The expectation of words

You have a choice when someone tells you something - you believe them or you don't. A promise is made, but will it be carried out? I often struggle with this choice. I want to trust them that their future actions will follow through on their current words. An expectation is set if you choose to believe. The expectation that their words will become true in the future. But what happens if they don't? Were you foolish to trust them? Were you opening yourself and being vulnerable to being hurt by failed expectations?

The other choice is to not believe them. The "yeah, right!" mentality. You've been let down before so why bother trusting them now. Have you become the cynic? The one who won't believe until belief isn't necessary. It isn't trust when the actions have already been completed. At that point it is fact.

So what do you when someone says trust me? What do you do when someone makes a promise to do things differently? Do you allow your expectations to rise upon that promise or do you show no faith in them? Is it showing faith in them or being foolish?

I've chosen both at different times in the past. Neither is a guarantee. Who are you willing to risk choosing to believe? Who believes you? Do your words deserve to be trusted? We create expectations and promises every day simply by what we say. Are you worthy of those expectations? Like with the choice of whether to believe their words or not, the solution offers two choices as well - you follow through on your words or you don't. We like to think that there is this great area of gray in between these two. We want to justify or rationalize anything short of completely following through. We are great at excuses, or so we think. Know how weak those lame excuses you hear sound. Well, yours probably sound just as lame if you don't follow through.

So what is your choice today - believe or not? What is your decision on the promises you have made - follow through or not? Good luck choosing your words carefully today.