The Value Of Trust

“Trust means that you trust someone but you keep them and keep them, but you have to trust them forever.” (Child 5 years old)

What Is the Value of Trust?

What was your first perception of trust?
It’s such a simple word, yet we throw it around so easily. Sometimes we use it with sincerity—honor, love, gratitude. Other times, we use it as a tool for manipulation. The question remains: what is the true value of trust?

I believe trust begins in childhood, shaped by our environment and the morals passed down to us—whether from parents, grandparents, or deeply rooted generational beliefs. But what happens when these beliefs are outdated? What happens in a society where chaos is normalized, manipulation is subtle, and betrayal is practically institutional?

Trust requires vulnerability.
It’s faith—faith that someone won’t hurt you, won’t betray you, won’t tarnish your character. In a world obsessed with reputation and status, trust can feel fragile, even transactional.

“Trust is knowing the trash will be taken out.” (Adult 82 years old)

You

When You Are the One with Trust Issues

If you find yourself unable to trust, that’s not a flaw—it’s a signal. A call for internal work.

Ask yourself:

Where did this begin?
Was I taught to distrust?
Did someone I love break my trust?
Did I betray my own boundaries to please others?

Start by creating a simple timeline—note the pivotal moments that shifted your belief in trust. Yes, it may be triggering. But understanding your pain points is the beginning of healing. And you might just discover that you’ve always had more control over your life than you ever had over anyone else’s.

Which begs the question:

Why are you still carrying toxic friendships?
Why are you still arguing about the trash?
Why do we hold onto pain instead of choosing peace?

Even the closest people in our lives can—and will—disappoint us. Choosing to hold onto that pain is choosing to live in a fantasy rooted in the past.

“If I make a food and someone trusts that the food is good and they try it and they like. Then they trust it always. Carrying someone else’s backpack because it’s too heavy. That’s trust!” (Child 7 years old)

Trust and Isolation vs. Codependency

Too often, we respond to broken trust by retreating into isolation or clinging to codependent relationships. Both are rooted in fear. True self-trust requires neither.

Yes, we’ve all been hurt by someone—a parent, a partner, a friend. But continuing to place blame only keeps us sick. It holds us back from the love, growth, and peace we deserve.

Family

“Trust is the belief or faith of something or someone to be as you believe it to be.” (Teenager 15 years old)

Family often wants what they believe is best for us—not necessarily what makes us happy. I learned early that adults make mistakes. They use one another. They show off. They lie. And they cry behind closed doors.

As children, we notice those cracks. We just don’t have the language for them yet. But the damage is real. We internalize the disconnect between what adults say and what they do.

Imagine how different things could be if we modeled honest emotional expression. If a child saw an adult say, “I’m sad today, but I’ll be okay.” That transparency becomes the foundation for trust—not secrecy or performance.

Even if you’re not a parent, someone younger is watching you. Learning how to “swim” by mimicking your strokes. Your actions matter more than your words.

Friendship

“Trust is follow through, basically the same significance as a promise, action.” (Adult 22 years old)

Friendships can be just as deep and meaningful as family—sometimes even more so. But even the most bonded friendships can be broken in a single moment of betrayal.

So we begin to measure people. Keep them at a distance. Wait for them to prove they deserve a seat at our table. But is friendship supposed to be earned? Or does it flourish when it’s mutual, honest, and purposeful?

Ask your closest friend:

Why are we friends?

If the answer is history, convenience, or one-sided venting—maybe it’s time to reassess.
Secrets, negativity, and hidden agendas don’t build trust. They destroy it.

Choose people who feed your soul.
Choose quality over quantity.

“Trust is a knowing belief of connection between individuals.” (Adult 54 years old)

Final Thoughts

Trust is not just a word—it’s a living practice. It evolves. It grows with us. And when it’s broken, we get to choose whether to rebuild or release.

You don’t owe your trust to anyone.
But you do owe yourself the peace that comes with knowing when—and how—to give it.

Manipulation Tactics Below

I refuse to spend my time diving into the endless ways people manipulate others—there are entire channels, podcasts, and websites dedicated to that kind of negativity.

While I don’t condone manipulative behavior, I also won’t dwell in its darkness. That said, I do believe it’s important to be aware of how manipulation can show up—especially when it’s subtle, disguised as care, or wrapped in charm.

Below is a list of common manipulation tactics people use for self-gain—whether for money, sex, security, relationships, or status. This list was written and contorted by Robert Greene, an author who focuses on the behaviors of human beings and the tactics we utilize to survive and gain what we want.
We’re all wired differently. Be mindful of that. Life molds people in complex ways.

So instead of harsh judgment, choose self-respect.
Instead of reacting, honor your boundaries.
And above all—leave space for your life to unfold with clarity, peace, and truth.

Good luck to you.
Stay grounded. Stay bright. Walk with faith.

Never Outshine The Master
Never Put Too Much Trust In Friends, Learn How To Use Enemies
Conceal Your Intentions
Always Say Less Than Necessary
Reputation — Guard It With Your Life
Court Attention At All Cost
Get Others To Do The Work For You, But Always Take The Credit
Make Other People Come To You — Use Bait If Necessary
Win Through Your Actions, Never Through Argument
Infection: Avoid The Unhappy And Unlucky
Learn To Keep People Dependent On You
Use Selective Honesty And Generoisity To Disarm Your Victim
When Asking For Help, Appeal To People’s Self-Interest Never To Their Mercy Or Gratitude
Pose As A Friend, Work As A Spy
Crush Your Enemy Entirely
Use Absence To Increase Respect And Honor
Keep Others In Suspended Terror: Cultivate An Air Of Unpredictability
Do Not Build Fortresses To Protect Yourself — Isolation Is Dangerous
Know Who You’re Dealing With — Do Not Offend The Wrong People
Do Not Commit To Anyone
Play A Sucker To Catch A Sucker — Seem Dumber Than Your Mark
Use The Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness Into Power
Concentrate Your Forces
Play The Perfect Courtier
Re-Create Yourself
Keep Your Hands Clean
Play On People’s Need To Believe To Create A Cultlike Following
Enter Action With Boldness
Plan All The Way To The End
Make Your Accomplishments Seem Effortless
Control The Options: Get Others To Play With The Cards You Deal
Play To People’s Fantasies
Discover Each Man’s Thumbscrew
Be Royal In Your Own Fashion: Act Like A King To Be Treated Like One
Master The Art Of Timing
Disdain Things You Cannot Have: Ignoring Them Is The Best Revenge
Create Compelling Spectacles
Think As You Like But Behave Like Others
Stir Up Waters To Catch Fish
Despise The Free Lunch
Avoid Stepping Into A Great Man’s Shoes
Strike The Sheoherd And The Sheep Will Scatter
Work On The Hearts And Minds Of Others
Disarm And Infuriate With The Mirror Effect
Preach The Need For Change, But Never Reform Too Much At Once
Never Appear Too Perfect
Do Not Go PAst The Mark You Aimed For: In Victory, Learn When To Stop
Assume Formlessness

“Trust is open, compassionate, and blind. Sometimes.” (Adult 91 years old)

I find it helpful to understand the forms of manipulation, that is if you are a people pleasing giver. To help protect yourself and understand the red flags better. However… if you find yourself over-focusing and studying manipulation too much, it can create a false form of security that begins to isolate you. Be mindful. Be kind. Be compassionate. Love thy neighbor.

How can we trust each other? You post only your happiest moments and keep secrets hidden behind black screens? I hold mine in books and dreams. The more they build, the further we are. The further apart, the more I’m content alone. Then mercury retrograde hits, and everyone runs amok looking for what was missed.

[Reference for this form of manipulation in depth can be found in the book 48 Laws Power by Robert Greene.]