had been doing my Monday Minutes there and was keeping up on things, but then I got back to OR and things sorta fell apart. My house was a disaster. I'd spent 3 months on hands & knees, scrubbing and cleaning it from top to bottom...only to return to it being utterly left to its own devices. That socked me in the gut and left me reeling in a depressive state for a number of months. I was also throwing myself full-force into my role as COO of The Asylum Project (https://theasylumproject.org), a grassroots nonprofit that Jonanthan Jones founded. The mission is to help members of the LGBTQIA+, BIPoC, and Disabled communities relocate from the U.S. to friendlier EU countries, starting with Portugal as a landing zone. Then, I also started my own consulting business (https://meritworksinstitute.com) with a 6-Week Skill Transference Bootcamp that is currently in a Soft Launch phase. If you're interested in learning how skills from your hobbies can be translated or reframed into skills for your corporate life, check it out! (https://meritworksinstitute.com/6week-skill-transference-bootcamp) It's available for $149 until January 1, when it will be offered for my actual rate of $349. As part of the development for this Bootcamp, I also came up with a mini Oracle deck that I hope to have available soon for download via Deckible! You're gonna love how it works (but I'm not going to say anything until it's live)! I just produced a show here in Coquille on Saturday. It was much better attended than my last 3 combined, so that was nice. Everyone had such a good time, too. All of that said, the focus of my #MondayMinutes has shifted a bit. I'm exhausted. I'm burnt out. I'm overwhelmed. I'm dealing with emotional grief, physical grief, and so much more. I'm building community and focusing on helping others who are also dealing with stress and burnout. I do Lives, periodically, on TIkTok with Fridays being the night I do my live #WeekendWhispers theme (I couldn't get into doing that for OnlyFans, so I let that go). Instead of a YouTube channel with full-length videos, I have a substack (https://ceoshowgirl.substack.com) that has more in-depth articles on various topics that I use for MondayMinutes and the like. It's completely free, so feel free to check it out. If you'd rather I post that content here, I'm happy to do so! Just let me know in the comments. Thank you all for sticking with me on this. I promise I will get back to the Podcast proper soon. There's so much to do with Asylum Project, and Jonathan and I are both on the burnout spectrum. My goal is to have weekly MondayMinutes posts available to everyone (since I post those on TikTok), Weekly Recap posts for my paid supporters, a monthly freemium Meritworks Update post, a monthly Meritworks supporters post, and of course, the monthly podcast episode once I'm able to get those going again. That is my year-to-date. Thank you for your understanding, and I will see some of you on Friday for the Weekly Recap! I need a better name for that...

4. 

   13 May 2025

   #MM, S2.e5

   I apologize for the lateness of this post. The past two weeks have been a bit... insane. I'm finally back on the West Coast in Oregon. I spent a week with Jonathan who so graciously drove me back to my house. My house was a disaster zone. We'll leave it at that. I was every flavor of hurt, devestated, angry, hopeless, and I'm sure a few others. I ended up staying with some friends for a few days, which included Monday this week. David had the video ready for me to post. I was going through Some Things and failed to post it. I apologize for the lateness, but I think it's safe to say that my life since January 24 has not been what one would consider normal. This week's Monday Minute is all about the science behind Red Lipstick! I have half a mind to do an entire podcast on Red Lipstick from an historic perspective because, believe me, my darlings, there IS a history! From the origins to the subversive uses to the reason it became so popular during World War II, the history of Red Lipstick is fascinating and I would love to share it with you all! Please enjoy this minute of chaos! Script: Lavinia Vale Voice Over: Jonathan Jones Video Editing: David Dukellis

5. 

   22 Apr 2025

   #MM S2.e3 - World Burlesque Day

   World Burlesque Day is April 26; however, April 27, is the record-breaking attempt to be last year's World Record Setting event! The World Burlesque Academy and Sapphira made a new world record for the World's Largest Online Burlesque Class with 155 students from 80 countries! We collectively shimmied our way into the records and this year, I've teamed up with Sapphira to go bigger, Bolder, and BOUNCIER--and YOU can be a part of it! You can register here (https://www.worldburlesqueacademy.com/course/world-record-attempt-2025) and use the code ECLIPSE10 for 10% off the class fee. Come join us and learn about body positivity, how to do a glove peel, and our "Oo La La!" dance challenge! So, if you're a seasoned showgirl, or just show-curious, grab a boa, strike a pose, and join us on April 27 to break our own world record! Script: Lavinia Vale Voice Over: Jonathan Jones of The Asylum Project (https://theasylumproject.net) Video Editing: David Dukellis

6. 

   14 Apr 2025

   #MM S2.e2 - Confidence!

   One of the most important soft skills is confidence. Your confidence can make or break a performance--from a stage act to an interview to a performance review. Things can and will go wrong, but our reaction to those moments makes all the difference. You are the only one who knows what something should look or sound like. If you mess up, just own that mistake like it is part of the show!! This week should see the release of the next storytime session, Weekend Whispers. Stay tuned for more updates from everything The CEO Showgirl! Voice Over: Jonathan Jones Video Editing: David Dukellis

7. 

   7 Apr 2025

   Season 2 Premiere: #MondayMinutes 2.1 - CONSENT

   Season 2 is starting today!! We have the premiere of #MondayMinutes and this one is all about Consent. Consent is sexy and it is mandatory when at live shows. From Renaissance Faires to Burlesque & Cabaret Shows to any sort of interactive theatre, Consent is not an option. Consent keeps the performers safe, but it also keeps the audience safe. To explain, if you are feeling up a performer or making inappropriate comments during their act or show, you are putting them into a position where they are now distracted. Their focus isn't on their art, it's on whether or not you are going to rush them, touch them, or otherwise create an uncomfortable or unsafe environment for them. At the same time, your comments or touches put you at risk. You don't know the performers and how they react. You don't know if they have trauma that would result in an involuntary response of slapping, kicking, or punching whatever or whomever is touching them. You don't know their act or show and your comments may create a situation in which what they're about to do could become extremely dangerous (even more dangerous than it could be--like sword swallowing, fire eating/manipulation, whip tricks, etc). "If you wouldn't say it or do it to a stranger at the grocery store, don't say or do it to a performer." This has been your PSA for the week. :) Script: Lavinia Vale Voice Over: Jonathan Jones Video Editing: David Dukellis

8. 

   31 Mar 2025

   #MM - Season 1 Finale: Music & Dance

   Here it is: The Season 1 Finale of #MondayMinutes! This episode is all about music and why we just can’t resist tapping our toes to a good beat! Next month, we’ll be back with more #MondayMinutes and we’ll be launching new content on OnlyFans on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Fridays of the month (at least for Season 1). Lavinia is still in Central Pennsylvania until the end of April; then she’ll be heading back to her home on the West Coast and will have even more new content coming out in Quarter 3. The CEO Showgirl Podcasts will continue, as normal — the last Thursday of the month! So make sure you’re subscribed to at least this Patreon for project updates from Lavinia with The CEO Showgirl…and possibly also Jonathan with a non-profit project that may be of significant value and interest to our listeners and Patrons. As always, thank you for your support and enjoy this week’s #MondayMinutes! CREDITS Script Editing: Lavinia Vale Video Editing: David Dukellis Voice Over: Jonathan Jones

9. 

   27 Mar 2025

   CEO Showgirl S1, e3 - Stage Fright

   Here it is, in all its glory: The CEO Showgirl Podcast March episode: Stage Fright. Join Jonathan Jones and Lavinia Vale as they discuss what causes stage fright and how to handle it. Plus, you’ll get to hear Lavinia go on a rant about the Meyers-Briggs personality assessment! Good times had by all! If you’d like to find out your Big Five scores, follow this link: https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/IPIP-BFFM/ (https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/IPIP-BFFM/) and if you’d like Lavinia to break it down for you, send her your results to theceoshowgirl@gmail.com (mailto:theceoshowgirl@gmail.com) with the subject “Lavinia - Big 5 Analysis” and a suggested donation of $5.00 through Venmo (@PrettyLavinia), PayPal (sunflowerentgrp@gmail.com (mailto:(sunflowerentgrp@gmail.com)), or Ca$hApp ($SunflowerEGrp) and she’ll work on it for you (please allow 3-5 business days for the analysis…Lavinia has a full schedule of scripts to write, research, and edit; as well as filming and recording). In this episode, also, Lavinia mentions projects on TikTok (@mslaviniavale), YouTube (www.youtube.com/@mslaviniavale), (mailto:www.youtube.com/@mslaviniavale),) and OnlyFans (https://onlyfans.com/ceo_showgirl). (https://onlyfans.com/ceo_showgirl).) TikTok is where the feature, “MondayMinutes” is available; OnlyFans will play host to her “WeekendWhispers” storytime content (gothic horror stories from the 15th century through the early part of the 20th century, with contextual analysis and biographical histories—no nudity); and coming in July, YouTube will be the home of a Top N’s listicle format show that is as yet untitled and in development. Even the content idea may change! Subscribe to all three channels so you don’t miss an episode! OR! Become a Patreon at the Seasoned Performer level, and get all the content in one place! Please share this podcast with anyone you think could benefit from the information contained herein. If you have a topic you’d like us to discuss, please comment on this post, or e-mail us at theceoshowgirl@gmail.com (mailto:theceoshowgirl@gmail.com)! The sources for this podcast are as follows: Works Cited Barlow, DH. (2002). Anxiety and Its Disorders. The Nature and Treatment of Anxiety and Panic (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press. Brooks, A. W. (2014). Get excited: reappraising pre-performance anxiety as excitement. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(3), 1144. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xge-a0035325.pdf (https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xge-a0035325.pdf) Dincer, B., Özçelik, S. K., Özer, Z., & Bahçecik, N. (2022). Breathing therapy and emotional freedom techniques on public speaking anxiety in Turkish nursing students: A randomized controlled study. Explore, 18(2), 226-233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2020.11.006 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2020.11.006) Khiron Clinics. (2021, May 14). Understanding Freeze. https://khironclinics.com/blog/understanding-freeze/ (https://khironclinics.com/blog/understanding-freeze/) Nilsen, F. A., Bang, H., & Røysamb, E. (2024). Personality traits and self-control: The moderating role of neuroticism. Plos one, 19(8), e0307871. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0307871&type=printable (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0307871&type=printable) Osborne, M. S., Greene, D. J., & Immel, D. T. (2014). Managing performance anxiety and improving mental skills in conservatoire students through performance psychology training: a pilot study. Psychology of Well-being, 4, 1-17. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13612-014-0018-3.pdf (https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13612-014-0018-3.pdf) More information: https://www.sanaross.com/the-neuroscience-of-achieving-more/turning-anxiety-into-your-ally-the-exciting-neuroscience-of-performance (https://www.sanaross.com/the-neuroscience-of-achieving-more/turning-anxiety-into-your-ally-the-exciting-neuroscience-of-performance)

10. 

    17 Mar 2025

    #MondayMinutes S1e7 - The Science of Charisma

    Season 1 of #MondayMinutes will be coming to a close in just a couple weeks, but fear not! Season 2 will start April 7! March also will see the release of Episode 3 of The CEO Showgirl Podcast with Lavinia Vale and Jonathan Jones (we know we need to update the graphics here). The tentative release date for Episode 3, “Why People Fear Public Speaking (and How Performers Overcome It),” is Thursday, March 27. We both hope you enjoy this episode and we also hope you continue to support us in whatever way you choose to do so. :) Coming in April, besides Season 2 of #MondayMinutes, will be a brand new feature on the controversial site, OnlyFans (and here on Patreon, for the Debut Performer level+, sorry Freemiums and Stage Kittens). It will come out on Fridays, beginning April 4, and will be called #WeekendWhispers. Little Lottie, let her mind wander Little Lottie thought, “Am I fonder Of dolls, or of goblins, Of shoes, or of riddles of frocks Or of chocolates….? Father playing the violin As we read to each other dark stories Of the North... "No, what I love best,” Lottie said, “Is when I’m asleep in my bed And the Angel of Music Sings songs in my head…." I will be your Angel of Music, and though I may not be singing songs in your head, I will read you dark stories from 19th and early 20th centuries…maybe even earlier. If you’re a Debut Performer or higher tier, make sure to check out those posts every Friday, starting in April! And finally, likely starting May 7, we’ll also be producing longer-form content on YouTube, tentatively titled #HumpDayHacks. These are a little trickier for us to produce, so please bear with us as we work through the initial 2/3 season and get all the kinks out! As always, the information will come from personal experience and backed by science where applicable. If you can’t get enough of the CEO Showgirl, now you’ll have a few more ways to get information! If you like what we’re doing, please share this page to your friends. Help us out by Liking and following our YouTube channel (@mslaviniavale), follow us on TikTok (@mslaviniavale) and OnlyFans (@ceo_showgirl). And, if you listen to us on Apple Podcasts, help us out by giving us a 5-Star Review and leave us a nice message. Maybe share with us your favorite vacation spot! For whatever reason, this is what helps get our podcast up in ranks so we can reach more people.

11. 

    10 Mar 2025

    #MM - 1.6 Eye Contact

    This week’s #MondayMinutes is all about Eye Contact and the science behind it! You can watch the video here or on TikTok or YTShorts! Please share this video far and wide and let others know how they can find more from The CEO Showgirl! Script: Lavinia Vale V.O.: Jonathan Jones

12. 

    4 Mar 2025

    #MondayMinutes 1.5 - Stage Fright

    The newest MondayMinutes is out!! This episode is all about Stage Fright—that fear that plagues so many people! But what if you could turn your stage fright into stage might?! In just under a minute, we talk about the science behind stage fright and a quick tip for taking control of your fear. Script: Lavinia Vale V.O.: Jonathan Jones Music: Johnathan Presstone Edits: Lavinia Vale

13. 

    28 Feb 2025

    S1, e2: The Subversive Nature of Burlesque

    I will have to do video and transcripts separately, and I have to go back and find the Thesis I said I would link, so please stay tuned to this spot for more information on all that. It was just important to me to get this episode out there for you all!! Co-Hosts: Lavinia Vale & Jonathan Jones Script: Lavinia Vale Post-Production: Lavinia Vale (for now)

14. 

    24 Feb 2025

    S1, e4 MondayMinutes - The Science of the Art of the Tease

    This week has been stressful. Today is the day we buried my Mom. But I still wanted to get this episode out for you! Stay tuned to Patreon, too! The 2nd episode of the Podcast should be out this week!! Hooray! Please enjoy this fun little Minute to make your Monday merry!

15. 

    17 Feb 2025

    S1, e3 - MondayMinutes

    Today’s Monday Minutes is about how lighting affects your mood and perception through the magic of science! This one was timely as I had just received lighting for filming while I’m here in PA. For those following along, my Mom passed away on February 12, sometime between 4am and 7am. Her funeral will be Monday, February 24. I already have that one recorded and my editor will be posting it on my behalf. CREDITS Script: Me Voice Over: Jonathan Jones Music: Jonathan Presstone Editor: David Dukellis

16. 

    10 Feb 2025

    S1, e2 #MondayMinutes - The Psychology of Confidence on the Stage

    Hello, Friend-Pals! Here's the newest Monday Minutes, the series in which I talk about a complex topic for about a minute. This week's topic is all about CONFIDENCE and the psychology behind it! Script/Editing: Lavinia Vale Video Editing: David Dukellis Music: Jon Presstone Voice Over: Jonathan Jones

17. 

    3 Feb 2025

    #MondayMinutes, ep 1 - The Subversive Art of Burlesque

    I am starting a new, weekly thing on TikTok/YouTube Shorts called #MondayMinutes in which I discuss complex topics in under a minute. These may very first one will go live tomorrow (Monday, February 3, 2025) around 10am on TikTok & YouTube—but Patrons get to see it first! In the future, I’ll be posting these on Fridays for my Patrons. Credits: Script - Me (with AI suggestions) Music - Jon Presstone Voice Over - Jonathan Jones Video Editing - Me These will (hopefully) get better…

18. 

    18 Jun 2024

    Session 1 - Imposter Syndrome

    Here is the script that I tried to stick to while recording this episode. Today, we’re going to talk about something that plagues just about everyone in the world—from doctors and nurses, to authors and celebrities, to business professionals and academics, to burlesque and theatre performers. Literally every walk of life features people who suffer from what can be a debilitating disorder, and that disorder includes symptoms such as an innate fear of being discovered as a fraud or non-deserving professional, despite their demonstrated talent and achievements. Of course, I’m talking about Imposter Syndrome. Now, before we go much further, let me be absolutely clear: I 100% suffer from imposter syndrome. Even with 30+ years of vocal training, even more years in theatre and stage production, and with 3 higher education degrees, I still feel like someone, somewhere, is going to find out that I’m a fraud and completely undeserving of recognition or followers. So, today, we’re going to look at what imposter syndrome is, who it predominately effects, and how to combat the feelings of unworthiness we all have from time to time. Or, in my case, daily. I must also stress that I am not a clinical psychologist and I am definitely not your therapist, so what I’m going to say is not meant to be anything other than an exploration of the science behind imposter syndrome and the science behind practical and documented coping mechanisms to help you and me in the moment before anxiety and panic take hold like a vice grip. So, let’s get started and talk about what imposter syndrome is and where it comes from. If you run a Google Scholar search for imposter syndrome, you will receive a great number of peer-reviewed articles on the topic that date back to 1978, which is when the term first came into standard use from an article regarding high performing women and their feelings of self-doubt and not feeling like they belonged to the group they were a part of. Since that time, scientists estimate that upwards of 70% of the general population have suffered from Imposter Syndrome at least once in their lives. If we take a moment to breakdown…and then another moment to really focus and look at the there components of imposter syndrome, we may be able to address each part, in part, and discover coping mechanisms to address the predominate issue. I use scientific research and sources for these podcasts, but I really don’t want to make these sound academic or, worse yet, clinical. So rather than give these components the names they have in my research (which is available to Patreon members), I will attempt to re-name them in ways that make sense to non-psychologists. The first part is the AFFECTIVE feature. This feature AFFECTS how you view yourself and how you perceive others view you. It is what we commonly state as the definition of imposter syndrome: The fear of being discovered and exposed as a fraud; and a feeling of not deserving of the role occupied or the success achieved. And because this feature AFFECTS your self-view, the SELF-VIEW part which causes you to truly believe you are not only unworthy of your position, but that you are incapable or lack the ability to perform specific duties for the role—which, is not only false, it is unjustified. If you are a burlesque performer who suffers with imposter syndrome, you may feel extremely incapable or inadequate when performing a specific type of routine—say a silk fan routine—despite having evidence that audiences have enjoyed and been entertained by that very act. If you are a business professional, perhaps you have imposter syndrome surrounding a specific part of your role—like you are a certified DEI professional, and yet, you feel like others will know that you are somehow incapable of performing the tasks and duties related to that role. You get the idea. The final part, the BEHAVIOURAL part, is the incredible cognitive dysfunction that occurs when the person suffering from imposter syndrome seems to choose to disbelieve the positive reinforcements of success and, instead, “dismiss praise, derogate the accuracy of positive evaluations, and engage in other behaviors that insulate them against information that would validate their competence and worth.” In other words, those suffering with imposter syndrome are biased against themselves. They simply cannot believe in their abilities or their worthiness of success. By this, and by way of personal example, I spoke about my doctoral research at a professional conference for my degree field and, even though, I was considered by many professionals in my field as an expert in applied gaming—which is a completely separate topic than applied burlesque, yet…remarkably similar—I simply did not believe it. I could not believe it. How could I be an expert in applied gaming when I was just a silly nerd who played way too many video games, board games, and table top RPGs?! You know how I am an expert in applied gaming? Because I play way too many video games, board games, and table top RPGs and I hold a degree in the psychology behind how people learn and have an understanding of human psychology as it applies to work and training. I have evidence of this from colleagues who have said as much to the degree hanging on my wall in my office. And yet, right now? I feel like I’ll be discovered as a fraud because I just talked up my talents, skills, and knowledges and I just know someone is going to look up stuff and tell me I’m wrong and that I’m a fraud. Of course, that person will probably be a white man who doesn’t actually look anything up, but such is the life of a woman with an advanced degree who also takes off her clothes in front of complete strangers as a storytelling technique. Let’s be real. But, I bring up a very valid point that beautifully transitions from what imposter syndrome is to whom it predominately affects. There are memes all over the internet that feature a white man explaining a field in which they have no expertise to a woman whose work is in that vary field. A lot of people would use the term “mansplaining,” to describe that and that’s fine. It’s as good a term as any. There are also memes that talk about having the confidence in your own abilities like a white man who truly believes he is a Gift to the Human Race. Or a billionaire. The memes do vary. Regardless, according to the scientific research available, those who are predominately affected—pre-dom-in-ate-ly, not solely—are high achievers, women, and under-represented racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. Neil Gaiman famously responded to a reader’s question about imposter syndrome by telling a personal story of being at an event where he met none other than the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong. To just give a quick summary, Gaiman and Armstrong were both invited to a conference for authors and scientists and the like. Gaiman met Armstrong and Armstrong bemoaned not feeling like he should be at this conference because everyone else “made amazing things,” and he “just went where [he] was sent.” And in that moment, Gaiman realized that if Neil Armstrong felt like an imposter, then maybe everyone did. These are high-performing people who have difficulty accepting their talents and achievements were what brought them the success they have enjoyed. However, if we look at the list of who is predominately affected by imposter syndrome, we can see that those significantly impacted are those who are not white men. Ignoring the “High Achiever” aspect of those predominately affected, lets focus on the rest: Women, BIPoC, and other under represented minorities (which includes LGBTQ+). Imposter syndrome has less to do with owning your achievements and having confidence in your abilities and more to do with the underpinnings of society who place near-impossible standards on the non-norm group, cisgendered, white, heterosexual men. The first study that introduced the concept of imposter syndrome in 1978, was a case study of white women who were considered high-achieving. According to census data, there were a total of 33,943 white women and 65.5% of them were in white collar jobs with 15.9% in professional, technical, and related fields (the 1978 article referred only to the “high achieving women” as those who held masters or doctorates degrees in their fields). To give hard numbers here, of the 33,943 white women in the workforce in 1978, 22,233 of them were employed in white collar jobs which included 3,535 women in professional, technical, and related fields. Conversely, in 1978, there were only 4,938 BIPoC women employed and of them, 2,326 (or 47.1%) were employed in the white collar sector with 321 (or 13.8%) of them in the professional, technical, and related fields. I point these numbers out because, at the same time, there were 21,155 white men employed in the white collar sector with 3,237 of them in professional, technical, and related fields; however, only 1,495 BIPoC men were employed in white collar professions with 147 in the professional, technical, and related field. These numbers are important because white men and women in 1978 were fully accepted as equally valid options for these types of positions (whether or not the white men agreed); BIPoC men and women, however, were not seen as viable—to the tune of 1,650 BIPoC women in the service industry (like laundromats, personal servants, etc) and 3,018 BIPoC men in the blue collar sector (such as construction or warehouse work). I have read the Clance & Imes article from 1978 and it grated my nerves reading it, as a woman. I have it linked for my Patrons to view, if they wish, but I’m not really citing anything from that article because… and this may come as a shock to you… it’s extremely sexist and racist, among other things. Here’s why: Imposter Syndrome is a modern version of Female Hysterics from the 19th Century. Reshma Saujani, Founder of the non-profit Girls Who Code, spoke at Smith’s College commencement in 2023 and talked about imposter syndrome and how it was related to something called “Bicycle Face” from back in the 1890s when bicycles went from an incredible precarious mobility device to something that was designed for actual transport and ease of getting around town. Bicycles gave women freedom. They could hop on a bike and run into town to go shopping; they could meet up with other women more easily; they could escape into the cities or countrysides to take in a few moments to rejuvenate themselves; and they could also expand their protests. Men rode bikes, of course. It was just another thing they could freely do; women, however, there were lists of rules regarding when, where, and how they could ride; women were warned about the new syndrome “Bicycle Face” which was completely fabricated to scare women back into their houses and away from public view. As time progressed, many doctors began to question the legitimacy of “Bicycle Face,” ultimately realizing there was no actual or permanent damage done to the face by concentrating on riding. Of course, after “Bicycle Face”—which was also predominately aimed at white women of the middle- to upper-classes—came Imposter Syndrome, then Resting Bitch Face, and other concepts that, on the surface, seem empowering and uplifting, but at the root of them, are nothing more than excuses or covers for racism, sexism, xenophobia, and more. So, what, exactly, am I saying? I’m saying that Imposter Syndrome is in itself, an imposter syndrome. It masquerades as a true psychological issue that, in actuality, was created to describe the feelings of (specifically) white, middle-class women in the professional workplaces of the mid- to late- 1970s who were being bullied by their white male colleagues into believing themselves to be less than they were. Imposter Syndrome is better identified as gaslighting—specifically, self-gaslighting—because there are those in the workplace who would rather you believe yourself to be lacking in ability so you focus on your own shortcomings and not theirs. It is a manipulation and bullying tactic that has been deployed to counteract women, BIPoC, and BIPoC women, specifically, but also those white men who find themselves being bullied either by their own thoughts or those in their lives who were meant to support them and failed in their one job. Can you imagine what person hurt Neil Armstrong that he truly believed he did not belong in a room full of scientists, engineers, authors, and other extremely high performing people? It was likely a higher-ranking officer somewhere in his life who convinced him he was nothing more than a grunt who followed orders. What about you? Who was it who first told you that you were unworthy or undeserving? Think back; think hard. Who told you that you were undeserving of the role or space you currently occupy? Someone did—and that someone was not you. That someone may be you, now; but you were not the one who started yourself down the road of self-doubt and self-gaslighting. We’ve talked a lot about how imposter syndrome affects us and who is predominately affected by imposter syndrome, and we’ve also discussed what imposter syndrome is. So, how do we combat it? What can we do to stop the self-sabotaging thoughts we have regarding our value and our worth? Honestly, I don’t know. I know in my therapy sessions, I can hear my therapists, past and present, both saying “Check your facts.” And, really, that is all I have as a non-clinical psychologist. Check your facts. Remember that the number one thing that self-gaslighting does is cause you to doubt hard evidence. You have colleagues, test scores, diplomas, certificates, fans, supporters, etc. and etc. Listen to them or truly observe what is around you. Neil Gaiman had to meet another person who, by his estimation, was greater than he in order to realize that maybe everyone felt the same way from time to time. But, therein also lies a problem that comes with self-gaslighting: Comparison. It is not your job to compare yourself to another person. It is your job to compare yourself to you. Let me repeat that for you: It is not your job to compare yourself to another person. It is your job to compare yourself to you. I am a spinto-coloratura soprano which, in super simplistic opera terms, is a baby dramatic soprano and a dramatic soprano is the type of voice you think of when you hear the term “Opera Singer.” You know what it is. It’s the large woman with the bullet helmet with horns, singing “Heidalahel!” But, then there’s the other soprano—the one that almost everyone loves. Her voice is high and floaty, and it just sounds so smooth and beautiful and effortless. Those are the Lyric Sopranos and that is the largest population of operatic sopranos out there. I absolutely cannot compare my voice to their voices because our physiognomy is completely different. Despite a lyric being able to reach soaring high notes (a few steps higher than I; I tap out around double-high E…which is the note at the end of the song “Phantom of the Opera,” for reference), they cannot do as I do and sing at a normal volume and still be heard through an 80-piece orchestra without microphones. And dramatics do me one better by singing louder than an 80-piece orchestra. I cannot constantly compare myself to another singer. I absolutely must remind myself of this every time I am booked to sing at a show where there is another female singer. It seems like I should have that well in hand, given I just explained the differences in the voices. And, yes. I should. However, in my life, I had key people tell me how terrible my voice was. How harsh. How unpleasant. How…ugly. And all those words, said to me by people who themselves secretly felt unworthy to be where they were, stuck with me and became my self-fulfilling evidence of my lack of ability. I stopped singing in public for a very long time. It was not until I started getting into burlesque that I began performing as a vocalist again. Now, it is a feature of my show in Coquille that I host. This has been a long episode of determining how to overcome self-gaslighting, exploring who is predominately affected by it, and what it even is. Imposter syndrome is in its very existence an imposter syndrome. It is better classified as self-gaslighting and it can be debilitating in a number of ways from diversity and inclusion issues in the workplace to self-limiting behaviors that keep you from attaining your goals and dreams. Remember, it is not your job to compare yourself to another person. It is your job to compare yourself to you. If you take nothing else away from this podcast, take away that statement. Make it your mantra. Create a visual statement of that mantra and hang it on your wall. Read it; repeat it. Remind yourself that you are better than you were yesterday, and always… check your facts. This has been The CEO Showgirl where the science of business and the art of burlesque meet. If you liked what you heard today, please follow The CEO Showgirl on Patreon and consider supporting the creation of this podcast there. For as little as $3 per month, you will have access to the full transcripts, as well as the references for each episode. The music for The CEO Showgirl podcast is used under the Creative Commons license for content creators. The script and audio production for The CEO Showgirl is by Lavinia Vale, for Sunflower Entertainment Group, LLC. Check out The CEO Showgirl at patreon.com/ceo_showgirl (https://patreon.com/ceo_showgirl) or find out more about Sunflower Entertainment Group by visiting sunflowerentertainmentgroup.com (https://sunflowerentertainmentgroup.com).

19. 

    7 Jun 2024

    Session 0: The CEO Showgirl Trailer

    Transcript: Welcome to the CEO Showgirl, where the science of business meets the art of burlesque. I’m your host, Lavinia Vale, burlesque performer, producer, and instructor—but also, an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist. Join me on this twice a month journey into the intersection of business psychology and burlesque performance as we dive into such topics as ethical leadership, team dynamics, creativity, and the power of performance. Whether you’re a CEO, a showgirl, or anything in between, there’s something here for you. Captivate and entice your inner showgirl as we strip away the issues that keep us back from our dreams and goals. Subscribe now to The CEO Showgirl and let’s discover the magic of blending business with burlesque, together! You can follow The CEO Showgirl on Patreon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or where ever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

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