Before a big gig or juicy-charged op moment I do this trust exercise. I started doing it on airplanes en route to what I thought would be my destiny (even tho’ I don’t believe in destiny.)

After my strategic wheels have been torqued, and I’ve imagined what the ideal outcome might feel like, I drill into my soul foundation, to what feels so true and solid that I just might bet my life on it. Unwaivering. Multi-dimensionally verifiable. Or close as I can get to it. The point: cool my mind and warm my heart. When that’s my state of being, I can respond to pretty much anything.

Often we’re so busy trying to get our endorphins fired up to go get ‘em!, we forget that feeling comforted is a very, very powerful state of being.

Create a “What I Trust List.” Whenever you need it.

FOCUS ON THE PRESENT. The whole point of this exercise is to access the trust that already lives in your being. It’s not about generating new trust, or visualizing outcomes, or affirming your way into positive thinking. Those techniques are useful, but they can also turn into mind tricks. We’re concentrating on presence here.

Sometimes, the fact of the matter is that you don’t fully trust that something will work out in you’re favour. You have doubts, you’re anxious, you have reason to be cautious – and you’re going for it anyway. This is the definition of courage: Regardless of concerns, I’m givin’ ‘er! It’ll be easier to give ‘er if you’re anchored to what’s already working in your life.

WRITE IT OUT. It’s important that your What I Trust List be written, out. The movement, hand to vision, will help your psyche take in the comfort. Imagine that your mind is like a lung, inhaling and exhaling as you account for all that you know to be true. Ahhhh.

SPEAK IT OUT. If you’re an audio-learner, speak it out. Leave yourself a voicemail, or a voice-memo on your mobile, or talk to yourself. Kindly.

STREAM YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS. Just let it pour out – but, again, don’t include things that you don’t fully have trust in. It’s okay if your list is short. Brevity is better than bravado. It could be one word if that’s what feels true. It could be six pages in your daytimer if that’s real.

I trust my love for… I trust my integrity. I trust how much my mama loves me. … I trust that my guides are watching out for me. … I trust that she’ll be there when I call. … I trust that there’s always another idea. … I trust that I can always get a job. …

GO “OBVIOUS” IF YOU NEED TO. Nothing is too great or too small to put your trust in. Sometimes the most basic and primal things will give you a boost, especially if you’re finding it difficult to think of things that you fully trust in.

I trust my next breath will keep coming. … I trust the sun will rise tomorrow. … I trust Sparky will be wagging his tail when I walk in the door. … I trust that the snow will melt. …

Trust now. Trust in The Now. @DanielleLaPorte (Click to Tweet!)

Consciously access what you know to be positively, life-affirmingly true. And that sureness will become a bridge to what’s possible.

Danielle LaPorte is the outspoken creator of The Desire Map, author of The Fire Starter Sessions (Random House/Crown), and co-creator of Your Big Beautiful Book Plan. An inspirational speaker, former think tank exec and business strategist, she writes weekly at DanielleLaPorte.com, where over a million visitors have gone for her straight-up advice — a site that’s been deemed “the best place on-line for kick-ass spirituality”, and was named one of the “Top 100 Websites for Women” by Forbes.

You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter @daniellelaporte.

Image courtesy of Pimthida.