‍Self-trust is defined as 'the firm reliance on your integrity’. People who trust themselves have clarity and confidence in their choices, speak with certainty and are good observers of their own and others’ actions. But why do you need to trust yourself? And how can you trust yourself? By trusting yourself with the decisions you make and the actions you take, you can become a better, more confident version of yourself.

Why you need to trust yourself.

Trusting yourself will make you more aware of your strengths and learning opportunities. Not only that, but you will also have the chance to work on these strengths and vulnerabilities as a result. Instead of ignoring your problems, you can better assess them simply through self-trust. For example, are you currently having issues with your productivity? Then by trusting yourself, you will begin to believe in yourself rather than doubt your abilities, reigniting your passion for work. Self-belief is a powerful state of being that you can harness to achieve your goals in life, and it is integral to trusting yourself.Confident people are more likely to trust themselves. This confidence is vital to leading a happy, fulfilling life. With it, you will experience less fear and anxiety. Without it, your motivation will decrease, decision-making will become more difficult, and you could even find yourself feeling anxious. To be more resilient, it is important to focus on your attitude towards failure. Things going wrong or not going to plan is a normal part of life, and it could be seen as something to learn from rather than it being a catastrophe. Becoming more resilient and accepting and learning from your mistakes without dwelling on them can help you stay confident even when faced with difficult situations.

By trusting yourself more, your relationships will begin to improve.

If you trust yourself, your self-confidence will improve. If your self-confidence improves, so too will your relationships - as will your happiness as a whole. When you are confident, you are more likely to confront behaviour or situations that make you feel uncomfortable or unhappy. For example, if you are in a bad relationship, low confidence and self-worth may make you feel you cannot end it as you may struggle to find another partner, whereas if you feel confident, you are more comfortable trusting in yourself and ensuring you find someone who treats you the way you want.

Essential tips on how to trust yourself.

Do you want to learn self-trust and become a better version of yourself? Then implement the following tips into your daily routine, and you should see some progress!

Practise self-care on a regular basis.

Self-care comes in many forms - physical, social, mental, spiritual and emotional. To practise physical self-care, for example, getting a good amount of sleep and exercise is key. By focusing on leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle, you can reduce feelings of anxiety, depression and stress while also improving resilience and happiness and boosting your energy levels. Make a self-care plan that’s achievable, and you’ll reap the benefits in the long term.

Communicate openly with others.

When we express our thoughts and feelings out loud to others, we acknowledge them, and this can be very freeing. You can also get an outside perspective on difficult situations that can be eye-opening. By keeping your feelings locked up inside, doubt can begin to creep in, and in time, this can damage your mental health. It can also make it even more challenging during difficult periods of your life when you need to get things off your chest. Openly communicating with others can help to remind us that every thought and emotion is valid, especially when others respond with honesty and care.

Focus on success, not failure.

Keep track of all your successes, and don't focus on the failures. As I previously stated, failures are merely lessons. Although failures should be acknowledged and learnt from, your successes are worth so much more. By focusing on the learning, you will soon realise that you’re more than capable, and therefore, you will trust your intuition and abilities more. It’s said that thinking about failure will only bring you closer to failing, and focusing on your mistakes is not productive. You'll be able to trust yourself more easily by focusing on your development and progress.

Learn to forgive and forget.

If you make a mistake, the best thing you can do to move forward is to forgive and forget. Forgiving yourself can lift a massive weight off your shoulders. No one is perfect. We are human. Try learning to forgive and forget your mistakes rather than dwelling on them. Expecting perfection is unachievable and can damage your mental health, confidence and self-worth.Self-trust is a powerful tool that can significantly improve your life, and you can use person-centred therapy to help unlock this. As a person-centred counsellor based in Warrington, Cheshire, I have a wealth of experience in helping all my clients find the right solutions for them. So if you would like to learn more about how I work - or if you want to book a session - please visit my website and let's help you to live a fuller life.