Trust is a precious thing, and it is really hard to find someone you can truly trust. For many people, they feel they can turn to family members with their secrets and hardships. Yet for others, information like that spreads like wildfire among the various family members.

There are also huge issues of trust around financial situations, and money and greed can change people. Oftentimes, issues of trust arise within families when the patriarch dies and the will is discussed.

As you did not choose your family, you may find that you can trust your friends more so than your family members. If that is the case, there is nothing really wrong with that, as long as your perceptions are accurate.

Blood often does run thicker than water, but for some people, their friends are more like family than those who are related to them through blood. If you feel that you are better suited to trust a friend than a family member, just be careful as to what you share.

Below are some things to keep in mind when trusting a friend with intimate information.

* Trust must be earned.

One of the most exciting things about meeting a new friend is that you often just click with that person. Various things make the two of you feel close very quickly. Perhaps you have similar personalities. Or maybe your life stories have many parallels. Your common interests may help you form a quick bond.

While this is all well and good, do not let the ease of a new friendship fool you into assuming this person can be trusted. Trust must be earned over time, and on both sides of a friendship.

Be careful about opening up too quickly about various aspects of your life. It takes time to get to know a person. And you cannot tell about a person's true character until you see them in situations that test them.

* Learn to trust your instinct, unless you have made a lot of bad decisions.

One of the best ways you can decide if you can trust someone is to listen to your instincts. Of course, that is assuming that you have strong instincts.

Some people are blessed with being able to be a good judge of character, and relatively quickly. Others are not and are almost always drawn to people who are problematic for them.

Depending on your history with this kind of thing, decide whether you can trust your instinct about someone. That really is the best way to go. And if you need help in better learning to draw boundaries or make decisions, then therapy may be a smart use of your time.

* Take baby steps.

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Trusting friends more than family?
We want to hear your view. Write now!