Hurt or Protect

I have always thought that being skeptical can be useful. If you're skeptical then how can you get hurt? Never truly believe anything, always doubting and questioning. Yet how is that a way of life? Living a life void of trust seems to be a lonely life in the end. It's hard for me to admit that, but I'm beginning to think it's true although I have ever reason in certain circumstances to remain skeptical, maybe even more skeptical that usual. Are people all the same? Will they always end up hurting you? Certainly seems that way sometimes. It can feel as though the only one you can trust is yourself, but then again, what if you can't trust yourself? You have a desire, but you can't trust yourself to follow through with it. Is fear the next step? Or is there another answer? How do you completely let go and begin to accept things without only thinking about getting hurt? Why do people allow themselves to be put in the same position over and over again which just leads to the inability to not be so skeptical? "I don't give myself enough credit", I was told recently. From that one sentence alone, should I lower my guard? Lower my guard to that one person, but keep it up high for all others? Who do I believe? Who do I trust? Am I hurting myself or am I protecting myself?