“Trust is choosing to risk making something you value vulnerable to another person’s actions.” – Charles Feltman
All healthy relationships are built on a foundation of trust. This month, we are still experiencing the powerful elemental energies of Fire. Fire rules the heart. I am placing my focus on harnessing its wisdom to increase my ability to connect with others and elevate my personal and professional relationships.
In order to have complete trust with someone, you need the courage to be vulnerable. In relationships, being vulnerable is telling your truth in a way that helps people understand you better. It allows you to speak authentically about who you are, how you feel, and what you need.
One of the things we are currently doing at Five Wellbeing is developing our leadership team so we can be more effective in our professional relationships. The above quote was paraphrased in an inspirational talk given by Brene Brown for Oprah’s Super Soul sessions entitled, “The Anatomy of Trust.” Watching it was part of an exercise we did and it stuck in me in a way that I wanted to share it with you.
Watch Brene Brown’s “The Anatomy of Trust.”
After going through an enormous amount of data on what behaviors build trust, Brene came up with the acronym BRAVING. It describes the seven foundational elements she uncovered. I have briefly summarized them below for you.
Boundaries – Be clear about yours and be aware and respect mine.
Reliability – Consistently do what you say you are going to do.
Accountability – Own your mistakes, apologize for them and make amends.
“The Vault” – Know how to hold in confidence what is shared with you.
Integrity – Act from a place of integrity, encourage others to do the same.
Non-judgment – Allowing others to express themselves freely without being judged.
Generosity – Be generous by giving people the benefit of the doubt.
Our health and wellbeing are significantly improved by the positive relationship we have with ourselves and others. I hope Brene’s talk and her acronym inspires you as much as it did me to bring greater awareness and strength to your relationships.
In wellbeing,
Betsy