“I Thought I Knew People—Until This”

What details of your life could you pay more attention to?

If I had to choose one detail of my life that needs more attention, it’s this: the way I trust people.

There was a time when I believed trust was simple. If someone smiled, showed kindness, or stayed close, I assumed sincerity followed. Especially when it came to people I held dear — friends, family, colleagues, even those who I let into my inner world — I gave trust freely, without filters or questions.

But time has a way of peeling back layers.

Looking back, I realize many of those I trusted weren’t as genuine as I believed. Some broke that trust quietly, in ways so subtle I didn’t notice until much later. Others? They wore kindness like a mask, only to discard it when it was no longer convenient. The hurt didn’t always come loudly — often, it was in the silences, the shifting tones, the small betrayals dressed in politeness.

And the worst part? I didn’t doubt them. Not once. That’s what stings.

Now, I’m learning. Not to stop trusting — I refuse to become cold — but to trust with eyes open, not blindly. To observe, to listen more deeply, and to give trust the value it deserves: not cheap, not instant, but earned.

It’s a quiet shift. A necessary one.

Because paying attention to who deserves your trust isn’t paranoia. It’s self-respect.

Leave a comment