Trust Yourself

“Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do.” — Benjamin Spock.

There’s a quiet strength that comes from knowing, deep down, that you are the best person to guide yourself through life. Not because you have all the answers. Not because you never second-guess yourself. But because you’ve learned that your instincts, your experiences, and your understanding of what matters to you are more reliable than any external validation ever could be.

Trusting yourself isn’t a luxury. It’s the foundation of living authentically and making decisions that actually align with who you are and what you want to become.

Maya Lin was 21 years old when her design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was chosen from over 1,400 entries. Her minimalist vision, two black granite walls inscribed with names, was met with fierce opposition. War veterans called it a “black gash of shame.” Critics said it wasn’t respectful enough, wasn’t traditional enough, wasn’t what a memorial should be. The pressure to change it, to compromise, to soften the design was enormous.

Lin stood firm. She trusted herself and her vision. Today, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is one of the most visited and revered sites in the country. What once seemed too unconventional is now considered a masterpiece of design and commemoration. Lin’s story is a reminder that trusting your vision matters most when others can’t see it yet.