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Note 51: Learning to Trust Yourself Again (Without Overthinking It)
Episode 5120th February 2026 • Notes to Her • Yaya Reed
00:00:00 00:08:23

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Overthinking isn’t your personality; it’s protection.

In this episode, Yaya breaks down what self-trust actually looks like, why so many women lose it, and how to rebuild it without forcing confidence.

If you’ve been second-guessing yourself, asking everyone else what to do, or ignoring your intuition because it feels inconvenient, this note is for you.

Self-trust isn’t about always being right.

It’s about staying with yourself, even when things feel unclear.

Inside this episode:

  1. What lack of self-trust really looks like
  2. Why overthinking feels safer than listening to yourself
  3. The truth about women’s intuition
  4. How denial keeps you stuck
  5. A grounding reflective exercise
  6. Small, practical ways to rebuild self-trust
  7. A gentle reminder that you didn’t lose your intuition, you just stopped listening

Make sure you’re subscribed; the next few episodes round out this self-love conversation in a powerful way.

If this episode spoke to you and you want to connect with me directly, you can reach out to me on Instagram @coachingwithyaya.

Follow the podcast account and share it with a friend or tag us on Instagram @notestoher.daily.

And don’t forget to subscribe to Notes to Her so you don’t miss the next pep talk.

Looking for additional resources? Start with the Confidence Kit, your go-to for breaking the spiral, rebuilding self-trust, and moving forward with clarity. 🔗 Link

If you're ready to stop figuring this out alone? Apply to work with me here.

Transcripts

Speaker A:

Hey, girl.

Speaker A:

Hey.

Speaker A:

Welcome back to Notes to Her the daily pep talk.

Speaker A:

I'm Yaya, your confidence and mindset coach, here to help you slow down, come back to yourself, and move with more trust instead of fear.

Speaker A:

This note is for the woman who used to trust herself, but somewhere along the way, she started second guessing everything.

Speaker A:

The one who replays decisions in her head, who asks everyone else's opinion before listening to her own, who knows what she feels but talks herself out of it.

Speaker A:

If that sounds like you, take a breath with me, because you did lose your ability to trust yourself.

Speaker A:

You just stop listening.

Speaker A:

Now.

Speaker A:

Before we even talk about rebuilding trust, let's talk about what it looks like when it's missing.

Speaker A:

Lack of self trust looks like texting your friend, what do you think I should do?

Speaker A:

Even though you already know what you want to do, it looks like sitting in your car after a conversation thinking, why did I say that?

Speaker A:

It looks like googling, polling, asking, researching, but still feeling unsettled.

Speaker A:

It looks like you ignoring that knot in your stomach.

Speaker A:

It looks like you staying because you don't want to start over.

Speaker A:

It looks like you convincing yourself.

Speaker A:

Maybe I'm just overthinking.

Speaker A:

And after a while, you start believing that something is wrong with you.

Speaker A:

But can I offer you something softer?

Speaker A:

You weren't born disconnected from yourself.

Speaker A:

There was a time that you felt something and you trusted it.

Speaker A:

You wanted something and you said it.

Speaker A:

Self trust didn't disappear.

Speaker A:

It just got quiet.

Speaker A:

It got drowned out by outside opinions.

Speaker A:

By being told you were dramatic, by being told you were wrong.

Speaker A:

By being made to feel like your instincts were inconvenient.

Speaker A:

So you adopted.

Speaker A:

You started overriding yourself.

Speaker A:

And the more you practice not listening, the harder it became to hear yourself.

Speaker A:

That doesn't make you incapable.

Speaker A:

It just means that you're surviving.

Speaker A:

Now.

Speaker A:

Overthinking isn't a flaw.

Speaker A:

Trust me.

Speaker A:

I say this as a recovering, sometimes still overthinker.

Speaker A:

Overthinking feels productive.

Speaker A:

It feels like you're responsible.

Speaker A:

It feels like you're preventing future pain.

Speaker A:

Because when you've been hurt before, or you trusted somebody who disappointed you or made a decision that didn't go how you hoped, your nervous system says, okay, let's not do that again.

Speaker A:

You replay, you analyze, you look for certainty.

Speaker A:

But overthinking doesn't actually protect you.

Speaker A:

It keeps you in your head long enough to talk yourself out of your intuition and intuition.

Speaker A:

It doesn't argue.

Speaker A:

It doesn't write essays.

Speaker A:

It doesn't defend itself.

Speaker A:

It whispers.

Speaker A:

It shows up as tension or relief or that subtle shift in your chest.

Speaker A:

But if you're constantly trying to logic your way to safety, you'll miss it.

Speaker A:

Now I really want you to hear me when I say this.

Speaker A:

Your intuition is rarely wrong.

Speaker A:

What usually happens is this.

Speaker A:

It speaks.

Speaker A:

And then your fear speaks louder.

Speaker A:

You want to think better of someone.

Speaker A:

You don't want to believe that it's that bad.

Speaker A:

You tell yourself you're overreacting.

Speaker A:

You tell yourself, give it another chance.

Speaker A:

Sometimes it's not that we don't hear our intuition.

Speaker A:

It's that listening would require a hard decision.

Speaker A:

Leaving, confronting, admitting something isn't what we hoped.

Speaker A:

So we choose comfort over clarity.

Speaker A:

And later, when everything unravels, we say, I knew it.

Speaker A:

Yes you did.

Speaker A:

And you can start listening again.

Speaker A:

Self trust isn't always about being right.

Speaker A:

It's about staying with yourself even when you're wrong.

Speaker A:

It's a same.

Speaker A:

I may not get this perfect, but I won't turn on myself afterward.

Speaker A:

That's the part that nobody talks about.

Speaker A:

If every decision is followed by self criticism, your nervous system learns that choosing isn't safe.

Speaker A:

So of course you hesitate.

Speaker A:

Self trust grows when you stop treating mistakes like proof that you are incapable.

Speaker A:

Instead you say, that didn't go how I wanted, but I still got me.

Speaker A:

That's power.

Speaker A:

Now I want you to pause here for a moment.

Speaker A:

If you're somewhere safe, let your shoulders relax, unclench that jaw and take a breath.

Speaker A:

Now ask yourself this without judgment.

Speaker A:

What have I been overthinking lately?

Speaker A:

Don't solve it.

Speaker A:

Don't analyze it.

Speaker A:

Just notice.

Speaker A:

And then ask, what do I already know about this even if I don't want to admit it?

Speaker A:

Pay attention to your body.

Speaker A:

Does it tighten?

Speaker A:

Does something soften?

Speaker A:

Does your chest feel heavy or lighter?

Speaker A:

That's information your intuition doesn't shout out, it whispers.

Speaker A:

And it's been trying to guide you this whole time.

Speaker A:

Rebuilding self trust doesn't start with big life changing decisions.

Speaker A:

It starts small.

Speaker A:

Keeping promises to rest when you're tired.

Speaker A:

Honoring your no listening when something feels off.

Speaker A:

Stopping yourself mid spiral and asking what do I need right now?

Speaker A:

Every time you follow through on a small commitment to yourself, you send a message.

Speaker A:

I can trust me.

Speaker A:

And that message matters because the more you prove to yourself that you'll listen, the less you'll need reassurance from everyone else.

Speaker A:

Self trust is built in the follow through, not perfection.

Speaker A:

Now here's something grounding.

Speaker A:

You don't need certainty to trust yourself.

Speaker A:

You just need presence.

Speaker A:

You are allowed to say, I don't know it yet.

Speaker A:

But I'm going to figure it out.

Speaker A:

You are allowed to change your mind.

Speaker A:

You are allowed to pause.

Speaker A:

You are allowed to take time.

Speaker A:

Trust isn't rushing, it's patience.

Speaker A:

And the more regulated your nervous system is, the easier it becomes to hear your intuition clearly.

Speaker A:

That's why rest, boundaries and self care aren't extras.

Speaker A:

They're the foundation.

Speaker A:

So if you've been feeling unsure, hesitant, stuck between what you think you should do and what you feel, you are not alone.

Speaker A:

Even I go through this sometimes.

Speaker A:

You are not broken.

Speaker A:

You're not bad at decisions.

Speaker A:

You're not disconnected from yourself.

Speaker A:

You just need to learn how to listen again.

Speaker A:

And that takes practice, it takes support, and it takes space.

Speaker A:

So make sure you're subscribed because the next few episodes are going to round out this self love conversation in a powerful way.

Speaker A:

We're talking about being mean to yourself, where self hatred comes from, forgiveness and my favorite, boundaries.

Speaker A:

For now, start small, check, ebb.

Speaker A:

Listen.

Speaker A:

Honor what you hear.

Speaker A:

Your intuition has been with you this whole time.

Speaker A:

And I promise you, the more that you trust yourself, the quieter overthinking becomes.

Speaker A:

You've got this.

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