“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” —Joseph Campbell
Trusting ourselves and our connection to source is the foundation of living a soul-hearted life. Fierce, radical, and absolute trust comes from knowing that we are all connected to a divine energy that flows through each of us—also known as light energy, higher power, universal energy, divine intelligence, or God, depending on one’s point of view. We can consciously tune into this energy source through prayer or meditation, being in nature, or simple mindfulness. Through this connection to our source, we are in touch with our infinite nature as love, and live each day as a sacred meditation.
When you align with this natural flow of energy, you realize that you are stronger than any situation you can possibly face and with every setback comes even greater transformation. With such a spiritual perspective, you perceive problems, challenges, and difficulties as stepping stones for such change. You embrace every situation not as a source of fear or upset but as an opportunity for spiritual growth, even when it unravels the fabric of your life, such as losing a job, ending a relationship, suffering from an illness, or grieving the loss of a loved one. As a channel of spiritual information, you know that you are the co-creator of your reality and capable of manifesting your heart’s desires.
With such “all in” trust, you know deep within your heart that what happens in your life is consciously and divinely orchestrated for your greater growth and good. From this perspective, you see the divine order that exists in everything around and within you. You let go of trying to control your life and allow the simple unfolding of it.
Trusting yourself requires more than taking deep breaths and saying positive mantras; it takes a conscious connection to your divine source. Like having a safety net while walking on a high wire, it takes a sense of innate security no matter what is happening in your life. Even if you feel like you are operating without backup, your connection to your divine source is in fact your safety net. When you trust this connection, you realize that you are not alone because the divine always has your back and most importantly, your heart.
Here’s another way to look at it: Trusting yourself and your inner guidance is like getting into an express elevator to an observation deck, rather than taking the stairs and overanalyzing every step. Trusting yourself governs how you perceive and respond to all challenges in life. It affords you the personal power to express love, flow with the stream of life, and transcend even the most difficult circumstances.
Many of us are looking for trust outside ourselves instead of looking within. We lack trust because we fear that by letting go we will lose everything, most of all ourselves. Instead, we try to micromanage everyone and everything around us. We continually check our bank accounts to see if we are financially secure. We obsess about our physical symptoms, thinking we may be ill. We stay in a familiar job even if it causes us misery. We remain in unhealthy relationships to avoid being alone, and maintain toxic social connections to feel like we belong. Above all, we live in a perpetually guarded state, with locks on our hearts as well as our doors―all in an effort to feel safe and secure. In When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chödrön describes such fear as “our natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.” She states, “We often find that the present moment is a pretty vulnerable place, and that this can be completely unnerving and completely tender at the same time.” While such fearful behavior can temporarily make us feel like our desired outcomes are certain, this is a false sense of security.
Trust is the energetic space between your fear and everything working out well. For example, imagine crossing a deep chasm with no bridge to get to the other side. On the side you are standing is fear and on the other side is what you want to create in your life. When you step out into thin air, you are stepping in the space of trust. By being bold hearted, you co-create the invisible trust bridge that gets you to the other side of fear.
When you open your heart and let go of fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt, you create the energetic space for the universe to assist you. Trust kicks in and opens you to all the possibilities on your soul’s path. The spiritual information coming through this channel whether it’s an intuition, idea, or vision guides your choices. These moments when you trust and let go, something bigger and better than you can imagine comes your way.
Trust is a whole and complete energy such as love and light. So there are no steps to take, only experiences that strengthen your trust muscles. Every time you follow your heart whether it’s an intuition, idea, or inner knowing, you build trust in yourself. When you make a choice, the universe guides you to know whether you are in trust or not.
To trust is to boldly lead with your heart, and reveal your truth―your inner thoughts, feelings, and experiences―honestly and openly. When you trust yourself, you venture into the unknown territory of your own being. It doesn’t necessarily mean performing feats of external bravery and strength, but rather acknowledging your internal fears, hurts, and imperfections, and acting in the face of them. Trusting yourself to let go and embrace your vulnerabilities is one of the most courageous choices you can make.
Here are 5 Spiritual Practices to Build Your Trust Muscles:
- Reflect back on a time in your life where you were afraid to make a change. You may have changed jobs, entered a new relationship, or let go of someone or something. Make a list of all those moments where you were fearful, you let go into trust, and it turned out well for you. When you find you are having difficulty trusting yourself and making a choice, review your list and remind yourself of all the times you made a leap of trust.
- Create a divine validation list in your journal. Every time you get a divine sign from the universe that supports an intention or gives you the guidance you need, write it down. Then when you doubt yourself or feel uncertain, review your list. This will open your conscious awareness to the signs that are all around you right now.
- Notice when you are afraid of making a choice or stepping into your light. Create a quiet place and ask yourself these questions: What is my fear-based ego saying no to that is blocking my soul’s path? Where are the energy blocks in my body? What are they telling me to let go of?
- Acknowledge yourself as a strong, loving, and confident person connected to your source. Close your eyes, open your heart, and trust the spiritual information that comes through you as a divine download. Repeat these mantras to yourself:
- I trust that everything always works out for my highest good.
- I am strong enough to handle any challenge that comes my way.
- I embrace any challenges as they are opportunities for transformation.
- Breathe in deeply and slowly to ground yourself in moments of anxiety. Breathe in and look within with love of yourself, breathe out, and look out to the world with love of others. Do this until your breath is rhythmic, and you feel calm and centered. Trust yourself and all you’ve created that led you to who you are today…the people, events, and challenges.
Trusting yourself is the most important spiritual principle on the path to a soul-hearted life. It gives you the opportunity to release whatever keeps you physically, emotionally, and spiritually disconnected from your true being—including fear, insecurity, and shame. The more you let go, the more you learn to trust yourself; and the more you trust yourself, the more you can let go. In trusting yourself and your connection to your source, you develop a receptiveness to all life experience by resisting nothing and allowing everything.
To trust ourselves is to love ourselves even when we feel unlovable, to make loving choices for ourselves even when we feel unworthy, and to open ourselves to love even when we are afraid of being hurt. It permits us to participate fully in life without holding back any part of ourselves.
If there was ever a more pivotal time for you to TRUST yourself and the universe’s constant support and inspiration, it is NOW.
