Ages ago, though it feels like yesterday, I was privileged to attend an event in Tokyo that provided significant life insights. 

One lesson, imparted by my wife, stood out: "Always start with trust until someone proves otherwise." This mantra has remained an unwavering guiding principle in our lives, constantly reminding us of the importance of openness, curiosity, and Trust.

As Ernest Hemingway once said, "The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." These words echo my wife's sentiments and hold immense power.

Our Experiences with Trust

One instance I recall vividly involved an unpleasant interaction with an acquaintance. My immediate reaction was scepticism and to restrict my Trust. However, my wife urged me to remain open and curious. Despite the initial hurdle, we approached the situation with Trust. While the outcome was not as expected, it taught us that Trust should not be a reaction to others' behaviour but rather a principle guiding our actions. This principle has turned strangers into our lifetime friends. 

TRUST: The Starting Point

To trust is to believe in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something. It is the first step in fostering relationships, personal or professional. 

Nevertheless, how to build Trust? 

Here's what we have learnt from our experiments with Trust:

1. Develop Self-Awareness: Knowing oneself is the first step to building trust. If one is aware of one's strengths, weaknesses, emotions, and values, one can portray oneself accurately to others, which promotes Trust.

2. Start with Trust: "Always start with trust until someone proves otherwise." It is not about being naive but about being open and curious. It is about believing in people's goodness before their faults and having the strength to recover if proven otherwise.

3. Examine Intentions: Regularly reflect on and evaluate your intentions. Are they based on mutual benefit, or are they self-serving? Self-serving intentions can erode Trust, while those aimed at shared success can strengthen it.

4. Align Actions and Intentions: Actions speak louder than words. Inconsistencies between what one says and what one does can quickly erode Trust.

5. Exhibit Vulnerability: Vulnerability and Trust have a reciprocal relationship. By allowing oneself to be vulnerable and open, one demonstrates Trust in others. Similarly, when others show vulnerability, it indicates their Trust.

In the final analysis, Trust may seem a spontaneous product of circumstance; instead, it is an active choice. As we navigate life, the decision to trust empowers us to craft relationships of substance and meaning, shaping our interactions with others and ourselves. Trust, therefore, is not just a gift we bestow on others but also a gift we give ourselves.