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| Michelle Obama: 'I still have impostor syndrome' | Michelle Obama: 'I still have impostor syndrome' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Michelle Obama has said she still feels "impostor syndrome", adding that "it never goes away", during a frank talk in London. | Michelle Obama has said she still feels "impostor syndrome", adding that "it never goes away", during a frank talk in London. |
| The former US First Lady was speaking at the Royal Festival Hall for a sold-out event that tens of thousands of people had tried to get tickets for. | The former US First Lady was speaking at the Royal Festival Hall for a sold-out event that tens of thousands of people had tried to get tickets for. |
| She also recalled how the Queen had dismissed royal protocol as "rubbish" when the Obamas visited Windsor Castle. | She also recalled how the Queen had dismissed royal protocol as "rubbish" when the Obamas visited Windsor Castle. |
| She said she was panicking about how to act but the Queen said: "Just get in". | She said she was panicking about how to act but the Queen said: "Just get in". |
| On Monday evening, Mrs Obama spoke to author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at the Southbank Centre to promote her new autobiography Becoming. | On Monday evening, Mrs Obama spoke to author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at the Southbank Centre to promote her new autobiography Becoming. |
| More than 40,000 people had reportedly tried to get tickets online when the event went on sale. | More than 40,000 people had reportedly tried to get tickets online when the event went on sale. |
| And last month, her memoir broke sales records to become the best-selling book released this year, just 15 days after being published. | And last month, her memoir broke sales records to become the best-selling book released this year, just 15 days after being published. |
| Asked how she felt to be seen as a "symbol of hope", Mrs Obama told the live audience: "I still have a little impostor syndrome, it never goes away, that you're actually listening to me. | Asked how she felt to be seen as a "symbol of hope", Mrs Obama told the live audience: "I still have a little impostor syndrome, it never goes away, that you're actually listening to me. |
| "It doesn't go away, that feeling that you shouldn't take me that seriously. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is. | "It doesn't go away, that feeling that you shouldn't take me that seriously. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is. |
| "If I'm giving people hope then that is a responsibility, so I have to make sure that I am accountable. | "If I'm giving people hope then that is a responsibility, so I have to make sure that I am accountable. |
| "We don't have any choice but to make sure we elders are giving our young people a reason to hope." | "We don't have any choice but to make sure we elders are giving our young people a reason to hope." |
| Impostor syndrome is a term used to describe feelings of insecurity or self-doubt, despite there being no evidence to support such a belief. | Impostor syndrome is a term used to describe feelings of insecurity or self-doubt, despite there being no evidence to support such a belief. |
| During her talk, Mrs Obama also recalled her and President Barack Obama's visit to meet the Queen. | During her talk, Mrs Obama also recalled her and President Barack Obama's visit to meet the Queen. |
| "I had all this protocol buzzing in my head and I was like 'don't trip down the stairs and don't touch anybody, whatever you do'. | "I had all this protocol buzzing in my head and I was like 'don't trip down the stairs and don't touch anybody, whatever you do'. |
| "And so the Queen says 'just get in, sit wherever' and she's telling you one thing and you're remembering protocol and she says 'Oh it's all rubbish, just get in'." | "And so the Queen says 'just get in, sit wherever' and she's telling you one thing and you're remembering protocol and she says 'Oh it's all rubbish, just get in'." |
| Earlier on Monday, Mrs Obama paid a return visit to Elizabeth Garrett Anderson secondary school in Islington, north London, which she visited in 2009, when her husband was US president. | Earlier on Monday, Mrs Obama paid a return visit to Elizabeth Garrett Anderson secondary school in Islington, north London, which she visited in 2009, when her husband was US president. |
| Mr Obama served two terms in the White House. Mrs Obama is a lawyer and has led charity initiatives including Let Girls Learn, to promote education for girls around the world. | Mr Obama served two terms in the White House. Mrs Obama is a lawyer and has led charity initiatives including Let Girls Learn, to promote education for girls around the world. |
| Her wisdom for young women? | Her wisdom for young women? |
| At the Southbank Centre, Mrs Obama described her experience of black women being caricatured, saying: "The size of our hips, our style, our swag, it becomes co-opted but then we are demonised. | At the Southbank Centre, Mrs Obama described her experience of black women being caricatured, saying: "The size of our hips, our style, our swag, it becomes co-opted but then we are demonised. |
| "My advice to young women in that you have to start by getting those demons out of your head. The questions I ask myself - 'am I good enough?' - that haunts us, because the messages that are sent from the time we are little is: maybe you are not, don't reach too high, don't talk too loud." | "My advice to young women in that you have to start by getting those demons out of your head. The questions I ask myself - 'am I good enough?' - that haunts us, because the messages that are sent from the time we are little is: maybe you are not, don't reach too high, don't talk too loud." |
| The former first lady said this was true for women and working-class people, and "profound for women of colour", as people in power tried to make them feel they did not "belong". | The former first lady said this was true for women and working-class people, and "profound for women of colour", as people in power tried to make them feel they did not "belong". |
| "Here is the secret," she added. "I have been at probably every powerful table that you can think of, I have worked at non-profits, I have been at foundations, I have worked in corporations, served on corporate boards, I have been at G-summits, I have sat in at the UN; they are not that smart." | "Here is the secret," she added. "I have been at probably every powerful table that you can think of, I have worked at non-profits, I have been at foundations, I have worked in corporations, served on corporate boards, I have been at G-summits, I have sat in at the UN; they are not that smart." |
| Have you experienced 'imposter syndrome' and if so, how did you overcome it? Email your story to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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