How To Trust Yourself

When I decided to start my coaching business, I knew I wanted to create a cohesive brand from the very beginning. So I went about the process of finding a consultant to help.

I talked to branding experts who came highly recommended from colleagues and peers, but none of those referrals felt quite right.

Then one night, I randomly came across the website of a branding expert I knew nothing about. This expert’s site and approach spoke to my heart, but there was one huge problem. Her prices were 3 times my budget, and the company was in Austria. 

This meant that if things didn’t work out, I probably wouldn’t have any real recourse to get my money back (unless I was willing to deal with Austrian law.) 

Still, I felt compelled to push forward. I signed on to become a client with one phone call and the custom, budget-friendly branding package we created during our conversation. 

That was all it took.

I didn’t weigh the pros and cons or spend weeks in indecision. I jumped in and brought Legally Bold to life. 

My Self-Trust Realization

Before signing on with that expert, I would never spend that much money without extensive research. I would get referrals, make pro and con lists, and weigh the consequences of my decision for weeks before pulling the trigger. 

It would take hours and involve lots of second-guessing and hand wringing. 

By the time I was ready to build Legally Bold, I was approaching things differently. I had realized that my research and overanalyzing was just an attempt to control the outcome. That’s impossible to do. Instead, I began to trust my discernment and ability to be resilient in the face of whatever showed up.  

In other words, I began to trust myself. In doing so, I saved hours of angst and lost momentum in my business.

How To Cultivate Self-Trust

If you are having trouble moving forward in any area of your business or life, here are some fundamental principles for cultivating self-trust that you’ll want to keep in mind. 

Self Trust ≠ Reckless

Trusting yourself isn’t about recklessness or having a cavalier attitude. It’s about honoring your strengths, relying on your ability to make decisions based on your past experiences, and being honest with yourself about your weaknesses. 

For example, if you know you have an issue with time management, get support. Don’t keep browbeating yourself into becoming a time manager on your own. It’s a waste of energy. Being honest about and getting support for your weaknesses is one of the best ways you can start to trust that you will make the right decisions for you.

Calm Your Nervous

Overanalyzing is an indicator that fear might be driving your decision-making. In her book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert explains that fear, like all other human emotions, will be along for the ride whenever you try to pursue anything you really want. The key is not letting those emotions determine how you will move forward. Instead, you must take control. Calming your brain before you decide will help ensure that you make decisions from self-trust instead of fear.

Jump In

Years ago, I went to a conference in Portland where one of the speakers on stage repeated that old cliche, “jump and a net shall appear.” At the time, I thought the speaker was nuts. I didn’t think you should jump into anything. Now I know that not jumping in keeps you stuck in indecision for a really long time. Trust your ability to be resilient in the fact of whatever shows up. You can handle what comes next. You’ve already made it this far. Jump in.