Picture this: you are waiting to cross the street and a driver in the car has stopped to yield you the right-of-way. In the duration of time that you are crossing the front of the car, your life is in their hands. You assume that the car’s brake pedal will not suddenly stop working or the driver will not fall asleep at the wheel and lose control of the car.
This is just one of many instances where we subconsciously trust that the decisions other people make have a positive outcome for our lives.
In times of struggle, this is especially true as we typically develop unhealthy attachments towards others when we expect that they can cure our sorrows. We are so caught up with finding the “perfect” solution to relieve us of such feelings when that trust should come from within.
I believe the ability to trust yourself is instrumental in overcoming obstacles.
There were countless cross country and track races where I was half a mile away from the finish line and people were cheering for me from the sidelines, but the voices inside my head that screamed “I can’t” drowned out their words of encouragement. Giving up on myself contributed to my decline in workouts and races.
I have found trust in my mental toughness and physical fitness has been the key to improving my times. Putting in the work to address the mistakes I made in past races rather than ignoring them altogether has allowed me to feel more confident on the starting line and throughout the race.
It is natural to want to prove someone else wrong when they assume we are not capable of accomplishing our goal. However, it feels like proving ourselves wrong seems to be ten times harder because we often have low expectations of our abilities and define ourselves by past mistakes
Taking advice on improving oneself from trusted adults in our lives or even online sources like YouTube is often helpful. But it is up to you to put that advice into practice and stay committed to improving despite hardships. Whether that be journaling or exercising on a more consistent basis, devoting time to do the things we once neglected will inevitably lead to more trust and confidence.
