Trust is the foundation of relationships. It allows you to be open up without defensively protecting yourself. This article explores trust in relationships, with tips on building trust with your partner.
When mistrust comes in, love goes out.
— Irish Proverb
What Is Trust?
To trust means that you feel safe with them and have confidence they will not hurt or violate you. To trust someone is to rely on another person because you feel safe with them and confident that they will not hurt or endanger you.
Trust is the main foundation of relationships because it allows one party (you) to be vulnerable and open up. Even if there are problems, either party can fix things together instead of relying solely on themselves for support in an argument, leading to later problems.
Importance of trust in relationships
- Trust is valuable because it allows you to be around your partner, knowing that they won’t judge or criticize you.
- Trust allows you to trust the other person’s opinion and trust that whatever advice they give you will have your best interest at heart.
- Trusting another person shows them how much faith you have in their good intentions.
“A relationship without trust is like a car without gas, you can stay in it all you want, but it won’t go anywhere.”
— By unknown
Therefore, trust is important because it builds confidence between two people.
Benefits of trust in a relationship
Are you looking to build trust in your relationship? It’s important to understand the benefits of trust before getting started.
- Trust means that you are more open and giving.
- When you really trust your partner, you are more willing to overlook problems or work on solutions together.
- Trust promotes closeness and safety.
- Establishing trust builds a strong bond and foundation for the relationship.
- Knowing that you can trust your partner relaxes your nervous system.
Relationships work best when trust is established.
How to Build Trust in a Relationship: Strategies for Success
If trust has been broken, it’s never too late to start rebuilding trust with your partner! Start by being honest and open about how trust has been broken and why you need to assert boundaries.
- Admit responsibility.
- Own your feelings without blaming your partner for them.
- Apologize, even if it feels like it’s not your fault or that you didn’t do anything wrong (even if you don’t agree with your partners’ perception).
- Promise to work on improving in this area.
- Make amends; communicate in ways that rebuild trust with words, action, and behavior in the future.
- Be willing to be vulnerable when trust is broken, or the trust was never established. Vulnerability shows trustworthiness because it is difficult for people not to trust someone who trusts them.
- Promote trustworthiness by being dependable, reliable, and honest. These behaviors will make you trustworthy in your partner’s eyes.
- Practice patience. Trust takes time to develop. Keep working at it even if trust has been broken or never established!
Last words
Recognize trust-building moments when they happen. When your partner trusts you with something important to them or exhibits trust towards you, acknowledge it verbally or nonverbally (example: take their hand).
It may feel uncomfortable to receive trust at first because trust is not an area where many people have had success before. Still, this discomfort will dissipate over time as trust becomes stronger between you and your partner!
Ask for support when struggling with trust. Identify trust-building behaviors in your partner. What are they doing to build trust? Use these examples of trust-building as inspiration for how you would like to be supported by your partner!
References:
- Psychologytoday.com
- verywellmind.com
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Previously Published on medium
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