It’s not hard to look into these eyes and feel something, is it? Unless you’re more of a cat person, that is.
I trust this little man every day, he is my shadow. He’s called Foxy (by name only!)
I know he trusts me totally too – since he was attacked as a puppy I’ve had his back.
And as I’ve wrestled with shifting my career over the last few years, he’s had mine too. Always at my side, always on my side.
In fact, he’s believed more in me that I probably did myself. Which of course has nothing to do with gravy bones at all…or freshly cooked chicken, or well, anything off my table.
Just trust me?
Trust is a funny thing – it’s a word we bandy around a lot and is very popular in the marketing world. Brand trust, especially in current times has never been more debated and yet more at risk. Many brands are out there overtly peddling trust.
According to the Edelman Barometer (published in June 2020) there has been a double-digit rise in the percentage of people who trust the brands they use during the pandemic.
But as we all know, trust cannot be bought, it needs to be earned. Consistently.
‘Just trust me’ are the fatal words that often have the opposite effect to the one intended.
Because trust is built over time with small gestures, acts of kindness, care, empathy. Trust is built through integrity, follow through, accountability.
Trust is built on belief. Belief in someone or something.
Which is where the lovely Foxy comes in. I know without a doubt that he will (physically and metaphorically) never leave my side. He believes I am his person. 100%.
My trust issues
So why was it that I didn’t trust 100% in myself when it came to moving my career on in a new direction a few years ago?
Simply put, I had classic imposter syndrome. I just didn’t have the faith in ME.
Could I become a coach and therapist? Who would trust what I had to say? And why should they?
And then (with a little bit of help and a lot of reflection) the penny dropped.
I needed to carry all the learning and experiences with me that I’d collected over the years. I was the same person I’d always been. These new ‘labels’ really were just that.
Trust needed to start with ME. Trust in MY instincts, MY resources, MY voice.
Do you trust YOURself?
It’s hard for many of us to appreciate, let alone recognise, the skills we amass over the years.
And if you’re like I was you’ll find it easy to gloss over what you’ve achieved in life. Because achievement is such a weighty word, isn’t it? Often attached to a tangible outcome or a fixed goal.
This oversight is compounded by the fact that there will always be people who appear on the surface to have figured it all out. Or so it seems.
Ultimately this has nothing to do with them and everything to do with YOU.
If you’re currently facing a new direction in your career or life that you’re finding hard to embrace with confidence, start by asking yourself a few simple questions:
- What have you achieved in the past that you can now carry forward? What core strengths?
- Every journey starts with a few simple steps before you get to run at it; give yourself the space to find your feet. What are your first steps?
- If you don’t go for it how will you feel a few years from now?
And remember – trust begins with the relationship you have with YOURself. How you recognise it, how you respect it, how you care for it.
Trust begins at home.
If you want help to move on in your life, to take stock of HOW you’re living your life, WHAT you want and WHO you want to be, get in touch for a free discovery chat. Contact me on jane@mynextme.co.uk.