It’s so tempting to ask around, seek advice, look to others when wanting to make a decision or know for sure.  

The story that you don’t know, might be wrong, or could fail is just that —a story.  

Trust in yourself is a muscle. You gotta work it. Practice is the most important component of self trust and confidence.  

But how do you trust yourself before you trust yourself?  

I like to experiment.  

Faced with a choice, I write down what I think and feel —before I gather any outside information. What do I know for sure? Of what can I be certain? Sometimes that’s all I need, just the space and time to get clear.

In other situations when I need more clarity than I have on my own I choose to look to outside sources. I go on a fact finding mission. If I bounce an idea off of a trusted advisor and they make a valid point I hadn’t considered, I make note. If I read something that offers a different or expanded perspective, how does that stack up?

Does this insight add to, conflict with, or detract from what I already know? Does this change how I feel?  

I wrote down my own insight first. Encapsulated it. It’s there for me to use. I can review it and see how that factors into my ultimate decision or action. 

Over time I’ve seen how wise I am. I see how often I go back to my original knowing. And I’ve grown to trust myself more. Through the process of being curious, writing, and reviewing my own insights, my own trust grows.