People who have trust in others are generally happier and more content.
That is the main finding of new research published last month by the American Psychological Association (APA).
The research results coincide with the publishing of an article that I wrote recently, outlining the importance of finding more trust in oneself, and how this can potentially change your world.
Being able to fundamentally trust yourself, your behaviours, and your systems can fundamentally change your whole experience.
The U.S. research has found essentially the same thing, albeit their focus was on trusting external factors, other people, and institutions.
It was found that higher levels of trust in others lead to higher levels of subjective well-being, and that trust and well-being reinforce each other.
So, the more we trust, the better we feel, the better we feel, the more we trust (the same phenomenon occurs with internal trust).
“Our findings show that trust plays a key role in how happy and satisfied people feel, across all ages, especially so for children, adolescents, and older adults. Whether it’s trust in others, in society, or institutions, all types matter for well-being,” – Catrin Finkenauer, PhD.
Subjective well-being focuses on how people feel about their own lives rather than on external factors like physical health, wealth, or education.
To better understand the relationship between trust and well-being, researchers conducted an analysis of existing research with primarily looked at three types of individual-level trust (interpersonal, institutional, and generalized), as well as a variety of well-being indicators.
The researchers found that people who trust more, whether it’s trust in others, in institutions, or in society in general, tended to feel happier and more satisfied with life than people who trust less.
Trust is the glue that holds relationships, communities, and societies together.
Research shows that supportive, healthy relationships are key to well-being, and trust plays a central role in building and maintaining those connections.
In summary, trust boosts well-being, and people who felt better about their lives also tended to become more trusting over time.
But remember, trust has to be earned, and that is why it is important to strive to create healthier interpersonal relationships and healthier communities.
If trust is broken, or there’s a chance that it will be broken, boundaries are also important (ironically, to protect well-being).
Trust in self comes from working towards greater personal awareness, emotional intelligence, and wisdom.
