Creating a Life You Love by Learning to Trust Yourself

It starts as a tiny whisper in your mind...
"This relationship isn't right for me."
"I don't belong here."
"This job doesn't nourish my soul."
"I deserve better."
"I want more."
These thoughts are simple truths. Deeply profound beliefs, ideas or bits of information that, in the moment, you can neither confirm or deny. They just are... and they shake you to your core.
Instead of learning to heed these simple truths and discover the wisdom and guidance behind them, we often think ourselves out of and away from them.
"He's a good guy, it's not like he abuses me."
"These are my friends, of course I belong."
"This job pays the bills and I worked hard to get here."
"I have enough."
"Stop being ungrateful."
Whether it's a calling towards what you're truly passionate about or the truth about a relationship, these cries come from deep within your soul. They're a sign you're nearing the end of your ability to tolerate something that's no longer serving you.
It starts as a whisper... a passing truth that you quickly dismiss with logic. You can try, but it can't be ignored because it's one of the deepest truths in your life. Something isn't right, and whether or not you want to listen, the time has come to face it.
This can be terrifying because it means it's time to make some serious changes, but I promise it can also be the most amazing period of your life if you let it.
How to Trust Yourself and Your Intuition

• 1. Create Space For Yourself

  Whether this means taking a vacation from the job or a separation from your significant other, create the space to really tune into yourself. If vacation or separation is too extreme, simply find time in your days, weeks or months where you can be alone. House-sit for a friend or take a mini-vacation on your own for the weekend. It's not so much about where you go as it is about creating time to be alone and away from others. Use this time and space for some serious introspection. I highly recommend handwritten journaling as it allows you to slow down and really pour your thoughts and feelings onto the page. Write without judgment, analyzing or thinking. Just let it out without censoring.
  

• 2. Strengthen Your Intuition

  Before you do or think anything else, it's so important to create a solid connection with your intuition. That part of you that just <em>knows</em> when something is right or not. Your intuition is your compass in life and until you learn to really connect with it, you'll continually find yourself in the wrong situations, feeling unhappy or lacking fulfillment. Start with the small things... when someone invites you to do something with them, or an opportunity comes your way, what is your initial intuitive hit on the situation? Do you feel tense, closed off or tight? It's likely a no. Do you feel open, expansive and energized? It's definitely a yes. Practice with small things and keep a log. Did your intuition say no, but you went anyways because logically it made sense? Did you end up having a miserable time? Now you know what NO feels like. Did your intuition say yes, but someone told you it was a bad idea and now you really regret it? Now you know what YES feels like.
  

• 3. Learn To Stay In The Present Moment

  Our reaction to almost everything in life is often to think our way through, out of or away from it. While logic has its place, intuition should never be ignored. We're all energetic beings and there's energy in every situation, relationship and experience... To ignore your intuition is to deny yourself the your most powerful tool for creating a life you love. If you find yourself in your head, pause and reconnect with your senses -- the feeling of the ground beneath your feet, your breath going in and out, and the sounds and smells around you. Check into your body and how you're feeling. You can always rationalize things one way or another, but how do you <em>feel</em> about it? What does your intuition tell you?
  

• 4. Trust And Respond To Your Intuitive Hits

  When a simple truth pops into your head, take the time to really explore it. No over-thinking or analyzing... How do you feel when you hear it? What sensations are created in your body? Take time to explore it on your own, in your journal. Dig deep into why you feel what you feel. <em>Then take action</em>. This isn't about massive changes such as quitting your job or moving across the country. Take baby steps toward making shifts in your life. Update your resume, hire a life coach to help you discover what you really want or put the feeler out for a new job. Go to a couple's counselor, start the conversation, buy a book or take a class. Simply lean into it and trust yourself and the process. Change will happen, and it doesn't have to be dramatic.
  

Take action now!
Have you recently experienced a simple truth, only to think yourself away from it? Take a moment to sit with yourself in silence. Check in with your body: What do you feel when you hear this simple truth? What emotions, sensations and energy does it create in your body?