Archive | Trust RSS feed for this section

Have Some of Mine

3 Oct

Everyone has different gifts, talents, and skills. We all learn different things as we grow, and some of us are born with special talents. Sometimes we get the opportunity to share those benefits with others. Perhaps we share them by participating in a group project, or maybe by teaching someone something they’re interested in. There are limitless opportunities for sharing if we keep ourselves open. But some people don’t want to share what they have. They want to have proprietary ownership over what they know. In the job force some consider this job security. They believe if nobody else knows what they know or can do what they can they will always have a job. That may be true, but if we don’t share what we have, we don’t have the opportunity to feel connected to those around us. Sharing our personal lives allows us to enhance and build our relationships, and when we give we never lose anything. Like the flame on a candle, we can share our light with an infinite number of people, and still have all we need. We’re just making our experiences wider in scope and building a more expansive field to relate to.

If we keep all our gifts to ourselves, and are stingy with them, we end up isolating ourselves from others. If there are no points of commonality between us and those around us, we end up standing alone. We can hold all our cards close to our chests but that will just prevent others from getting close. Some people prefer their lives that way. They don’t want close relationships and they don’t want to interact with others any more than they must. We all have a different level of comfort in dealing with others, but if we want to feel like we belong, if we want friendships and strong relationships, we have to let others get close to us. We can’t get close by standing back. Sharing with others who we are, and what we know helps open doors. And open doors invite others in, and make us approachable.

If someone near us has a skill or gift we’d like to learn, we may ask them to share it with us. Most people are happy to do that, and as we learn about their particular advantage, we also learn more about them. As they teach us, they learn more about us. We create stronger personal bonds, and become closer in our relationship with them. If they were just acquaintances, the experience may make them friends. If they were friends already, it may create a deeper friendship. We interact with people every day. Bringing them into our lives, and getting closer to their lives will be a blessing to us. When we have a large network of others around us who understand us, and who we can trust, our lives are more comfortable, and we are happier.

Today think about sharing your skills and gifts with those around you. Bring them into your life by opening up and showing them who you really are. You’ll get closer to them, and get to know them more completely. They’ll appreciate your willingness to share and learn to trust you. Build a strong network around you by opening yourself up and letting others in. Your life will be richer, and you’ll feel happier with the friendships you’ll build.

Tags: , ,

Good Intentions

28 Sep

There are lots of things we can do for others.  We can help in small ways to let them know we care, we can help with special projects, and we can be there when they need us.  In our busy lives though, there are times we may commit to something, and even plan on doing it, but time gets away from us or we get distracted, and it doesn’t happen.  If we drop the ball once in a while it’s generally not a problem, but if it becomes a consistent behavior trait, we may find we lose the trust of those around us.  Good intentions are nice, but if we don’t follow through they don’t mean anything.  There is an old saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”  Perhaps we won’t actually go to hell if we drop the ball, but it certainly won’t work in our favor.

We all have a lot to offer those around us.  Most of us want to be good friends and family members, and try to be there when the need arises.  We make promises to help and most of the time we follow through, but if something comes up and we miss the commitment, it’s important that we apologize.  Most people are forgiving when plans don’t work out and they’ll trust us again if we fail to show once.  But we need to be careful we don’t make promises we can’t keep.  If we say we’re going to be there and don’t show again and again, we will damage our relationships.  There is no way to prevent the loss of trust if we keep letting others down.  Trust is something we earn, and if we drop the ball and lose that trust, it can be hard to restore.

We can get caught up in situations when we’re asked to do something or be somewhere that will be difficult for us.  If the person requesting our help is adamant in their need, we may agree to be there even if we’re not sure we can.  The pressure to go along with an idea can be intense, and some people can be very persuasive.  But even if they are insistent, it’s up to us to make the best decisions possible.  If the situation is such that we aren’t sure we can follow through, we need to express that.  It’s important to state our concerns about the request, and clearly explain that we aren’t sure we can be available.  Keeping our promises is important, and if we aren’t sure we can, we need to say so.  It would be great if we could all do everything we’re asked to but that isn’t generally possible.  And so it’s up to us to define when we can and when we can’t.  We can be confident in making the commitments we’re sure of, and we can be just as confident in declining requests we can’t fulfill.

Today if you’re being asked to do something you can help with, commit your time and make sure you follow through.  If you can’t do it, be confident in declining the request.  It doesn’t mean you don’t want to help, and you will assist another time.  Have the best intentions by being clear about your ability to commit.  You are in control of your life and you know what you can do.  Keep the trust of those around you by being honest and careful in making your decisions.  A trustworthy friend is a valuable asset.  Be that person to those around you.

Tags: , ,

Signs

10 Aug

There are a lot of signs in our lives.  They inform us, caution us, and give us direction.  There are traffic signs, road signs, sale signs, address signs, and many others.  They are helpful, and we see them everywhere.  Exterior signs are useful, but what about the signs in our personal lives?  They pop up from time to time to help us find our way, or correct our course.  For instance, if we don’t exercise and our health starts to suffer, it may be a sign that we need to start.  If we eat too much and our clothes start to get tight, it may be a sign that we need to stop.  If we argue a lot with those around us, it may be a sign that we aren’t listening effectively.  There are a limitless number of personal signs in our lives that teach us, warn us, or make us more aware.

Paying attention to signs is important.  There is a reason they are there, and they are helpful.  But sometimes we get busy, and ignore our personal signs.  If someone we love keeps trying to reach us but we don’t respond, and later realize they needed us and we weren’t there, we may wish we had listened.  If our car makes a strange noise but we’ve got a lot to do so we push it off, and then suddenly it stops altogether, we may wish we had paid attention.  Perhaps we wake up with a headache but are in such a rush we don’t take a moment to see how we’re really feeling.  Then we head out to a busy day, only to be derailed by illness in a very uncomfortable situation, and wish we had waited before we left.  Signs are important, and paying attention to them is equally important.

We can do anything we want with our lives.  We can ignore good advice, we can eat and drink too much, neglect exercise, work constantly, isolate ourselves or anything else we want to do.  Even when we know some things may hurt us in the long run, we might choose to do them anyway.  And when we fail to notice our personal signs, we can find ourselves in uncomfortable situations.  Life gives us a lot of discomfort we can’t control.  It seems wise to try to control the discomfort we give ourselves.  So it’s important to pay attention when we feel reminded to do something, or when there is a sign that we aren’t going down the best path.  When those promptings come, we need to stop and re-evaluate.  Signs are there to help us, to remind us, and to show us the way.  It’s important to see them, listen to them, and consider their significance.

Today if you feel like you’re getting a little nudge to change something in your life, pay attention to it.  Take a look at the issue and determine if you need to change.  Listen to your feelings and inspiration.  Today decide to not just do what you want, but to listen.  You deserve the best of everything.  Do what you can today to achieve it.

Tags: , ,

Being Worthy

13 Jul

Trust is one of the most important facets of any relationship. When we have the trust of those who care about us, they know they can count on us, and we’ll be there for them. If we honor that trust, and follow through for them, our relationships will be fulfilling, and gratifying. If we break our word, fail to follow through, and leave them hanging, the relationship will suffer, and possibly fail.

Maybe you know someone who is very nice. They’re kind to animals, polite to strangers, pleasant, and generally fun to be with. People like them, and spend time with them socially. But despite their positive attributes, they can’t keep their word. They break it over, and over again. They say they’ll do things to help out, say they’ll be there, but when the time comes for them to follow through, they drop the ball. They do this routinely, and continually. People who know them have learned they aren’t trustworthy. Everyone agrees they are nice, but they can’t be trusted. They just won’t be there. They won’t follow through with their commitments.

It takes time to build trust in relationships, and it takes just a moment to ruin it. Once we’ve lost the trust of others, it’s hard to get it back. If we’ve let them down, and break the trust they had in us, it can take a long time for them to believe in us again. Even if we’re trying to change, and have successfully followed through a few times, it will take a while to restore the trust because we’ve broken it in the past. It’s important to value the trust we have from those who care about us. It’s priceless when we have it, and heartbreaking when we lose it. It’s a fragile thing, and one small bad decision can damage it. Repeated bad decisions can destroy it, sometimes forever.

Today if you’ve lost the trust of a friend because of something you’ve done, you may be able to restore it if you really want to. Talk to them, apologize for the offense, and determine that from here forward you will be worthy of their trust. Then do everything you can to be there when you say you will, and do what you said you would do. Over time you may be able to rebuild their trust again. We need to be able to trust others, and we want them to trust us. Be worthy of that trust. It’s precious. Value it, care for it, and be careful with it. The relationships you build are worth the effort. Be worthy of them today.

Tags: , ,

Newer Entries →