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  • Writer's pictureDr. Francis Battisti & Dr. Helen Battisti

The Zone - Volume 131





What is trust?

Last week we discussed going to the original source of information before making any decisions. This discussion led us into a further exploration of trust. We were asking questions such as: What is trust?... Is overall trust waning in our culture? … How do you further develop trust?...What are the components of trust?...


states that, “Many Americans think declining trust in government and in each other makes it harder to solve key problems.”

What is trust?


Trust plays a pervasive role in social affairs, even sustaining acts of cooperation

among strangers who have no control over each others’ actions. It is the basic unit of

social glue that enables us to interact without fear. Take, for example, each time we

get into our car and drive down the highway we are trusting that all the other drivers

are going to obey the same rules we are even though we have no control over the

other drivers’ actions.


Trust is further defined as:

  • Assumes that others will not intentionally hurt or abuse you.

  • The inner sense of acceptance you have of others with whom you are able to share secrets, knowing those secrets are safe.

  • The sense that things are fine; that nothing can disrupt the bond between you and the other.

  • It is the glue or cement of relationships.

  • Opening yourself up to let others in on your background, problems, concerns, and mistakes with the assurance that they will not ostracize you because of these things.

  • The act of placing yourself in the vulnerable position of relying on others to treat you in a fair, open and honest way.

  • The ability to let others into your life so that you and they can create a relationship built on an understanding of mutual respect, caring and concern to assist one another in growing and maturing independently.

  • Sharing your feelings and thoughts with others with the belief that they will not spread them indiscriminately.


With the declining trust that has been indicated and its impact on our ability to solve problems, how to we begin to rebuild it on an individual basis?


In a Forbes 2018 article, The Essential Importance of trust: How to Build It or Restore it, https://www.forbes.com/sites/dennisjaffe/2018/12/05/the-essential-importance-of-trust-how-to-build-it-or-restore-it/?sh=6252021e64fe the six building blocks of trust are identified as:

  • Reliability and Dependability

  • Transparency

  • Competency

  • Sincerity, Authenticity and Congruency

  • Fairness

  • Openness and Vulnerability


Trust is an essential element in attaining a healthy, prosperous and fulfilling life. It is not an absolute because it can be built, destroyed, and rebuilt. The effort it takes in building trust with oneself, and others is well invested because of the magnitude of the benefits it offers.

 

Key Takeaways

  • Overall trust in the United States in declining

  • Trust can be built, destroyed and rebuilt.

  • Trust is essential to a quality life.


Best Practices

  • Be as open and transparent as possible.

  • Make your word a representation of who you are.

  • When you are wrong, admit it.


Things to Limit

  • Breaking a promise.

  • White lies.

  • Justifying falsehoods.


 

Quote of the Week

“The four hardest tasks on earth are neither physical nor intellectual feats, but spiritual ones:

To return love for hate

To include the excluded

To forgive without apology

To be able to say “I was wrong”

~Author Unknown

 

Trust is not something that you can hold in your hand or place in a secure place, but

rather a feeling that you have in your gut that helps you to navigate the world.


Be well,


The paraDocs


picture by Jannis-lucas on unsplash


Check our Welcome Greeting on YouTube

The paraDocs are Dr. Francis L. Battisti, PhD, Psychotherapist, Distinguished Psychology Professor and former Executive V.P and Chief Academic Officer and Dr. Helen E. Battisti PhD, RDN, CDN, Chief Nutrition Officer, at SpNOD, Health Promotion Specialist, Research and Clinical Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and former Assistant Professor.

We have developed "The ZONE", because that is exactly where you want to be during this pandemic. A place of focused attention to doing exactly what needs to be done to get you to where you need to be. The purpose of The Zone is to provide a nationally distributed weekly mental-health and nutrition tip-sheet during times of change.


If you would like to get copies of The ZONE that you may have missed or if you know someone that would like to start receiving The ZONE, please signup today... It's free and you can unsubscribe anytime.


Permission is given to share with others.


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