The Power of Trust

This is a “thought bubble”. It is an illustration depicting thought. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It would be interesting to find out how others think about trust.

Over the years I’ve gone through many different situations that have caused me to reevaluate how I allow myself to trust others. From jobs, to business ventures to friends and romance, I’ve had every reason to walk around with my guard up, but I find that my most rewarding experiences take place when I allow myself to open up and trust that the energy that I put out will be returned in kind at some point.

The most important trust to extend is to your own inner voice. Not the voices in your head, but that still small voice that originates in the pit of your stomach. Once you learn to trust yourself, it becomes much easier to extend that faith to people and things around you.

Where did I get this theory?

I lived a very guarded life after a small tragedy took place thinking that things would ultimately get better if I didn’t allow myself to interact with too many people. I thought that I’d reduce my chances of being hurt. The reality is that the energy that I had surrounding me was repelling the wrong people. Yes I had fewer people around, but I sacrificed the presence of some quality friends in the process.

Once I recognized my circle had become toxic, I slowly but surely turned the wall around my heart into a fence. I let people start to see the real me, and in that was able to determine who I could let in. Once my fence technique proved effective I began to realize that nobody has the power to do anything to me. Ill will and bad intentions reveal themselves if you are vigilant, and in that you’re less likely to have untrustworthy people in your presence.

What do I do now?

I give people enough space to show me exactly who they are. I don’t shut myself down and I no longer fear what someone may do to me as a result of my genuine behavior because I know that eventually the Universe will return whatever I put out.

I don’t claim to know it all, I’d love to know what you all think about trust.

Is it possible to trust others when you haven’t learned to trust your gut?

Can you live a full life being guarded?

How do you get past the feeling of wanting to shut people out?

Hash it out in the comments below. We can all stand to pick up some positive techniques.

Related articles

• Trust. Ego. Distrust. Confidence. (asklarina.wordpress.com)
• Effective Leaders Build Trust (jannfreed.com)
• In God we trust, maybe, but not each other (sandiego6.com)
• Can you trust you? (accessyourtruenature.com)
• One of the hardest things to do…is to TRUST (facingtherainbow.wordpress.com)
• Anxiety and trust (echoesofyesterday.wordpress.com)
• Day 5. Is trust a big issue for you? (amekay27.wordpress.com)

Trust Issues

I have an intense and sometimes overwhelming distrust of the human race as a whole. Categorically I am prepared to be fucked over at any turn by any individual, including and especially someone close. I don’t know exactly when I got this way, I do acknowledge that it has been a gradual descent into the abyss. I can remember as a child the day that I stopped getting excited about being able to go home. I spent a lot of time at other people’s homes because both of my parents worked. The thought of it being time to go home was something that I found myself not even desiring anymore.

Later in life I started moving a lot. Not just as a result of my parent’s choices but on my own because the thought of being in just one place for an extended period of time was quite unnerving. I could say it’s because I never let go of that anxiety, but I honestly believe that I never wanted to feel at home, that way nobody could ever take that away from me.

I went through a period of time that I just absolutely refused to commit to any relationship. I wanted to be able to do what I wanted, when I wanted, and not have to answer to anyone. Over time I’ve come to find that I just didn’t want to not be wanted. (Who needed a thesaurus in that paragraph?)

Time has come that I find myself hating chit-chat. In those times of open conversation weaknesses are revealed and people that have the agenda of using your words against you thrive in that moment. After just a few too many people running back repeating the things I’d told them, I started starving those types of that opportunity ever.

Then people stopped really knowing who I am as a person. So now who I’ve become is a carefully calculated and well executed representation of things that can’t possibly hurt me. And as safe as it is, there’s nothing here. I’ve even gone as far as rejecting the desires of my heart in an effort to avoid the pain.

Well, why?

I am now, and have quite possibly always been terrified of my reality. I almost always feel alone, but I never want anyone to ever know that. There are things that I want in life that I feel like if I say it out loud, there will be someone in the wings just waiting to be sure that I never have it. (Crazy right?) But that’s what it feels like to always be on the ready for a fight.

I can remember my grandmother talking to me when my mother and I moved to Georgia, she told me I was a Survivor (Long before the DC song) and that I’d always find a way to be ok. However, at this point in life I’ve done so much better than just surviving, and it’s so hard to believe that it makes it hard to just LIVE. I don’t know who you are out there that needed me to share this with you but, you don’t have to stay on your toes your whole life. There are things out in the world that are fun and exciting. Not everyone is trying to hurt you. Don’t turn yourself into the type of person that’s terrified of dealing with people. Nobody says when I grow up I want to be the Cat Lady….

I’ve been fortunate to not have a hard time finding a partner to hide from the world with, but in this next chapter of life I’d like to break away from my habits of isolation, and take the risks necessary to enjoy life.

-Love.