When starting up the year, I often refer to Dr. Brené Brown’s brilliant concept of the Marble Jar. Imagine that the trust in each of the relationships in your life is represented by a marble jar. At it’s core, Brené (yes, like most humans my age, I would like to imagine that we are on a first-name basis), explains that trust is built in the micro-moments, the seemingly insignificant moments of interaction.
Relationships are build on trust. We can deposit marbles and build up our sense of trust or withdraw them and degrade that sense of trust through our interactions. When someone is able to make more deposits than withdrawals, generally, we trust them.
Trust can be deposited through:
- asking for help,
- receiving the generosity of others,
- giving without recompense,
- contributing constructive and helpful feedback,
- designating and maintaining clear boundaries,
- being capable and reliable,
- owning your sh*t, being a vault,
- choosing courage over comfort,
- practicing non-judgement,
- standing up for someone through integrity
- and creating a generous narrative about others
She also makes a note about not confusing real trust for counterfeit trust. Real trust isn’t always easy to build. Integrity is a big part of creating a sense of trust. Being a chameleon, someone who changes depending on the surrounding political and social environment does not elicit a sense of trust from people. Gossiping is the worst kind of counterfeit trust, because as much as it hot-wires fake connection, it erodes the deep sense of trust within a relationship (and can often ripple outward to the climate at work or school).
#smallactbigimpact #kindsight101
Morgane Michael 