
Learn to Trust Yourself
Jan 19, 2025Read time: 3 minutes
For the first few weeks of this new year, I caught myself doing something I’ll never do again: second-guessing my decisions because they differed from others.
After 15 months of building my business full-time, I’ve learned an expensive lesson. Every time I ignored my gut intuition, I ended up paying for it tenfold—in lost time, energy, and direction.
And every time it happened, I was mad at myself for not listening to that little voice in my head. The one who knows what’s best for me and my business, regardless of best practices, popular trends, or the copycat world we live in.
So today, I want to talk about trusting yourself.
We spend so much time second-guessing ourselves and overthinking every decision. We look for guidance everywhere, convinced someone else’s “method” will solve our problems. But the more we do this, the more we drown out our own instincts—the very thing that has helped us make decisions every day.
Why Trusting Yourself is Hard
When I reflect on the mistakes I’ve made, there’s a common thread: I was caught in a cycle of overthinking despite my gut already knowing the answer.
We all experience this. Our minds often try to protect us by searching for more information or reassurance, which leads to second-guessing. But when we do this, we start to ignore the very thing that could guide us forward—our intuition.
So what makes trusting ourselves so tough?
One word: fear.
- Fear of being wrong
- Fear of making the wrong choice
- Fear of missing out on something better
But here’s the thing: Your intuition is not random.
It’s an accumulation of everything you’ve learned, experienced, and felt. It’s not always perfect, but it’s a valuable guide that often knows what’s best for you—no matter how polished someone else’s advice seems.
The key is choosing to trust yourself. And the more you practice, the easier it gets.
How to Start Listening to Your Gut Again
The best decisions I’ve made personally and professionally have come from trusting my instincts—and not allowing my head to outsmart my gut.
While trusting your gut can sometimes be challenging, it’s something I’ve had to remind myself to practice regularly. These first few weeks of the year have shown me just how important it is to slow down, take a breath, and listen to my gut.
And the truth is, you don’t need to have it all figured out before trusting yourself. Start by tuning in to those gut reactions you’ve been ignoring.
Here’s how to rebuild that connection with your instincts:
- Slow down and breathe. In today’s fast-paced world, we rarely take the time to pause and listen to what we’re truly feeling. So the next time you’re facing a decision, don’t rush into it. Pause. Take a moment to ask yourself:
- Does this feel right for me?
- Does this align with my values and goals?
- Am I doing this because it’s right, or because someone successful said so?
- Reflect on past decisions. Think back to a time when you followed your gut and it worked out—or even when you didn’t follow it and wish you had. Connecting with those experiences will strengthen your ability to listen to your inner voice moving forward.
The Bottom Line
Your gut is your best guide. Trusting your instincts isn’t about being right all the time. It’s about being willing to act on what feels true, even when you don’t have all the answers.
When you start trusting yourself, you’ll experience more clarity, more confidence, and less stress. You’ll stop wasting time second-guessing yourself and move forward with purpose and conviction.
The change won’t happen overnight, but if you start small—whether it’s a quick decision today or trusting your gut with a bigger choice tomorrow—you’ll begin to feel the difference.
So, take a moment now and think: what’s one decision you can make this week, trusting your gut over your head? Go with it, and let’s see what happens.
When you trust yourself, you’ll notice how much easier decision-making becomes. You’ll feel a sense of relief, knowing you’re not just following the crowd or trying to mimic someone else’s success. You’ll start to see that your gut knows what’s best for you—oftentimes better than any external advice could.
Your intuition is truly a gift. Use it. Trust it.
And that’s all for today.
See you next Sunday, my friend!
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