Trust...

Trusting is a vital part of our existence.  I understand trust is a difficult thing to do and many of us do it very sparingly.  I'm more apt to be trusting not because I'm a sucker but because an unwillingness to trust only inhibits my ability to grow.  You have to be able to trust in your instincts, to trust in your strengths and to trust in your own resolve.  When you question your abilities and start second-guessing yourself you're taking the first steps towards failure.  More New Years resolutions, goals and commitments fail because we lack the ability to trust ourselves to succeed.

Now trusting in others is another thing.  Trust certainly needs to be earned and you don't want to throw it around willy-nilly.  I'll typically put my trust in someone until they give me a reason not to.   But without question putting your trust in someone is a delicate matter and let's not confuse trust with blindly following circumstance.  You've heard about the women who continually go back to the men that habitually cheat on them, every time saying, "He said he's sorry and I trust him."  Ladies, that has NOTHING to do with trust. Sure there may be a thing or two about him that you truly love but let's be honest here.  You're not really trusting them.  You're just drowning in self-esteem issues that have nothing to do with the neanderthal you're with but everything to do with your lack of self worth.  You're failing to trust in your instincts and your strengths that are screaming at you to move on from this toxic life you're living.

You know trust is the mortar that holds the building blocks of our lives together.  When we lose trust in each other the foundation of our lives and our communities start to disintegrate.  Trust needs to be nurtured and handled with delicate care.  The trust others have in you must be protected and reinforced every day.  We depend on each other and we must be able to trust each other.  We can't live our lives as frightened little children hiding in our rooms.  Trust takes courage.  Don't be afraid to trust.  Yes, it can be intimidating and, yes, there is the possibility you may get hurt, but think of the alternative.  Never being able to trust means never being able to fully live.  Put your trust in others but do so only if they've earned it.  Little nuggets here and there will show you whether or not that person is trustworthy and don't forget trust is a two way street.  When it comes to your friends, family and loved ones, give them a reason to trust YOU.

When trust is an integral part of our shared lives, life becomes more meaningful because "the world has no meaning apart from relationships."  (From the book Cross Roads)