Self Trust is a Super Power - Here’s How to Build It

Self-trust is a super power when it comes to speaking with confidence.

When you trust what you know and feel, you’re far more likely to share your thoughts — and with that comes a natural conviction when you speak.

The challenge we face however is that self-trust often succumbs to self-sabotage.

We regularly say to ourselves that we’ll do something, and don’t follow through. For example, we say:

“Tomorrow I’m starting at the gym.” Tomorrow comes and we don’t start.

“Today I’ll clean out my wardrobe.” A better offer comes up and we push it aside.

“I’m booking a few days off for myself.” The week ends and nothing is scheduled in.

Over time, we learn that we can’t trust what we say to ourselves.

In his book The Four Agreements - A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, author Don Miguel Ruiz highlights the problem with this. He shares four principals for living a life of freedom and the first one is to: “Be impeccable with your word.”

Ruiz emphasises the link between being your word and the achievement of greater feelings of personal power, trust with self and others, and a sense of lightness and peace.

Doing what you say as a foundation for confidence sounds simple. However it can be hard to live by. Why? Because it takes effort to:

• go to the gym when you don’t feel like it

• speak up in a meeting when it feels risky

• finish the project when you’d rather be relaxing

But every time you make a declaration and follow through, self-trust strengthens.

The key is to put greater value on the power of your words, and practise keeping the promises you make to yourself.

You can build self trust by being your word.

Start small. Make promises you know you can keep and build from there.

Each kept promise strengthens self-trust. Each act of self-trust strengthens your voice.

What’s one small promise you can keep to yourself this week? Write it down — and honour it.