How to Build Trust in a Relationship

Whether you’re getting ready to enter a relationship or are already in one, you should know that trust is an important component of a successful relationship. It is through trust that you promote positivity and reduce conflicts in a relationship.

Whether you’re in a long-term relationship or are looking for ways to enhance interactions with your partner, learning how to build trust in a relationship is vital. If you broke trust in your relationship and you are looking for ways to rebuild it, this article will be helpful for you.

In this post, we’ll discuss why trust is vital in a relationship and how to build it. Read on.

Why Trust is Vital in a Relationship

It Promotes Positivity

In relationships, trust is vital because it helps you to be more transparent and giving. Because you trust your partner, you are more inclined to forgive their flaws or irritating habits because you trust them and know they can look out for you.

It Helps to Resolve Conflicts

You can use trust to help you deal with conflicts. Because you feel aligned to your partner in the issues that matter most, you are more likely to overlook flaws or commit to solving issues to concerns when you trust your spouse. Even if your partner disappoints you, if you trust them, you are much more likely to give them the due credit and see the good in them.

How to Build Trust

Improve on Your Past Mistakes

Being honest and forthright when you break expectations or offend each other is a vital step in building trust. We all make mistakes from time to time. What matters is that you learn and become closer once you’ve restored whatever was damaged as a result of the misstep. The best approach to achieve this is to take full responsibility for your mistakes and demonstrate how you will improve in the future.

Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say

Young children can pick up on certain cues when someone is lying, and they stop believing what they’re saying. There’s the parent who always warns to never take us out again for misbehaving; the friend who always promises to be there but doesn’t show up – we start believing that they never say what they mean. 

Our self-protective instincts, which have been refined through thousands of years for survival, are likely to notice the proverbial boy screaming ‘wolf’. And we’ll change our behavior and attitudes appropriately by learning not to place much trust in an individual the next time so as not to be disappointed.

So, if you want to build trust in your relationship, you must quit making statements about things you won’t do or that don’t accurately reflect your true feelings. Even seemingly insignificant lies, if repeated, will convince your partner that they can no longer believe what you say.

Communicate Effectively

Communication is crucial to creating trust between individuals in a relationship. You and your partner should share your difficulties rather than sitting on them and sulking if you want to build trust. It’s better to communicate with your partner in person. The bond between partners in a relationship is strengthened by personal and verbal communication. Please avoid communicating via phone calls or texts and instead opt for a more personal and direct approach.

While communicating, make sure you keep eye contact with your partner, as frequent eye contact during a discussion strengthens the bond of partners. These small non-verbal cues also help partners underline the importance of trust in a relationship.

Remember that secrets tend to destroy trust in a relationship. When your partner is honest and affords you space to discuss subjects that may cause you to be distrustful, you can begin to trust them and let your guard down.

The more you are in agreement with your partner, the closer you will feel. It is easier to address relationship issues when there are open lines of communication. You will feel closer to your partner if you can communicate openly.

Express Your Feelings Functionally

Part of true emotional intimacy comes from understanding that you can share your feelings with someone and know that they will not disregard them. That signifies you can trust them to take the time to grasp your point of view rather than dismiss it. This requires the maturity to be able to express feelings without yelling, verbally attacking, or shutting down the discussion.

Of course, it’s possible to have a relationship where none of you is emotionally intimate, everyone acts as though everything is fine, and no one lets the other in because they don’t trust each other to manage their uncomfortable feelings or ideas. But you wouldn’t be reading this post if that’s what you wanted! Work on collaborative, helpful, and courteous ways to talk about unpleasant feelings.

Learn to discuss challenging emotions in ways that don’t automatically jump to feeling threatened or starting a conflict. Many of us have taken cues from our parents about how to talk — or not— about tough things, and sometimes those patterns can stunt us. But if you truly want to build trust with someone, you’ve got to give them the opportunity to make the connection to the real you, including who you are emotional.

Stop Keeping Secrets

How can you trust your better half if you suspect your relationship is beset by secrets? Transparency is essential for establishing trust in your relationship with your partner. If you’re learning to trust again, don’t compromise your honesty or keep secrets. You cannot build trust yet are hell-bent on keeping secrets.

If you want to establish trust with your partner, you must be transparent with them. You must be open and sincere about all you do and in your conversations with your partner. Secrets destroy relationships fast, so it’s critical to be open and honest with your partner about challenges that develop. If you’re having trouble resolving trust issues, practice treating your spouse with a nonjudgmental and open mind.

Keeping an open mind allows them to disclose their private thoughts with you, which is an indication of their trust in you. 

Learn to Say No

You are not obligated to agree to everything your partner requests or suggests. It would be preferable if you were not compelled to put up with anything you dislike. It will be easier for both of you to grow and move on in a relationship built on equality.

Keep in mind that if you don’t like something they suggest, you may simply say no to foster trust in a relationship. In any relationship, you should never feel compelled to do anything. Pandering to your partner’s whims just to make them happy will not develop trust in your relationship; instead, it will destroy it.

Conclusion

There you have it! That’s how to build trust in your relationship. Here’s a short summary of what you should remember:

• Improve on your past mistakes
• Say what you mean and mean what you say
• Communicate effectively
• Express your feelings functionally
• Stop keeping secrets
• Learn to say no

Keep in mind that building trust in a relationship takes time. Be patient with yourself and with your partner as you work on strengthening other parts of your relationship.

If learning more sounds like fun to you, click here to watch a video presentation about this relationship enhancement tool. It’s something you can learn once but then use for the rest of your life.