Trust and Health...Hmmm

An Instagram friend unknowingly gave me the challenge of determining whether there is a correlation between trust and health. After reading last week's blog, she indicated that "Being herself" wasn't her issue but that she had, and still has issues with trust. So, I said, let's chat about it on my blog. Well, I had to do a little bit of research, however, without even looking anything up, I would assume that anything that brings on some sort of negative connotation such as "distrust", our health may be compromised. If I don't trust anyone, ever, I am possibly a doubtful person, a skeptic of sorts, maybe anxious about whether someone is telling me the truth and perhaps a bit nervous most of the time. Any one of these things can compromise your overall health.

In my research I read about there being stages of distrust. Ok, that makes sense. If you are a person with "trust" issues it didn't just start yesterday, it more than likely developed over time based on some experiences that have occurred in your life. Here are the stages I read about:

Doubt, Suspicion, Anxiety, Fear and Self-Protection. Can you imagine feeling like that all of the time? That can definitely put a strain on your mind, body and spirit. If I don't trust you I can also become withdrawn around you and that leads to "not so good" feelings on the inside.

Like anything, the question is, what do we do about it? This is a tough one considering that those who may suffer from debilitating trust issues may have a history of people letting them down, lying to them, betraying them, abusing them, etc. If this is you, do not fear speaking to someone.

Trust requires relationship building. Relationships, just like "distrust" don't just happen, they take time to cultivate. Here's what I would suggest. Take baby steps. When building a new work relationship, friendship, business relationship or love relationship, take things slowly. Get to know the person. Spend time with them. Observe how they are in different settings. Listen, listen and listen some more. Share basic ideas in the beginning. Observe the reactions of others when that person is around. Do all of this before you share any information that is personal. Tread lightly. There is no need to rush.

When building the relationships, look within yourself. Try to discover what is causing you to not trust. Do some self-reflection. Recognize that not all relationships will fail you like those that may have in the past. Gradually make the conscious choice, that you will not allow the distrust of someone in the past to be a barrier to a relationship in the future.

Can your distrust make you sick? I believe so. It can hinder you. It can cause you to be afraid to take risks. It can cause you some anxiety, always feeling like no one can be trusted. Being hindered, fear and anxiety weigh heavy on the mind and our emotional state. When those are compromised the body begins to feel the impact through fatigue, low resistance and feeling weighted down.

Trust is not easy to come by. It takes time to develop. Of course we don't go around trusting anyone and everyone but as you take the time to get to know people, you may gradually realize who you can and can not trust. Step out, take a small leap of faith and take your time.

The content in this blog is my opinion. I am not speaking as a therapist.

#mindbodyspirit #becomeabetteryou #beblessedandbewell

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T