#1: How do I Trust Myself?

As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The foundation of every solid relationship is trust. As we explore our self health, by strengthening and expanding our relationships to ourselves, we will want to secure the bonds of trust we hold with ourselves.

Trust is defined as the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something¹. Let’s examine each of these four areas as they relate to ourselves.

Character

What are our beliefs about our characters, our individual combinations of qualities that make us distinct from others? Do we resonate with our values, attributes, the way we treat others, the ways we show up in the world? Do we apply those same values and treatment to ourselves?

Ability

Do we have faith in our abilities, or do we second guess ourselves? Do we take the time to reflect on, and express gratitude for, our accomplishments and wins? Do we have expectations of ourselves that are realistic? Are we striving for perfection and measuring our abilities against impossible standards?

Strength

How well do we know our own strength? Do we our trust ourselves to be able to lean into it? Do we recognize the need to balance strength with flexibility and do we allow ourselves that flexibility? Do we trust our strength enough to show our vulnerability?

Truth

How truthful are we to ourselves? When we reflect on some of the above questions, are the answers in line with the way we speak to ourselves? Do we speak to ourselves in a way that is congruent with how we represent ourselves to the world? Would we speak to others that way?

Broken trust

Have we had someone break our trust in them? Have we ourselves broken trust with others? Can we remember how both of those situations feel?

Finding the opportunites

If any of the above questions brought up some answers that feel uncomfortable, how can we find opportunity for growth in that discomfort? If we have broken trust with ourselves in one or more areas, likely we have already dealt with the fallout of that. Consider the feelings that come up when remembering broken trust; if we have broken trust with ourselves then its possible we are grieving both sides of that equation. How can we use these answers to lead us to healing?

Practising Trust

Reflecting on our Self Trust

Let’s seek out ways to show up for ourselves, building on our relationship of trust with ourselves:

• Starting off each day, inviting the question “How will I show up for myself today?”
• Ending each day, inviting the reflection “How did I show up for myself today?

In this exercise, let’s celebrate our wins, and reflect on our learnings. I’m inviting all of us to share what comes up, knowing that our wisdom will help serve others, by leaving a comment here or on the YouTube practice

_{¹Trust. 2021. In Merriam-Webster.com.
Retrieved May 28, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trust}