trust and criticism

Lately I've been coaching a number of creative clients who are dreaming of taking their work or business to the next level but are struggling to trust themselves and envision the way forward. 

And what I keep hearing is fear in the form of self-criticism:

I always have too many balls in the air...
I'll never figure out the tech/logistics/money stuff…
I won't get it right...
I just need to "get it together" and work harder...
It's not ready to share or I'm not ready to take the leap (yet "ready" never seems to come)

And what seems to be really soothing the self-criticism is this cluster of questions centered on trust: 

What if you're not doing anything wrong? (aka you are not a problem to be solved)
What if opportunities flow even more easily when you trust yourself and your longings?
What if it could be this straightforward/easy/simple? 

And the good news is that you don't have to wait until your circumstances feel more trustworthy to begin working with this trust energy. 

In her course on rebuilding trust one of my spiritual teachers Cynthia Bourgeault says this: "To our usual psychological way of looking at things, trust must be earned; it is called forth in response to demonstrated trustworthiness. But there is another way of approaching trust, which has always been the way of the great saints and mystics. From this other angle of approach, trust is not earned so much as bestowed—from a fathomless strength and freedom which lies latent in every human soul, flowing like a wellspring from the heart of God. Anchored in strength rather than gullibility, and impervious to manipulation, this trust is itself a transformative force, flowing into a broken world to bring courage, healing, and reconnection." 

What do you think about this approach? Are you also working with the theme of trust in your life? If you want support around this work, I'm here.

With care,
Brianna

P.S. I'm headed to a training this coming week with the brilliant Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés (!!!), and I can't wait. I'll be sure to keep you all posted on whatever emerges. 

Photo by Naoki Suzuki