LET'S START HERE
When did you stop trusting yourself?
It sounds like a strange question.
Most women pause for quite a while before answering it.
Because the truth is very few of us were born believing we couldn't trust ourselves.
As children, we ate when we were hungry.
We rested when we were tired.
We played because it felt good.
We cried when we were sad.
We laughed loudly.
We took up space.
Somewhere along the way we were conditioned to believe there was a "better" way.
Don't eat that.
You should lose weight.
Don't be so emotional.
Be nice.
Don't make a fuss.
Put everyone else first.
Work harder.
Smile more.
Little by little, we stopped listening to ourselves
and started listening to everyone else.
The Stories We Carry
Many of us arrive carrying stories we've repeated for years.
Maybe you tell yourself ...
"I have no willpower."
"I'm an emotional eater."
"I always give up."
"I can't be trusted around food."
"I'll never stick to anything."
"I'm just lazy."
"I'm too much."
"I'm not enough."
The problem is, the more we repeat these stories, the more they start to feel like facts.
But are they?
Or are they simply beliefs you've carried for so long that they've become part of your identity?
What's Really Going On?
Sometimes what looks like a lack of willpower is actually a tired nervous system.
Sometimes what feels like laziness, is burnout.
Sometimes what looks like emotional eating, is comfort seeking.
Sometimes what feels like failure, is ADHD executive function.
Sometimes what feels like "losing control" is years of restriction finally catching up with you.
Sometimes it's hormones.
Sometimes it's stress.
Sometimes it's trauma.
Sometimes it's simply being human.
Health becomes much kinder when we stop asking...
"What's wrong with me?"
and start asking...
"What might be happening here?"
Tiny Experiments
Notice we didn't call this homework.
Because homework implies there's a right answer.
Instead, here's a tiny experiment.
The next time you find yourself saying ...
"I should ..."
Pause.
And ask yourself ...
Who says?
Then try replacing it with ...
What do I actually need right now?
You don't have to act on the answer.
Just notice what comes up.
Rebuilding Trust
Trust isn't something you suddenly wake up with one morning.
It's something you build.
One tiny promise at a time.
Drinking a glass of water because your body asked for it.
Stopping when you're comfortably full.
Going for a walk because it feels good.
Saying no without apologising.
Resting without earning it.
Each time you listen to yourself, you collect another piece of evidence that maybe ...
just maybe ...
you can trust yourself after all.
Journal Prompt
A Personal Thought
A Personal Thought
Imagine you trusted yourself just 5% more than you do today.
What would change?
Would you choose different foods?
Move differently?
Say no more often?
Stop apologising?
Rest?
Apply for the job?
Leave the relationship?
Wear the outfit?
Speak up?
What's one tiny thing your future self (the one who trusts herself) would thank you for doing today?
A Personal Thought
A Personal Thought
A Personal Thought
One of the biggest shifts we've experienced wasn't losing weight.
It wasn't learning about protein, fibre & healthy fats.
It wasn't discovering ADHD or understanding hormones.
It was realising we'd spent years looking everywhere else for permission to know what was right for us.
It wasn't a diet, an app, a number or a chart.
And it definitely wasn't someone else's opinion.
Learning to trust ourselves again has been slower than learning about nutrition but it's also been far more life-changing.
Because once you stop believing everyone else knows your body better than you do ...
Everything starts to feel different.
Not To Be Awkward, But...
Things That Make Us Go "Hmm ...
We're not claiming to have all the answers. But these are some of the questions that make us pause, dig a little deeper and wonder whether the story we've always been told is really the whole story:
- Why are women so often told to ignore their hunger?
- Why do we trust a calorie app more than our own body?
- When did resting become something we have to earn?
- Why are we taught to seek permission instead of trusting ourselves?
- If your best friend spoke to herself the way you do what would you say to her?
We're not here to tell you what to think.
We're here to help you trust yourself enough to decide.
Keep Exploring
From Our Bookshelf
Our latest recommendation:
The Gifts of Imperfection
Brené Brown
A thoughtful exploration of shame, perfectionism and the stories we tell ourselves about not being "good enough."
It's a powerful reminder that rebuilding trust starts with treating ourselves with the same kindness we'd offer someone we love.
If you're learning to let go of impossible standards and trust yourself a little more, this is a wonderful place to begin.
Worth Listening To
We think you'll love this:
FFTs (F*ing First Times)
Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
If you've ever waited until you felt completely ready before trying something new, this episode is for you.
It's a reassuring reminder that confidence doesn't usually come first, trusting yourself enough to begin does.
Because rebuilding trust isn't about waiting until you feel ready.
It's about discovering that you can handle more than you imagined.
From The Notebook
Join The Conversation
Our latest blogs exploring self-trust:
- Why So Many Smart People Still Struggle To Lose Weight.
- The Real Reason Diets Feel Impossible To Stick To.
- Says Who?
- When Did We Stop Trusting Ourselves?
- Who Chooses What We Wear?
Join The Conversation
Join The Conversation
The best conversations rarely happen in isolation.
Every week inside our Weekly Wellbeing groups we explore topics just like these.
We share ideas, question old beliefs, celebrate small wins and remind each other that there's rarely just one "right" way to look after ourselves.
If group sessions aren't your thing, or you'd prefer support that's tailored entirely to you, we also offer 1:1 coaching.
Whatever support you're looking for, we'd love to help you find the path that feels right for you.
Stay Connected
Curiosity doesn't stop at the end of this page ...
And neither do we.
Every now and then we'll pop into your inbox with our latest rabbit holes, new articles, practical ideas, book and podcast recommendations, and the conversations we think every woman deserves to be part of.
No diet culture.
No spam.
Just thoughtful emails, whenever we've got something worth sharing.
Before Your Go
The world will always have opinions about how you should eat, look, work, parent, age and live.
Our hope is that, little by little, your own opinion becomes the one you listen to first.
Think back to the person you were before the rules
Before the diets, before the guilt before the self-doubt and before everyone else had an opinion.
She's still there.
Perhaps it's time to start listening to her again.
This Page Is Always growing
One thing you'll quickly learn about Daisy Bloom is that we're endlessly curious. New research, books, podcasts and the occasional 2am "Ooh ... that's interesting!" rabbit hole mean these pages are always evolving.
So instead of promising weekly or monthly updates, we'll simply keep adding to these pages whenever we discover something interesting, important or thought-provoking.
The good news?
Whenever there's something new to read, we'll share it in our Weekly Wellbeing recap emails and with everyone subscribed to our mailing list, so you'll always know where to find the latest rabbit hole.