Good morning texts, good night kisses, and tummy butterflies can come with any relationship – but trust doesn’t. Trust is hard to build and easy to lose, but it’s 100% necessary to have with your significant other. If you’re trying to build, earn, or strengthen trust with your partner, follow these tips!
Don’t Keep Secrets
Transparency is key if you’re in a committed relationship, which means you both need to be open and honest with zero secrets. Bring problems to the forefront, tell the truth, don’t hold back your feelings, and always keep an open mind.
Show Your Vulnerable Side
Getting into deep convos can be scary, embarrassing, and awkward. No one loves talking about childhood traumas, ex-relationships, or personal flaws. But that’s the beauty about being in a relationship: You can be vulnerable with your person. Moreover, being vulnerable without criticism from the other side can build trust. And isn’t that the goal?
Stay True to Your Promises
Making a plan and sticking to it will get you far. In other words, keep your promises to exceed expectations. If you say you’re going to do something, follow through! If there’s no way you can live up to your commitment, openly communicate that to your partner. Explain what went wrong or why plans have changed, and go from there.
Willingly Empathize
Understanding your significant other and where they’re coming from is crucial to maintaining trust in a relationship. That means listening intently, acknowledging feelings, and putting in the effort. Showing empathy bundles all of those categories into one. Plus, empathizing with your SO can show them they’re not alone in their thoughts.
Take Responsibility for Your Actions
Owning up to actions and behaviors is a sure way to earn and build trust. Whether it’s good or bad circumstances, it’s best to admit if you’re responsible right away. Don’t blame someone else to get out of the doghouse – you’ll only end up in more trouble later on!
Accept Feedback
Harsh criticism should be kept off the table, but appropriate feedback can be discussed in a healthy, mutually beneficial conversation. So don’t devise a long list of things your SO does wrong. Instead, talk openly about the important issues, then work as a team to find solutions and implement positive suggestions.
Give the Benefit of the Doubt
Doubting your partner is a recipe for disaster, so try to avoid this at all costs. Instead, give your partner the benefit of the doubt. Trust sometimes takes a leap of faith. If you can’t take that leap, avoid the doubting spiral by asking your partner for clarifications or explanations. This will build security so you won’t have to wonder in the future.