To Trust or Not to Trust in Relationships

05 November 2013

Trust and relationships go hand-in-hand. In some ways, this word trust has become overused and underestimated. To truly trust means to unconditionally love and to be completely vulnerable. Also, getting hurt if you trust others can happen. Nobody wants that.

Some have even gone as far as to take the word "trust" out of their vocabulary. In contrast, not trusting results in a piece of unfulfilled love and potential. The true essence of trust is lost - can we really trust?

We are bombarded with deceiving advertisements, camouflaged politicians, naysayers, and empty promises. This epidemic has hit and damaged the core foundation of what our society is built on - families and relationships.

Trust and Relationships

Man WhisperingRelationships end on a daily basis because of broken trust. Broken trust is really one person not meeting the expectations of the other person. I trusted you and you did "X" so, therefore, I can no longer trust you. Here in lies the irony.

You must trust yourself if you want to trust others. You must know that at a deep level you really cannot be hurt. Your ability to unconditionally love protects you from being hurt. Taking the time for thoughtful introspection and connecting with our heart vs. our head is a great place to start. Also, knowing who you are, what matters to you and how you envision your life, will open your heart to trust and protect you at the same time.

When trust has been lost and there is no way to reopen your heart, move on. Put aside the word trust for the short term, deal with the resolution of issues and get past it as soon as you can. 

Allow yourself time to reconnect with your heart and learn from the experience. Do not make the mistake of putting up a wall against moving forward. Therefore, only in the place of unconditional love and vulnerability can you find true happiness.

Without Trust, a Relationship Can't Exist

You have to not only take the time to trust yourself,  but to learn to trust in others. If you have had a prior experience that left you feeling sour and incapable of trust, healing is imperative before moving on.

Likewise, if there was an event within the marriage that led to distrust, then that trust needs to be rebuilt. Otherwise, what is left of the relationship will be asking questions rather than receiving answers.