***Collaborative post***
You can’t have a healthy marriage or relationship with trust. However, most of us can think of a time when our trust has been broken. How do we develop trust in the first place? Can you rebuild the trust that has been broken?
Be True To Your Word And Follow Through With Your Actions
To build trust, your partner has to believe what you say. Keep in mind that being trustworthy means keeping the promises that you make, and not making any promises that you know you can’t keep.
Keeping your word, whether it’s a small thing like doing the dishes when you promised you would or something bigger like visiting a sexual health clinic when you told a new partner you would, shows others what you expect from them in and means they will be more likely to trust you.
Learn How To Communicate Effectively
Poor communication is one of the biggest reasons why relationships break down. Good communication means being clear about what you have or haven’t committed to and what you’ve agreed on.
Building trust does come with a risk. You will both have to take risks to prove that you are trustworthy. To do this, effective communication is essential. Without clear communication, it can be easy to misunderstand each other and cause accidental hurt.
Remind Yourself That Trust Takes Time To Build And Earn
Building trust is a daily commitment. Don’t expect too much straight away. In order to build up trust, you will need to take small steps first and take on some smaller commitments. As trust is built, you can accept bigger commitments. Put trust into your relationship and you can get trust back in return.
Take Time To Make Decisions And Think Before Acting Too Quickly
Only make commitments that you are actually happy to agree to. Sometimes you will have to say no, even if it causes disappointment. If you agree to something and can’t follow through with it, trust will be damaged.
Be clear about what you have on your plate and keep track of everything you’ve agreed to. Being organised is a part of building trust with your partner as it lets you make clear decisions on whether or not you should agree to requests they make and whether you have enough time and energy.
Value The Relationships That You Have And Don’t Take Them For Granted
Trust comes from consistency. We usually have the most trust in people who are there for us in a consistent way through both bad and good times. Showing someone that you are there for them is a very effective way to build trust.
Always Be Honest
The message that you put across to your partner should always, always be the truth. If you are caught out in telling a lie to your partner, no matter how small the lie is, your trustworthiness will be damaged, and you will need to work to rebuild it. Being honest can be tough, but make it a priority in your relationship.