No matter the type of relationship, an essential ingredient is trust. No relationship can survive without trust. However, it is also one ingredient that is often taken for granted and people don’t always cherish trust the way that they should. Once lost, it can be very difficult to earn back. Here are some ways you can build trust.
Be truthful
Never lie to your partner unless of course it is a surprise party that you are planning for him or her. Saying that you are late at work when you are enjoying some time with your friends is never a good idea. Sooner or later your lie would be caught and your mate will begin to wonder what else you have been lying about.
Be reliable
Follow through your promises. While this can not be possible every time, deviations should be more an exception than the rule. A relationship is all about being there for each other through thick and thin, sickness and health and for richer or poorer. Fidelity is another highly cherished virtue that falls under this umbrella.
Set boundaries
If there is a relationship, in all probability, there will be jealousy waiting to rear its ugly head to tear apart what ever love there in between you and your partner. So in your own interest, it is always better to set boundaries with those outside the marriage. If your relationship with your co-worker bothers your partner, keep it professional. Or otherwise, let your partner know where you stand with other people so that there is no ground for jealousy. Make sure your mate knows he or she is the first in your list of priorities.
Be trusting yourself
It is as important to trust as it is to be trusted. You should not accuse your partner of cheating unless you have hard evidence to substantiate your accusations. Otherwise you’ll just create an environment of mistrust and your partner would begin to doubt you also.
Be fair
It may happen that you have had a bad experience with your ex-partner. It will not be fair to your partner if you let the bitter taste sour your present relationship. Be fair to your partner – she or he is an individual in her/his own right and is not responsible for what happened in your previous relationship.
Trust yourself
It is your heart that led you to your partner. Take this as destiny and accept that he/she is who was meant for you. Trust your gut feeling for that is nature’s way of guiding you. So trust yourself and you’ll have more faith in your choice.
This being said, can trust in a relationship ever be restored? The answer to this would depend on how badly the fabric of your relationship has been damaged. More often than not, the affected people want to opt out and who can blame them. But remember that love is forgiveness also.
If you are strong enough, you’ll be able to put the past behind. The best way to start the healing process is to talk to your partner and acknowledge that there has been pain, betrayal and loss of trust. It is when you have all the feelings out in the open that you can ensure that the mistakes are not repeated.
Then once you have let your feelings out, the next step is to let go completely. If your partner acknowledges the mistake and is ready to make amends, then it would be good to give your relationship another chance. It is only human to make mistakes and give into temptations. Don’t bring the awkward incident back to the table and hold it over your partner’s head. Once you are able to move on, you’ll be able to build a more mature trust than the wide-eyed trust with which you first entered into the relationship.