AHP Perspective

Trust in Action:

5 Things You Can Do To Build Trust in Your Community
– John Vasconcellos

1. Trust yourself.

Most all of us have endured, whether in childhood or as adults, experiences which cause us to feel insignificant or unworthy of power. By learning to trust ourselves we recover the rights to some of that power. Recognizing the significance of our lives while also having the character to be accountable for ourselves and to act responsibly toward others is the very definition of healthy self-esteem.

2. Dare to envision a world where trust prevails.

Having faith in ourselves teaches us to have faith in others, which leads us to realize the potential for an entirely new world if each and every person were similarly empowered. Simply ask yourself, what kind of world do you want to leave our children and the generations to come? How much division, suspicion, apathy, and mistrust do we tolerate as a society before we become so choked by its toxicity that we start seeking a more healing politics? How willing are we to let go of the old consciousness that keeps us stuck? How willing are we to change our beliefs about ourselves to bring about the radical recovery of trust in our own families, our workplace, our major institutions?

3. Recognize that you are a politician.

Mahatma Gandhi reminds us that "politics is more than going to the polls every two years to elect someone else to solve our problems for us." Rather, each of us is always a politician, in every relationship and situation, because by the character of our presence we profoundly affect each other's sense of self, of possibility and hope.

4. Commit yourself to advancing the Politics of Trust.

Visit our website and become a member of the Politics of Trust Network. Voice your critique, lend us your suggestions. If you like what you see, invite several of your colleagues to do the same. You can stay active by joining one of our policy e-groups, frequenting our message boards, or becoming a contributing author to our bimonthly newsletter. Deepen your practice by convening a circle of friends to further discover yourselves as politicians, as civic entrepreneurs, as community leaders. Then seek a personal meeting with your legislative representative (whether federal, state, or local) and share with them the Politics of Trust and your own political viewpoints and personal mission. Finally, identify and support emerging political candidates who are committed to building trust.

5. Launch your own legislative initiative or community project.

Roll up your sleeves and help generate support for direct legislation efforts by grassroots organizations and advocacy groups you know and trust. Plant the seeds of trust by launching your own community project that makes the most of your passion, wisdom, integrity, and vision for a better world.