Have you ever been at the other end of a stranger spilling their life story?

Ever been the receiver of a compliment thanking you for being such a good person? 

Do your friends run to you for advice? Do acquaintances trust you to keep their secrets? 

Yes? Well, you probably give off a very trustworthy and genuine energy. People can feel it.

Curious as to what signs you give off that show your trustworthiness and genuineness? 

Here are 11 of those signs, according to psychology.

1) You maintain eye contact where applicable

You understand the sweet spot between not enough eye contact and too much of it (because trust me, there can be too much of it.) 

“Eye contact is a part of non-speaking communication. It may help strengthen bonds, convey intentions, and open a person’s mind to trusting another. The effects of eye contact on human social interactions are well-studied. Researchers generally agree that prolonged eye contact is a non-speaking communication tool that helps strengthen bonds and convey messages to others.” says Psych Central in their article “The Psychology Behind Prolonged Eye Contact and Intimacy.”

2) You speak sincerely

You don’t speak for the sake of speaking, you speak sincerely. Your word holds weight and other people can feel that. 

You might have already proven yourself to be genuine in what you say, proving that you don’t just throw your words around carelessly. 

In turn, this makes you seem trustworthy to others. 

3) You are consistent

You are aligned. What do I mean by this? Well, what you say, you do. What you advocate for, you actually follow. 

You aren’t hot and cold, you say what you don’t mean, and your consistency is reliable. And it is proven with time. 

4) You show empathy

“Empathy is a broad concept that refers to the cognitive and emotional reactions of an individual to the observed experiences of another. Having empathy increases the likelihood of helping others and showing compassion.” – The Psychology of Emotional and Cognitive Empathy | Leslie University

You don’t shy away from showing emotions.

You don’t hide from it, you are not opposed to showing vulnerability.

You’re open in your empathy, to whoever needs it.

You show others that you’re all in this together, your actions speak of community. Of humanity. 

5) You keep your promises

You show trustworthiness in your actions if you keep your promises. 

Your words have weight. You won’t promise anything you can’t keep or can’t fulfill to the best of your abilities. 

Does this also show you’re genuine? Yes, you’re not afraid to say no or set boundaries if you feel like you can’t do what is asked. 

Keeping promises is as much as agreeing to a promise as it is not making ones you know you cannot keep. 

6) You are accountable

You give off a trustworthy and genuine vibe if you show accountability, like being quick to apologize when you’re wrong and owning up to your responsibilities. 

It’s an admirable trait. Accountability is not as common as we think, after all. 

Berkeley Well-being Institute says, “Without accountability, there can be little meaningful relationship between people (Evans, 2021).” 

Adding, “Research across a broad range of fields shows that accountability helps us forge meaningful social connections; in fact, people who embrace accountability are often sought out by others for professional and personal relationships because they can be counted on to meet the expectations of those relationships (Evans, 2021).” 

7) You show genuine interest in other people

“Why talk about what we want? That is childish. Absurd. Of course, you are interested in what you want. You are eternally interested in it. But no one else is. The rest of us are just like you: we are interested in what we want.” – Dale Carnegie | How to Win Friends and Influence People

Perhaps the quote above is simplistic and self-antagonizing, but I do agree that we are all just interested in what we want.

And to be a safe space for someone requires a level of unselfishness and trust. 

Perhaps you already are a safe space.

When someone speaks, you listen. You’re not the type to fake your interest, though, but you give people the respect that they deserve when they speak.

Because isn’t that what a lot of us are after? A space to just be? To be who we are and talk about our hobbies, passions, and experiences? 

8) You don’t pass judgment

“To judge without being judgmental requires empathy. If our judgment is negative, this involves experiencing some of the judged person’s pain.” – Charles Harper Webb Ph.D. | How to Judge Without Being Judgmental

With that said, you’re not the type to judge others unfairly (if at all). You operate under the notion of minding your own business. 

You understand that people can decide for themselves. That they can have their own preferences even if those preferences do not align with yours. 

You understand that others are allowed their own decisions as much as you are allowed yours. Your agency is just as important as others.

9) You respect people’s boundaries

“‘Respecting someone else’s boundaries is an act of love,” explains Cristen Smith, LMHC, LPC, in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. “When we can respect and listen to someone’s boundary, even if we don’t agree with it or understand it, we are saying ‘you matter to me.’”

It also lets the other person know you’re trustworthy and safe. That you understand they have their own autonomy and that you don’t know better than them what’s good for them.” – Simone Marie | How to Respect Other People’s Boundaries 

Your understanding of consent is strong, and your practice of it, even stronger. Respecting people’s boundaries is a bare minimum for you. 

And this shows others that you are trustworthy and genuine. It shows you are a safe space. 

10) You are optimistic

If you’re an optimistic person, people see this. And people may even flock to you because of it.

“Optimistic people tend to enjoy stronger relationships with family and friends, say Segerstrom, Carver, and Scheier. They work more effectively at solving relationship challenges, and they maintain social connections through times of stress[.]” – Joel Garfinkle | “Optimistic People and the Benefits of Their Attitudes”

But let’s be for real for one second: There’s optimism and there’s toxic positivity.

I am not talking about the latter.

It’s a difference between seeing the silver lining when you encounter obstacles and pretending there are no obstacles at all. 

11) You are honest

And finally, honesty. People see your character from how committed you are to the truth. 

People can trust your word because you are unflinchingly honest.

And it’s not just in your words that you are honest, but also in your actions, your way of life, and your beliefs. 

You stay true to who you are no matter if the truth is inconvenient.