The Courage to Disappoint People Will Set You Free

You were never meant to be who they expected

For decades, I didn’t trust myself.

I believed living my life from a place of authenticity was a pipe dream. I believed I was unworthy of shining my light and I lacked agency on a fundamental level.

And these beliefs caused deep frustration.

In protest, I did the only thing my maladaptive behaviors allowed: I raged against my body and the world around me.

Still, I felt the days ticking by. I was terrified that I’d wake up at 46 years old, no closer to living an authentic life than I was decades earlier, and filled with regret.

Which is precisely what happened.

Thankfully, I’ve since learned that it’s possible to trust myself and show the world who I really am, regardless of age.

But if you find yourself constantly bouncing between a desire to live authentically and self-defeating mental and behavioral patterns, how can you learn to trust your inner voice and exit this feedback loop?

Let’s start by looking at common beliefs keeping you stuck.

Are These Beliefs Preventing You from Trusting Yourself?

When you finally trust yourself, everything breaks open.

New doors appear. Not because the world changed but because you finally looked forward instead of down.

You stop feeling the need to explain. You no longer contort yourself into places never meant to hold you.

You take risks that terrify and exhilarate you. You fail spectacularly at some things and discover you're brilliant at others. But regardless of the outcomes, you realize they’re all wins.

Some people won’t understand. They’ll fall away quietly, and the spaces they leave behind fill with something you'd long forgotten: hope.

In short, when you agree to unleash your authenticity, your world doesn't end. It begins.

It’s all here, waiting just on the other side of limiting beliefs like these:

How can you mindfully put these beliefs to rest and reawaken to self-trust?

A 30-Second Pause for Listening to Your Inner Voice

Whenever you recognize these self-limiting beliefs creeping in, take 30 seconds to implement this practice and shift your perspective. You don’t need to be seated, so you can use this almost anywhere, anytime.

Start by closing your eyes or softening your gaze.

Gently place one hand on your belly and the other on your heart. Take a deep breath in through your nose, imagining pure, white light entering your body. Then, exhale through your mouth, imagining heavy, dense air exiting.

Once you’re settled and connected to yourself, inquire: “What feels true?"

Feel the answers in your belly; your gut instincts.

Feel the answers in your heart; your quiet wisdom.

Don’t analyze. Don’t expect. Just listen and trust whatever arises.

This is your inner knowing. This is your body speaking its truth.

When the time is right, repeat your deep breath, open your eyes, and vow to honor the wisdom you’ve been given. If possible, I strongly recommend writing down your insights (the Notes app on your phone works great!).

Stop Hiding and Trust Yourself, Now

Most of the time, we complicate the truth.

The reality is that you almost certainly know what you need. You always have.

The voice telling you to stay small, to wait for permission, and choose safety over authenticity?

That was never you. That’s your ego trying to convince you to play it safe and live in the shadows of others’ expectations.

Instead, your authentic voice is much quieter but persistent. It speaks through gut feelings and sudden moments of clarity.

When you remember how to listen and trust what you hear, the people worth keeping will stay. The opportunities meant for you will come.

The life you're supposed to live is already trying to find you. Stop hiding from it and trust yourself. Not tomorrow, not when you're ready, not when it's convenient.

Now.

Because you already have everything you need.