What is a relationship based on? Love, communication, or is it compatibility?
Well, there are many theories, but one thing is for sure – all relationships are based on ‘trust’. Trust is the foundation of every relationship. Think about it – if you don’t trust someone, will you even fall in love with that person? Or, in the case of communication, you will only talk to people unreservedly when you know or trust them. There must be some reason for mutual communication to exist.
Trust is the universal element in any relationship. But what happens when that trust starts fading away? We can lose trust really fast – a small misstep and our partners can stop trusting us. So, what’s the best way to build trust in any relationship?
Here is the mindset that you can develop that will help you build trust:
1. Don’t Keep Secrets
Do not keep secrets from one another. Try to be as open as possible. When you act secretive, you are actually alienating your partner from certain parts of your life. You choose a partner who you believe will back you up in every avenue. When you start hiding certain things – the suspicion shifts upon you. You start losing trust and become a suspect.
2. Respect Each Other
Much more important than love for your partner is respect. You must have respect for what your partner does or says. Do not end up belittling your partner. Even if you don’t say anything, belittling someone will eventually show. If your partner does a day job that pays less, or if they have dropped out of college – don’t judge. Support them for who they are.
3. Gradually Become Vulnerable
You do not always have to keep the armour in front of you. Armour is a great defence when you are dealing with an unknown person, but your partner is someone close to you. Be vulnerable – take it slow, but reveal your fears and insecurities to them. Let them be vulnerable to you too. Eventually, your vulnerabilities will build up your trust – the greatest strength you can have.
4. Forgive
Give your partner the benefit of the doubt at times. We all commit mistakes, and maybe your partner has committed a mistake too. It is also possible that you doubt your partner for some reason, and their actions are deepening your doubts. Don’t engage in such suspicion – rather, forgive them. They are sorry for it. If you are dubious, trust your partner. Start building the trust from your end.
5. Real Communication
When you are communicating, make sure that you mean what you say and say what you mean. We should not ever underestimate our own natural instincts. We all have a built lie detector, known as intuition.
For example, whenever our parents lied to us about not giving dinner or throwing us out of the house, we knew they were empty threats. So, we can detect when people make an empty promises. When you say something, mean it. Make a promise only if you can keep it. Keep the communication genuine.
6. Taking Risks
Take risks together. Step out of your comfort zone and go out on an exotic adventure. Maybe engage in a book-writing session or even a reading session as a couple. Do something you never thought you will do as a couple. The more risks you take, the more support you will feel coming from around you. Plus, a couple of risks can also boost your sexual attraction, as per a classic study.
7. Reciprocity
Finally, trust has to be mutual. If you are getting a lot of trust from your partner, then they will expect to get it back too. Trust should go both ways. A relationship is all about balance. If you end up breaking this balance, you will lead the relationship to its eventual downfall. Be supportive, appreciate yourself and your partner, and see whether your partner provides you with the same. Be valued and value your partner too. Let the balance strengthen your relationship.
Earning trust is very hard but keeping it is even harder. We all have the power to build and maintain trust in any relationship. That’s the way a relationship can truly grow stronger.
This article was written by a contributor. Thank you.
This article How to Develop Trust in Any Relationship was originally published here at isoulscience.com on August 27, 2019.