Trusting yourself and building self-confidence

First I want to share an article from a talented lady whose material I have followed for some time.I'd  love to meet her and sit in on a workshop someday. This piece is about confidence and trusting yourself. I know a lot of us have problems with this. I do, dating back to some events and trauma in my youth. I've been re-reading a few of my Gwynn Morgan books and realized how many times I have heroines who have problems with their father. Once again, no coincidence as art does imitate life. Mostly I have these issues resolved in the plot and maybe that is one way I deal with resolving them for myself, But here is the article, which offers a bunch of excellent discussions. You might want to check out Ann's links too! No, I am not getting a commission but I just thought some readers might benefit.

Bloom where you are planted--even if you are a climbing rose that partners with an aged bonsai like mesquite!! This pair grew at my old home in Arizona and aroused curiosity from some passers-by!

DO YOU TRUST YOURSELF? 7 TIPS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE

BY ANN O'BRIEN Getting intuitive guidance is one thing, but acting on it is quite another. Many of you have confided in me that you hear voices, have dreams that come true, or have hunches that you do not always follow. How do you build the confidence to follow your hunches? And, more importantly, how do you know when you should? Here are my top tips: 1).If you hear a voice, see a vision, or feel something unusual, always ask first, "Where is this coming from?" When we pick up the phone and hear a voice we don't know, we ask who it is, so why not ask when the voice is in our own heads!? Be open to the answer, which may be: your higher self, a guide, someone else's desire or a subconscious/ emotional part of you that needs a voice. Once you know where your hunch is coming from it's easier to decide what to do about it. 2).Consciously ask for guidance when you are feeling neutral or good, not when you are anxious. I know, that's the opposite of what most of us do, which is why I mention it. The reason for this is because our guidance will change based on the energy we put out. So, when you are feeling off, the best things you can do are things that make you feel good, balanced and calm. Then ask for guidance. This is why I focus on healing along with answering your questions in private sessions, and why I teach meditation and not only 'how to do a reading' in my classes. 3). Choose your questions wisely. Your answers are only as good as the questions you ask, so consider what you really want before letting your hungry mind take control. What do you think will get you a better result, asking "How can I make (MR. OR MISS X) love me and give me what I want?" or "How can I realize a great relationship with a wonderful partner, where we really love one another and feel fulfilled?"  4). Write your insights down. This will help them feel more real to you, and help you to follow them where appropriate. I recently re-read a bunch of old journals and came across many notes from my personal readings and meditations. Some were 10 or more years old, yet they all still rang true! It was validating to see. 5). Tell someone. Choose someone who supports you and, for now, keep quiet around those who doubt this stuff is real. Just like writing, telling someone helps  your experiences feel more real and more credible. From there, your insights will grow and you'll trust yourself more. 6). Clear out the voices that tell you "you can't see," "you can't know", or "you're just making things up." Most of us have heard or felt something like this-- maybe when we were kids and had an "imaginary friend", or maybe we got programmed by teachers or church, or maybe someone in our lives was a little uncomfortable with us seeing the parts of them they were ashamed about? Imagine a bubble in front of you with a magnet in it, and let those voices, programs and others' fears just fly out of you into the bubble. Then, in your mind's eye, send it off as far as you can see and watch it dissolve in a burst of light. 7). Practice and train. Recently one of my students told me he'd like to read with the clarity I have. Which inspired me to reflect on how I've achieved this. Besides my decades of daily meditation & self-inquiry, a huge factor which surprises people is WHO I am reading. This is why I say, don't practice sharing on people who doubt you. It's OK to choose people that want what you have to offer and are as committed to themselves as you are to your learning. In my case, I have read thousands of people and have taken over 10 years of classes and training, and all of this simply adds up. My nephew loves to sing in the bathtub, but if he took some music classes, I bet he'd become a great musician in time. I have always loved to cook, but when I've cooked with professionals I've learned some tasty, time-saving tricks that I never would have figured out and still use.  If you'd like to learn more secrets to trusting your intuition, check out the videos here and let us know what you think, or come to one of the workshops above and we'll practice together! ______________________________________________ WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR ON YOUR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you do not alter the article in anyway and include a credit that reads by Ann O'Brien, FloweringSol.com, leading you to personal growth through intuitive readings, education and more!