Trust Yourself: A Journey to Self-Belief
I remember the day I had to make one of the toughest decisions of my life. My heart raced as the clock ticked down, and I was paralyzed by doubt. Everything in me screamed for action, yet the noise from others, the world, made me second-guess my every move. It’s in those quiet, terrifying moments that we have to learn to trust ourselves. It’s a powerful lesson, and one we rarely discuss.
Here's something startling: Studies show that people who trust their gut are more likely to succeed in achieving their goals by 20% more than those who don’t. So why are we still not listening to that inner voice? Let’s dive into this.
Why Trusting Yourself is the Game Changer
It’s easy to listen to all the other voices and forget about the one that matters most: YOURS. Whether it’s the relentless noise from social media, opinions from friends, or even self-doubt, it's common to get overwhelmed and lose touch with your instincts. But here’s the thing: trusting yourself isn’t just a skill, it’s a practice. It’s about knowing that even when you don’t have all the answers, you can find your way. And that starts by quieting the noise and tuning into what you need.
Trusting yourself is not about having blind faith in your decisions, but about recognizing the value of your experience, wisdom, and intuition. Here’s how you can start building that trust.
Here are 5 ways you can start building trust in yourself.
1. Stop judging yourself
The thoughts you think about yourself matter. Would you trust a friend who was always cruel, abusive, and demeaning towards you? Hell no. It’s the same with trusting yourself, It only happens when you stop judging yourself.
2. Forgive yourself for past mistakes.
Nothing is stupid, everything helps everything. And forgive yourself for not doing better when you didn’t know better, and when you know better - DO BETTER. Everybody has failed and will fail at something, it’s a rite of passage.
3. Start to make and keep promises with yourself.
This part takes longer because trust isn’t regained overnight. Make small promises to yourself. Seriously, as small as you can. For example, if your habit is yoga, tell yourself all you need to do is get on the mat. You don’t even need to do 5 minutes. Then do everything you can to keep that promise.
4. Doing when you don’t feel like it.
You will be sick, your life will be in shambles the kids won’t stop fighting and you’re on the edge of a mental breakdown - this will happen periodically and sometimes all at the same time. But how you show up when you don’t feel like it or when you want to give up matters. First, recognise that these are dips in your motivation and that it will take a little extra effort to get through them.
5. Overcome Inertia with this Tool.
Recognise the negative thoughts you might be having about your ability to get through them, or the rationalizations that you have to not do it, and don’t listen. Third, tell yourself that all you need to do is find some extra motivation —use the 5-4-3-2-1 rule to get out of your head and just to it!
Here's where you can use the 5-4-3-2-1 rule. When you feel the hesitation, you count down in your head, “5-4-3-2-1.” And then, without a second's delay, you start doing your task. Just like a rocket launching into space! This rule helps to disrupt the habit loop of procrastination and fear in our brains.
The Power of Consistency
Trust is built on consistency. Each small step, each tiny promise kept, adds another layer of trust in yourself. It’s like building a bridge—one brick at a time. When you stop second-guessing your path and start trusting in your ability to navigate it, even the unknown becomes less daunting.
Conclusion: Trust Is Your Path
In life, there’s no guaranteed map, no foolproof formula. But there is one thing you can always count on: yourself. Trust your process, even when it’s messy, even when you don’t have all the answers. In the end, it’s not about knowing the destination, but about believing in your ability to get there.