"Trust is the imprint that experience leaves behind."
—Episode 4 of the Rule of Life podcast
I've been listening to a podcast co-hosted John Mark Comer. I stumbled upon him in 2021 when my Amazon algorithm suggested I might enjoy a book he wrote called "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry." (I did enjoy it. Very much.)
In Episode 4 of the Rule of Life podcast, this explanation of trust gave me the kind of joy that comes only with feeling a solution has been unlocked: "Trust is the imprint that experience leaves behind."
Trust can be difficult to define. It's something we know exists but we're not sure how it arrived. And, we certainly know when it's gone.
But until I heard this, I had a hard time explaining what exactly trust IS.
When you think about the people you trust most in your life, what do you see?
I see honesty...not ease.
I see longevity...not opportunity.
I see grace...not judgement.
I see serving...not selfishness.
I see belief (in me, in our relationship, in the vision)...not limitation.
If we seek to live a life rich with connection, we must become students of trust. Trust and connection are so deeply intertwined.
And, make no mistake, trust is not the same as "nice". In the words of Brene Brown "Clear is kind". Respectful truth-telling is a pillar of trust building.
As we walk in the world, we cannot control the experience that others give us. But we are fully in charge of how we show up.
For reflection:
- Does the experience that others have with us invite trust?
- What is the imprint we leave behind?
May we recognize the magic pixie dust of trust that is born with each interaction. May we live with open-hearted consciousness that the experience we are creating will leave an imprint with others.
