Trust is key in all relationships and also in loving yourself. In order to do that, it takes confidence–this could lead you to leave an unhealthy relationship or begin something completely new for yourself. Here are a few steps that can help you learn to trust yourself and build your self-confidence.
1. Practice self-compassion
Establishing an inner voice that speaks with kindness and acceptance is integral to developing trust with yourself, particularly if you’ve experienced past shame-based or punitive measures.
Studies demonstrate the power of self-compassion to help foster trust, which in turn helps you to become more resilient. While self-esteem is determined by external measures like your appearance or performance in school or the workplace, self-compassion rests upon unconditional love and the belief that all humans deserve to be treated with kindness regardless of any setbacks in life.
As part of practicing self-compassion, one way is to swap harsh criticism with comforting phrases such as, “I’m sorry I let you down.” You could also try setting small commitments and keeping an eye on any harsh internal critic that arises without becoming overwhelmed by it.
Self-compassion can be difficult for some people, as it may feel soft or indulgent. Yet research indicates that it actually motivates us to take better care of ourselves (such as eating healthily and keeping doctor’s appointments). For more information about self-compassion, check out this website that offers helpful resources and research.
2. Listen to your inner voice
Acknowledging your inner voice is at the core of building trust in yourself. Doing this requires practice and a willingness to step back from noise in your world; ways include meditation, exercise, spending time in nature or blocking out distractions so you can reflect freely.
Tuning into your intuition makes it easier to recognize and follow its guidance, something which is especially crucial since we all tend to judge ourselves harshly when making mistakes, which has an enormously detrimental impact on confidence levels.
When that little voice in your head starts asking if something is worth attending or you feel ineligible for a job, pay attention. More often than not, your inner intuition will be right; take note of when this occurs and take note that everyone makes mistakes – what matters most is how we react when our intuition proves itself right.
3. Set goals
Beliefs and values need to be clearly articulated so you can stay true to yourself. Setting guidelines that guide decisions helps make more informed choices and build trust within yourself.
Examine your family beliefs to see if they align with yours. Sometimes the way we were raised may clash with what’s truly important to us and lead us down a path of confusion about what matters to us and inner turmoil when challenges or goals don’t pan out as planned.
Achievement can be an enormous boost to self-confidence. But without knowing who you are or feeling like your achievements are well deserved, their impact may feel hollow. To build more authentic identity and sense of worth, try keeping a list of all of the positive traits others have complimented you on; this will allow you to keep an inventory of all of the strengths within you that reinforce self-worth and keep track of all that work for you!
4. Ask for help
People who lack trust in themselves may struggle to focus on their needs or make decisions, finding it hard to form friendships or foster strong relationships. However, there are ways of building confidence that will make it easier to trust their own decisions and feel good about themselves.
Positive visualization can be an effective strategy. Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts, try visualizing a more optimistic future scenario such as traveling to new cities or landing your ideal job – this can help discredit negative thoughts while acknowledging those of others.
Learning to ask for assistance is also key in managing stress effectively and maintaining mental wellness. Being supported can improve mental wellbeing and build self-esteem while helping you avoid feeling overwhelmed by an intimidating task.
ReachOut provides peer support services that allow individuals who find it hard to express themselves to find someone who understands. Counsellors are available online or over the phone; or you can book text-based support sessions for personalized help.
5. Be honest with yourself
Honesty with yourself is key to building self-confidence, from setting goals to being your authentic self and understanding your emotions. Being dishonest with yourself may also have negative repercussions for relationships with others.
People who lack trust in themselves may struggle with communicating their feelings and needs effectively, fearful of getting hurt or being rejected, so they keep parts of themselves hidden – leading them to experience guilt, shame and even make poor decisions.
To be more honest with yourself, begin by writing down all of the characteristics that you like about yourself. This can help you realize just how great you really are. Additionally, keeping track of all of your achievements allows you to look back and reflect upon all that positive accomplishments have been accomplished.
Make promises to yourself and keep them, this can help establish you as someone reliable. For instance, perhaps promise yourself to cook dinner each night or take an evening walk.
