Intuition Basics Part 3: Building Trust

As we discussed in Parts 1 and 2, intuition is something we feel. However, to truly connect with it, we may need to heal any trigger wounds that are affecting us, which is the first step. (Understanding triggers) This crucial step helps us build trust in ourselves, our intuition, and our relationships with others.

One of the most underrated aspects of the healing journey is rebuilding trust in ourselves. To do this, we must stop breaking the promises we make to ourselves. We achieve this by establishing routines, accepting situations that allow us to break old patterns, and being impeccable with our word.* This could be as simple as promising to brush our teeth every night before bed or developing daily self-care routines like meditation and proper nutrition to become more aware of our patterns.

Beyond trigger wounds, we also have conditioning wounds. These are the stories we tell ourselves in our minds, which are often not our own. Instead, they stem from past programming stored in our energetic pathways and manifest as doubt, confusion, and limiting beliefs that block our personal growth. I like to compare it to television. In the 70s and 80s, we were told, “Enjoy this program,” before a show, and “Hope you enjoyed this program,” after it. Little did we know as children that our brains were being programmed by everything around us—television, parents, extended family, teachers, religion and more.

This programming impacts our intuition by preventing us from fully feeling it. For some, it manifests as strong emotional reactions, while for others, it's stories in our heads that convince us that what we’re feeling isn’t valid. How can we build trust in ourselves if we constantly create narratives about why we don’t deserve something or why it’s okay to neglect the promises we make to ourselves?

The great news is that if our brains can be programmed, we have the power to reprogram them and build trust in ourselves. Personally, I began to build trust by keeping the promises I made to myself, such as wearing a nightly mouthguard, checking off important tasks on my to-do list, and reframing my thoughts around my conditioned beliefs and programming.

Exercise 1: When you catch yourself spinning elaborate stories in your mind, stop and recognize that you're creating a story.

Example: I texted a friend a few hours ago, and they haven’t responded. My mind starts wondering: Are they mad at me? Did I do something wrong?

Reframe: Acknowledge that this is just a story you’ve made up. No one does anything because of you, to you, or about you. Spin it to the truth: I don’t always respond to my friends immediately either. Sometimes no response is needed. Sometimes I’m busy, in meetings, or spending time with loved ones. It’s not about them when I do it, that means it’s not about me when they do it. 

Exercise 2: Keeping the promises we make to ourselves builds trust. One promise I keep is always wearing my mouthguard to sleep. When I forget, I clench and grind my teeth at night, which led to a cracked tooth and needing a crown! The next day, my jaw and teeth are sore, and I often wake up with a headache. By keeping this nightly promise to myself, I wake up without pain, knowing I’ve protected my health. This creates trust in myself to listen to and take care of my body.

Exercise 3: Learn something new. During a much-needed break in the first half of this year, I enrolled in psychic school, obtained my concealed carry license, and completed wilderness first responder training. Learning something new helps us discover more about ourselves, which in turn builds trust.

Building trust within ourselves is essential to feeling our intuitive nudges. We can strengthen that trust by keeping promises and continuously reframing our thoughts to eliminate made-up stories. This requires consistency over time and is the beginning of reprogramming our minds to align with our personal truth. 

What are some of the ways you build trust in yourself? Share and comment! 

Resources and recommended reading: 

The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz

The content shared on this blog reflects my personal experiences with self-healing, spirituality, and my psychic journey. My intention is to hold space for those also navigating healing from trauma, addiction, CPTSD, and the effects of childhood or religious conditioning. This blog is not a substitute for psychological therapy or professional treatment. Rather, it is a space for sharing my journey, in the hope that it may resonate with and support others on their own paths to healing and freedom.