Over the past few years, we have seen an epidemic of mistrust spread across our society due to a growing lack of trust in institutions, organizations, and even individuals. This has been particularly pronounced since the 2016 presidential election where there is very little confidence in almost every institution out there.

We are living in a time where people do not feel like they can rely on others anymore. They no longer believe that what these groups say or do is for their own good, and it seems as if everyone is looking out only for themselves.

This loss of trust is having far-reaching effects. We are seeing a breakdown of social bonds and networks. People are becoming increasingly isolated because they do not know who to turn to for help or advice.

In addition to this, there is a dwindling sense of safety. Since people do not feel safe around other people, they do not go out much or stay home alone at night. It becomes too dangerous to walk anywhere so many people give up traveling and exploring new places.

All of these factors contribute to the feeling of powerlessness experienced by most people today. There is an overall sense that nothing works and things will probably remain this way for quite some time.

Fortunately, we have solutions! By adopting certain practices and strategies, you can help reestablish trust in others, reduce your risk of being victimized, and promote wellness and happiness in yourself and those around you. In this article, I will talk about several of these solutions.

Make it clear that zero trust is difficult to achieve

It’s not easy to maintain a level of distrust with every member in your organization, nor is it practical to only work with people who meet a very high standard. Therefore, you should probably just give up on having true trustworthy internal networks.

In fact, some experts recommend limiting access even further by working solely within an encrypted network where confidential information can be stored and shared securely.

This is because most people are inherently good so it’s unlikely we’ll ever see someone with impeccable ethics come along and change how they behave.

It may sound like a crazy idea at first but over time it becomes almost impossible to tell if someone is lying or telling the truth unless they make a deliberate effort to do one or the other.

Create a strong password

The first step in building trust with online accounts is creating a strong, unique password for each account. This includes personal accounts like Facebook, email services such as Gmail, and banking apps that you use to access your money!

This seems very obvious, but it’s one of the biggest hurdles people face when trying to establish an online presence. When someone finds out about your laaaagggge passworddd, they can’t get into your account to check out your messages or see what you paid for on Amazon!

It’s also important to not reuse passwords across sites, because this makes it easy for hackers to steal all of your information. They only need to guess your current password, and then they can log in as you everywhere you do – which brings us back to our initial point!

Once again, this will take some effort at first, but over time you’ll find yourself instinctively making good choices when it comes to security.

Do not share your passwords

Let’s look at an example of something that is totally unacceptable – sharing your password with another person.

A few months back, I met someone who was very friendly and open. They even invited me over for coffee once we made contact.

As we chatted, they mentioned that their roommate didn’t like dogs so they were looking for a place to board a dog while they searched for their own home.

The room they listed was across the street from my house and close to where I work, making it easy for me to visit during non-work hours.

I gave them my opinion about whether or not this was a good idea but it really did not matter what I said; they had made up their mind.

They shared their password with the landlord which allowed their new tenant to check out the apartment online and in person without having to go through any kind of background check or meeting in person anyone else involved.

This isn’t just bad practice, it’s illegal in some states. Not only can things go horribly wrong for you as a parent, it puts other people at risk by creating opportunities for fraud.

Use a password manager

Password managers are great tools that can help you ensure your accounts’ passwords do not fall into the wrong hands. By storing your usernames, passwords, and PINs in a secure database, you increase the security of each individual account.

A good password manager will make it easy to create strong passphrases by offering random word generators or pre-made cliches such as “My family” or “Favorite food”. It should also allow you to test your strength with its built-in vulnerability checker.

The most popular ones today are Google Authenticator and LastPass. Both have free and paid versions and both have solid reviews. Pick one that looks comfortable to use and is easy to find for yourself!

Google Authenticator is a mobile app while LastPass has a desktop version. Neither require too much computer knowledge so even users who are new to technology can start using them.

Use a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) is an excellent way to increase your privacy online. There are many types of VPNs, but they all have one thing in common – they add another layer of protection to your internet connection by using additional servers or networks as cover for your activity.

Most people use VPNs to access content that’s restricted outside of their country of residence, to prevent others from watching illegal movies or downloading copyrighted material. More sinister users may want to conceal their browsing habits, avoid surveillance tools such as tracker apps, or even hide their identity while surfing the web.

There are several good reasons to consider adding a paid-for VPN service to your regular routine. They are especially helpful if you read our article about how to be stealthy when sharing secrets.

How much does it cost?

A decent quality VPN service can be picked up quickly unless you're a frequent user. Most only require a monthly fee, with discounts available at less frequent usage.

Only allow trusted devices to connect to your network

The next step in protecting your personal information is limiting which resources you give access to on your computer or device. You should only use it for things that are considered important, such as looking up emails, doing research, or accessing banking apps and sites.

Any time you open a new browser window or tab, there’s an opportunity for someone else’s software to collect or even steal your data. In addition, some applications may be incompatible with other software, posing security risks.

You can reduce this risk by not giving people permission to access anything beyond what they need to do their jobs effectively. This way, you’re minimizing the chances of someone taking more sensitive info like credit cards or social security numbers.

It also helps protect against malicious software (malware) that might try to take over your system.

Only allow verified certificates

The first step in ensuring trustworthiness of your website is limiting what types of certificates you will use to secure your site. You can use two main methods for this- verifying DNS records, or using certificate authorities (CA) that are vetted before being trusted as valid SSL providers.

DNS pinning is a way to limit which domains you accept ssl certs for by requiring users to input an invalid domain name when accessing your site via https://www it must contain ‘https’ and be signed by one of these CA’s you have added to your browser.

Most browsers now require sites to be encrypted with at least TLS 1.2 so if users enter an uncertified domain they will get a warning message telling them something about that and offering to add the cert manually.

If enough people do this then it creates a barrier to entry for anyone looking to visit your site anonymously or unethically.

Be aware of your surroundings

The first step in building trust is being aware of the current state of trust you have with people. Are there signs that show you don’t quite belong? If so, then it might be time to look for somewhere new to reside.

Ask yourself if things are changing quickly or suddenly for you – Is someone starting to talk about you behind your back? Does everyone seem uncomfortable when they see you together? Do they avoid meeting up with you either alone or as a group?

These are all warning signals that something isn’t right. It may be nothing more than someone realizing how much their friend/colleague/coworker doesn’t like you, or maybe they just can't stand your guts any longer.

But whether it's because you're not nice enough, too aggressive, or simply not compatible, most people feel nervous around you. They would rather keep their distance - even if it means giving you bad advice, ignoring you, or taking actions against you.

It's hard to build trust when you make people worried about what you will do next.