What does it mean to be trusting of others?
Trusting is an essential human response for survival and growth. Trust in self and others constitutes the fundamental basis of personal development and relationships. Have you ever paused and wondered what makes you trust some people and not others? You may think that trust is based on behaviour, reputation, image or even background. However, that is far from the truth. How many times have we allowed ourselves to be hurt for trusting someone too quick? What if that is a lie? How many times have we allowed ourselves to be betrayed because we continued trusting others? What if the fault wasn’t in trusting but in the understanding of what we were trusting? Here are a few insights into the emotion of trust.
How do we trust?
We make judgments about whether to trust someone or not even before our brain fully perceives the characteristics of a person. As supported by the study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, trusting someone happens intuitively rather than rationally. However, once we choose to trust, we tend to justify the reasons for that decision by looking at his characteristics and behaviours.
What do we trust?
Trust is a willingness to be open, honest and vulnerable in front of others. However, the focus of trust is seldom on self. It is more about expectation from others not to hurt or harm us. That is a misapplication of trust. Trust requires us to be aware of what is rather than what you expect to be.
A case in reference is of a husband addicted to alcohol. He promises his wife that he will quit. The wife trusts his words without reading into the energy or trusting her awareness. He divorces herself from seeing what is. So everytime the husband breaks his promise by drinking alcohol, the wife goes into fury or grief for being let down. She misunderstands trust as expectation. Trust in this case would be – “I know he will drink alcohol even if he is promising otherwise”. Awareness brings a sense of lightness and expansion, which allows one to look for more possibilities to remedy the situation. However, trust misidentified as expectation creates anger, blame and guilt which further intensifies the conflict.
What would it take to develop trust in self and others?
Trusting your intuition and awareness is of utmost importance if you are to trust others. It is like a muscle you develop overtime. Here are a few exercises that would help develop trust in self and others:
Silent meditations to learn to be present with your body helps develop your intuitive centres.
Connect to your body and include it in day-to-day decision making. For instance, ask your body what it would like to eat, wear, drink, move and so on. This will improve your ability to listen to your intuitions.
Always ask a question and wait for the awareness to come to you. Can I trust this person? Can I trust this process? Your body will signal or you will get a clear message for a go ahead or stop (Give it a few times before giving up. Like a muscle, this takes time to build).
Be kind to yourself. Even if you have been hurt for trusting someone. Know that it is not the end of the world. Choose again. This time from awareness rather than expectation and blind faith.
What would it take you to trust what you know that no one else does?
Sonali Mittra
(Sonali Mittra is a certified therapist, leadership coach and facilitator)
This article beautifully captures the essence of trusting others and how it’s deeply tied to our own self-awareness. I really resonated with the part about trust being an intuitive process rather than just a logical decision. It made me reflect on how I personally approach trust in relationships—sometimes with caution, sometimes with faith.
I love how you broke down the idea of trusting others into intuitive judgments and self-reflection. It’s something I’ve been working on in my own journey, and your insights really helped!
This post really resonated with me! Learning to be trusting of others has always been a challenge, especially after facing past betrayals. Your perspective on self-awareness and expectations truly gave me a new way to think about it.
This post really resonated with me! Learning to be trusting of others has always been a challenge, but I love how you emphasized self-awareness and intuition. It’s a great reminder that trust isn’t just about others—it starts with knowing and trusting ourselves first. Thank you for this insightful perspective!
I absolutely loved this post! It’s refreshing to see a clear breakdown of what building trust actually means in both personal and professional contexts. The examples and actionable tips were exactly what I needed. It really resonated with me that trust is not just about others, but also about trusting ourselves first. Thanks for sharing these valuable insights!
Such an insightful read! I really appreciate how you explained the complexities of building trust, especially when it comes to relationships. It’s so true that trust starts with self-awareness and being honest with ourselves. The exercises you mentioned were also super helpful in understanding how to practically apply trust-building in our everyday lives. Can’t wait to explore more of your content!
Trusting of Others is easier said than done, but this article makes it feel more achievable. Great practical suggestions!
Such an honest and deep post on Trusting of Others. It’s helped me rethink how I approach trust in friendships.
I never realized how layered the concept of Trusting of Others could be until I read this post. Great insights!
Your thoughts on Trusting of Others are so relatable. Learning to trust again is such an essential part of emotional healing.
A beautiful explanation of what it truly means to be Trusting of Others. Trust really is the foundation of all relationships.
Trusting of Others is something I’ve struggled with, but your article gave me a new perspective. Thank you for this insight!
This post on Trusting of Others made me reflect on my own boundaries and fears. Such a thoughtful write-up!
I love how you’ve explained the real meaning of being Trusting of Others. It’s so important in building healthy relationships!
Being trusting of others has always felt risky to me, but your blog helped me see that trust is a strength, not a weakness. Thank you for this thoughtful reflection—it hit home.
This post really opened my eyes to the layers behind being trusting of others. It’s not just about blind faith—it’s about boundaries, intuition, and healing. Loved the perspective!
I never thought about the connection between boundaries and being trusting of others until I read this. Thank you for this eye-opening perspective!
Beautifully written. The way you’ve described what it means to be trusting of others really resonated with me — especially the part about self-awareness being the first step.
This post really helped me reflect on how challenging it is to be trusting of others when past wounds are unhealed. Such a grounding and gentle reminder!
Excellent article! The way you define trusting of others as both an art and a skill speaks volumes. I’ve often struggled with over‑guardedness, and your tips give me hope to take more intentional risks in relationships.
What a powerful exploration of trusting of others. I particularly valued your advice on small steps—like sharing minor vulnerabilties—to build deeper connections over time. Insightful and encouraging!
Loved this! Your thoughts on trusting of others being a gradual process, rather than something automatic, truly hit home. The real‑life examples made it relatable. Thank you for sharing!
Wonderful post! The nuance you bring to trusting of others—acknowledging past hurts yet choosing to remain open—is beautifully articulated. I’m bookmarking this to revisit when self‑doubt creeps in.
Great article! Your explanation of trusting of others as a choice rather than a weakness was refreshing. It made me reflect on how I can rebuild trust in my own relationships. Really valuable read 🙌.
This is such a thoughtful piece on trusting of others. I especially appreciated the section where you talk about balancing openness with healthy boundaries—it really resonated with me. Thank you for offering practical insights!
A profoundly helpful piece on being trusting of others. It dismantles the myth that trust is binary and shows how it’s an earned, evolving process. I loved the balance of real-world examples and emotional wisdom. Definitely bookmarking this.
Your article on what it means to be trusting of others was so relatable. The idea that trust is a gradual process—not an immediate leap—really spoke to me. I’m reflecting now on where trust feels safe and where it doesn’t. Grateful for this clarity.
This post beautifully clarifies the concept of trusting of others—that true trust grows from emotional regulation, boundaries, and inner security. I feel more equipped to slowly open up after reading this. Very grounding, thank you.
I found the exploration of being trusting of others very healing. Recognizing that trust involves vulnerability and not just blind faith has shifted my perspective. The blend of psychological insight and spiritual reflection is beautifully balanced.
What a deeply insightful read on what it means to be trusting of others! I especially appreciated how you explored the inner child’s role in our ability to trust—and how past wounds influence us. This piece resonated with real depth. Thank you, Sonali.