How to Develop a Sense of Self-Trust

How to Develop a Sense of Self-Trust

It is important to develop a sense of self-trust… Believing you can get through difficult times, make the right decisions and learn from your mistakes, you hold the key to a fulfilling life.

Here are some steps to develop your self-trust:

1. Nurture yourself by eating right, exercising regularly and taking time out to relax. You can’t trust yourself when you are feeling tense, on edge or guilty. Dial back restrictive behaviour by allowing yourself the occasional treat and only engaging in physical activity you really enjoy.

2. See your mistakes as gifts. They are valuable learning experiences because we learn the most from the things we do wrong. Write down the lessons you have learned from your bad experiences in your journal and refer to them if and when similar situations arise.

3. Minimize your regrets. Learning from mistakes is not the same as feeling bad about what you did. When you are at fault, use your journal constructively to work through your misbehaviour and understand why you acted as you did.

4. Practice self-forgiveness. Actually formulate the words “I forgive myself for…” in your journal as often as you need to let go of your mistakes. Then come up with solutions to avoid such behaviour in the future.

5. Celebrate your accomplishments in your journal. Forget any scolding from your past that you are not allowed to be vain or show off. Your journal is a blank book and a loving friend that wants to hear about the great things you have done.

6. Concentrate on following your intuition. This can be difficult if you have become accustomed to reasoning and rationalizing every decision. Life is dynamic and living authentically requires flexibility.

7. Try new things. You do not need to visit exotic places or take risks to prove that you trust yourself. Taking an art class when you are convinced you have no artistic talent, for example, can really teach you things about yourself.