Journal Prompts for Rebuilding Trust and Healing Feelings of Betrayal
This is a list of journal prompts to assist with episode 67: Healing from Broken Trust, Trust Issues & Betrayal: Learning to Trust Ourselves & How to Rebuild Trust in Relationships.
Journal Prompts:
Trust
What does it feel like when you can trust someone? What emotions arise? How does it feel in your body?
What does it feel like when trust is broken? What emotions arise? How does it feel in your body?
What are some characteristics you look for when choosing who you trust? Is it a gut feeling? Do you look for certain words? Explore how you decide to trust someone.
If you listened to episode 67 (or if you’ve read Daring Greatly), write 5 examples of actions that you would qualify as “adding a marble to your marble jar.”
Is it more difficult for you to trust yourself or others? Explore this.
Trust & Relationships
What actions help you to decide who you can trust?
What is a lesson you have learned about trust in your relationships?
Who do you trust the most and why? What do they do to keep your trust?
Do you trust people too easily? Why or why not?
Do you struggle to trust people? Why or why not?
Think of a time you had your trust broken. Write a letter to this version of yourself telling them how sorry you are that they had their trust broken. Offer them words of encouragement, and tell them all the things you wish someone had told you at that time.
What is your biggest fear when it comes to trusting someone? Is it the fear of being betrayed? Being vulnerable? Explore this fear and any feelings that arise.
Trust with Yourself
Do you trust yourself? Have you made any decisions in the past that caused you to lose trust in yourself? Have the actions of another person caused you to lose trust in yourself?
Do you keep the promises you make to yourself? If you break a promise to yourself, do you apologize to yourself?
Think of a time when you broke a promise to yourself. This could be as simple as not going to the gym when you said you would or as complex as ignoring your own boundaries. I now invite you to write yourself an apology. Write about how you are sorry for breaking your own trust and explore any feelings that arise. Then I invite you to write down a promise you can keep with yourself.
What is one action you could take this week to develop trust with yourself.
Betrayal
What does betrayal feel like in your body? Does it feel tight in your chest? “Gut- wrenching”? Do you get a headache? What emotions arise? How does it feel in your body?
When was the first time you remember being betrayed? Explore this memory and any emotions that come to mind. Did you learn any lessons from this experience? Are these lessons still true?
Did you ever feel betrayed by someone as a child? If so, was it by a family member, friend, boyfriend/girlfriend? Did you develop any beliefs from this experience that may be impacting your adult relationships?
In any instances where you felt betrayed, did you develop any beliefs about the person, yourself, or society? Write these down and begin to explore if these are actually true.
Has there been a time when you felt betrayed by someone and you were able to forgive them? What allowed you to forgive them?
If you were recently betrayed, spend time journaling about this experience and how it felt. Allow yourself to free-write all your thoughts and emotions. The act of writing this will assist you in moving some of these difficult feelings.
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