Trust is a vital aspect of relationships, but one of the most fundamental things we all too often forget to address is how much we trust ourselves. Self-trust is important because it leads to a better relationship with ourselves. And the better we know and like ourselves, the higher our self-confidence and self-assuredness will be. But most importantly, self-trust is key because it allows us to tap into our potential and become more than we are.
“Self-Trust Is The First Secret of Success.”
– Ralph waldo emerson –
Self-trust leads to knowing yourself better, and assist in strengthening your self-confidence in yourself. It helps you to make quicker and better decisions, and your levels of stress are drastically reduced. It does not come overnight but can be fostered over time with practice and determination.
Have you ever found that you second guess yourself, find it difficult to trust your instincts, or even hang on to notions solidified by the past? Many people experience these things too, making it difficult to trust themselves, which inevitably creates uncertainty and difficulty in various parts of our lives. Lacking self-trust also eventually impacts how well we navigate through life.
The Importance Of Self-Trust
When it comes to lacking self-trust, many people struggle with this, so worry not; you are not alone if you struggle with this issue. Lacking self-trust can be pretty debilitating and can cause us to doubt our decisions, abilities, and how we navigate through life.
A lack of self-trust can also limit our opportunities and stifle the success and achievements we desire so deeply. Self-trust is truly a stepping stone to our better futures.
With that being said, like many things in life, the first port of call is identifying why trusting ourselves is difficult. This then allows us to acknowledge the challenges and go about rectifying them. We can then begin the journey of learning how to trust ourselves. It starts with being mindful and self-aware and learning why we doubt ourselves.
When it comes to obtaining self-trust, this does not mean that you trust yourself to be right about everything or that you will never make mistakes, but rather it ensures that you are kind, respectful, and forgiving of yourself, regardless of what may come. You have sufficient faith in yourself to believe that you will always do your best.
With self-trust, you learn to rely on yourself instead of looking to others to see the “right” thing to do. People who have self-trust tend to have greater confidence, and they are generally able to address matters with more clarity. They also tend to be more independent, but this does not mean they never rely on other people.[1]
If you have fostered self-trust, you will also likely speak with greater authority and carry yourself in a manner that does not apologize for who you are. This is not the same as having an air of arrogance, but rather knowing oneself, your value, and what you have to offer others.
People who have self-trust also realize that they may be wrong at times and make mistakes, but this is okay. Instead of allowing themselves to be crippled, they will then take these experiences and learn from them. This will only help reinforce their trust in themselves as they will now know how to handle things in the future.
Okay, we have looked at the importance of self-trust and what it really means to have confidence in oneself, but how do we develop it and ultimately grow into self-assured people? This next section can help with that.
So, if you’re reading to dig into some tips for building your self-trust, let’s dive in:
Tips To Help You Build Your Self-Trust
1. Be Your Authentic Self
People are often scared of how others perceive them, and we are concerned about judgment and criticism. Therefore we put on a façade and pretend to be who we believe people want us to be. This is a sure sign that your self-trust and your confidence are low, and other people will eventually be able to see through it.
We all get nervous at times, and we want to make a good impression around other people, but when you begin to feel insecure, realize that it is perfectly fine to be yourself. You were born as you, do not feel that you have to change to satisfy other people.
To help to curb insecurities, try being yourself around people you feel comfortable with and then slowly but surely start to spend time with those that make you feel vulnerable and somewhat uncomfortable.
Over time you will discover that your confidence will build, and you will trust that you are enough.
2. Spend Some Time Alone
We do not mean that you need to spend vast amounts of time in isolation, but if you lack self-trust, the best thing to do is to look inward. This is not always easy, though, and you may even keep yourself constantly busy to avoid spending time by yourself.
And although it is a good idea to keep active in life, sometimes we need to sit for a moment and have a bit of introspection. How can you trust yourself if you never spend any time with yourself? Each day invest a small amount of time in sitting with yourself and growing in self-awareness.
Consider the thoughts that plague your mind, note if there is any self-criticism, acknowledge it, but then let it go and if it is something legitimate, then make plans to improve these aspects of yourself.
3. Treat Yourself With Kindness
Kindness tends to spawn from love, and that is what you need to develop. You need to find a way to develop self-love. If you love yourself and accept yourself for who you are, you are far more likely to grow your self-trust.[2]
When you love yourself, you will have far fewer negative thoughts about yourself, and you will be less likely to fire harsh criticism, especially when you fail or make mistakes. So try to grow the love you have for yourself and be mindful of what your inner voice says about you.
Train yourself to think kind and accepting thoughts of yourself instead of things that are critical and corrosive. If you are kinder to yourself and show yourself the grace that love provides, you will be far more likely to grow in your self-trust.
4. Focus On Self-Improvement
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and by now, you likely have a fair idea of what yours are, but if not, consider sitting down and examining what these are. You can then examine what areas of your life need improvement and where you likely need less work.
Then realize that self-improvement does not happen overnight and will take time and dedication. If you struggle to talk in front of people, for example, focus on that and see what strengths you have that can help you improve on your shortcoming. Perhaps you’ve got a great sense of humor, and this can assist you.
Regardless of what you feel you need to focus on, once you start on a journey of self-improvement, you begin to gain confidence and trust yourself to handle the things that life brings your way.
5. Practice Decisiveness
If you find that you constantly second guess and question your decisions and the actions you take, you will struggle with self-trust. And this, over time, may cause us to doubt who we are as a person and what we stand for.
Thus we need silence our inner critic and it’s loud doubting voice.[3] And then decisively chart a course that encourages us to stick with what we decide, even if that decision ends badly. At least you can say that you stood by what you felt was the right choice.
If it was the wrong choice, don’t beat yourself up, learn from it, and then you can be wiser for the future.
Conclusion
Seeking to develop your self-trust is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Not only will you learn more about who you are as a person and what you stand for, but you will also grow your confidence and improve your decision-making processes.
However, your biggest gain from trusting yourself, and the reason everyone should strive to improve their self-trust, is the fact that it is the gateway to our best life.
So, get to work on improving your self-trust, and then relax in the fact that you’re actively creating a better future for yourself.
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