How hard is it for you to open up and be yourself around new people? Or does it take many, many shared experiences of dipping you toes into this week's word: trust.
Trust is defined as the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
And here's a frequent life quandary for me (maybe it's yours too): I often trust the least helpful people too much and the best folks not enough.
In thinking about trust, consider what author and social researcher, Brene Brown writes about in her book Daring Greatly.
When Brown’s 3rd grade daughter, Ellen, came home crying from school one day about some caddy girls on the playground who shared her secrets in a way she did not intend, Brown invited her daughter to think about the marble jar that sat in the middle of her classroom.
Ellen’s teacher, you see, had a practice of putting marbles in a large jar on a regular basis when the children followed the rules and worked together well as a team. When they misbehaved and disrespected the rules and one another, she took marbles out. When the bucket brimmed at the top, the class got a big reward like a pizza or ice cream party.
Brown says this: “I told Ellen to think about her friendships as marble jars. Whenever someone supports you, or is kind to you, or sticks up for you, or honors what you share with them as private, [it’s like] putting marbles in a jar. When people are mean, or disrespectful, or share your secrets, marbles come out. . . . Trust is built one marble at a time.”
I am wondering WHO puts marbles in your jar? Stop and name a person or two right now.
After hearing this story a couple years ago, I couldn't get Brown's illustration out of my head. I was making some new friends and my gut said to me, "These are your people." But my past experiences of hurt kept me cautious. But the "marbles in my jar" told me what to do.
Sure, no one is perfect and disappointments will come because we are all human. But, by paying attention to WHO puts marbles in your jar will give you much clarity as to how to invest your time and emotions.
Take it from a once skeptic who is learning what her whole heart wants, it can be so delightful to trust! The best people are around you. Lean into their care. I think God sent them to you for such a time as now!
XO
Elizabeth
If you missed the first three installments of Good for the Soul, check them out here: hospitality, beauty & travel. 
When you read the title of this post, you might immediately think this blog is about cleaning out your garages or downsizing your wardrobe or even streamlining your schedule. You might think I am going to share stories about setting clearer intentions around your shopping. Or even advocating for better time management.
And while such practices would be great to write about (for another day), I want to take just a moment and talk about the simplicity of relationships.
Or in other words how in our social everything world (hundreds of Facebook friends, LinkedIn connections and Twitter followers), the simplicity of our relationships really does matter.
I recently read an article by sociologist Martha Beck entitled, "Don't Give Up the Ghost" in which she writes that human beings are only capable of a certain number of relationships. Our brains are not equipped, she says, to keep up intimate connections with every person we met, knew or talked to from elementary school on (though Facebook thinks we need to).
Beck then cites the research of anthropologist and psychologist Dr. Robin Dunbar of Oxford University about our capacity for social connection. Consider these numbers:
150- that's the number of people we can handle having in a social group (i.e. the people we could send Christmas cards too)
50- that's the number of friends most of us could invite to a party (for a special occasion)
15- that's the number of people who know about what's really going on in your life
5- that's the number of people who have access to your secrets (the real stuff)
(And for some of us these numbers would of course be less)
I found this article and these stats fascinating especially in light of several conversations I've found myself in lately about how relationships from the past drain us and how much time we spend online or texting.
Ghosting, she says, is the process by which "a person gradually withdraws from a relationship-- ignoring phone calls, being mysteriously unavailable for social engagements."
Or in the words of comedian Steve Harvey we show with our actions, "I'm just not into you." We live authentically.
Beck points out is that "Confrontation is actually an intimacy skill, a way to resolve issues with people you really want in your life. . . . You are not obligated to offer this level of effort to every coworker, acquaintance or stranger that follows you on Instagram."
It sounds so horrible doesn't it? Ignoring people. Who publicly admits to this?
But we've all ghosted and been ghosted, haven't we?
We've let our silence speak for us and our changing priorities.
And I believe this kind of simplicity is good for the soul.
If you have any people pleasing genes in you (like I do) simplifying your investments in friendships can feel so cruel (almost unbearable sometimes).
We all have limits of who we have the capacity to really love. Our hearts can't give to or trust everyone. And it's ok.
Here's the benefit of it all: when we let go the "shoulds" in our lives something amazing happens, I believe. We have time, energy for the people who build up our spirits. We find ourselves surrounded by powerful voices that can encourage us.
We ARE KNOWN.
Our lives are full of meaningful connections.
So if you're up for it, take a moment before you click on to something else and take an inventory of how you've spent your time lately. And ask yourself, how do I need to simplify my friendships?
