Trust: A Simple Word, A Complicated Feeling

Trust — just five letters, a small word we use all the time. But if you really think about it, it’s anything but simple. It’s the invisible glue that holds our relationships together — with family, friends, partners, even co-workers. And yet, despite how important it is, trust can be incredibly hard to understand, and even harder to hold on to.

For a long time, I thought I had trust figured out. I believed I was careful with people, that I knew how to read them. I wasn’t someone who trusted too easily. I liked to think I could sense bad energy, avoid the wrong people, and protect my peace. But then something happened — something that completely caught me off guard.

Someone I had trusted for years did something that made me question everything. Not just about them, but about myself. How could I have been so wrong? How did I not see it coming?

That’s when I realized something important: trust isn’t a one-time decision. It’s a process. It’s something that grows — or crumbles — over time. And sometimes, people don’t change… they just slowly show you who they really are.

Looking back, I can admit there were signs. Tiny moments, gut feelings I brushed off. We often do that, don’t we? When we care about someone, we want to believe the best. We ignore those little red flags because we’re hoping they aren’t what they seem. But eventually, the truth always finds a way out.

Here’s what I’ve learned: not everyone you’re kind to will be kind in return. Just because your heart is in the right place doesn’t mean theirs is too. That gut feeling you get when something feels “off”? Listen to it. It’s not paranoia. It’s your inner voice trying to protect you. And the more you trust that voice, the stronger it gets.

You don’t have to share your soul with everyone who lends a listening ear. Some people only show up to collect your pain, not to heal it. So, protect your peace. You’re allowed to set boundaries. You’re allowed to be careful with your heart.

Trust should never be handed out like candy. It’s something that has to be earned — through time, through consistency, and through actions that match words.

Yes, trust is messy. It’s fragile. But it’s also beautiful when it’s real. And by learning to trust ourselves first — our feelings, our instincts, our sense of what’s right — we can move through the world with more clarity, and a little more courage.

Because in the end, the most important trust you’ll ever build… is with yourself.