How to build trust and faith in a relationship
One of the popular trust and faith in a relationship quotes goes like this, "respect everyone, love a few, trust nobody". This must have been written by someone who trusted too much and was betrayed. Arguably, the most rewarding relationships, whether business or personal, are built on a foundation of utmost trust and faith.
In a love relationship where people share intimacy as the most personal expression of love, trust is easily defined as sexual fidelity- this is just one aspect of trust and we will discuss the others right here below. For you to find fulfillment in your relationships, you must understand that trust must be given in the same measure as it is demanded. The following are measures you can use to gauge where your journey of building trust and faith in a relationship should begin;
The true meaning of trust in a relationship
Trust to be sexually faithful
At the beginning of every relationship or marriage, it is always one's desire that there will be no one else who meets the sexual needs of your partner. Once sexual trust has been broken, most relationships suffer stress that is hard to repair. While some people manage to bounce back into a loving and strong relationship, most will require professional help or it may lead to separation. Sexual accountability is a commitment that couples must be willing to keep regardless what they go through in their relationship. Once there is trust, the faith to keep the relationship is there and the couple work out their relationship with love.
Trust to accept, protect and give freedom
People are able to trust each other easily when they are made to feel safe and secure. When you verbally abuse your partner, reject them or become overly protective, you create an atmosphere of mistrust and lack of faith in the relationship. The end result is that the person you set out to control will drift further away from you because they are unable to trust you with their happiness.
Trust to love unconditionally
More often than not, people will love each other for the wrong reasons. It is important for both parties in a relationship to feel that they are loved for whom they are and not for what they are. If someone realizes that he or she is loved for his or her money, family influence or fame, it is inevitable for them to feel used hence the trust to keep the relationship breaks.
Trust to stay
Disagreements, conflict, and anger are all part of healthy relationships. You and your partner should make it clear from the start that a difference of opinion does not mean less love for one another. When misunderstanding happens, refrain from using threats to abandon or withdrawing support. Doing this not only fosters an atmosphere of fear but also puts the other partner on alert and they may even begin preparing for your exit, compromising the quality of the relationship and lead to loss of faith in one another
Trust that the relationship is a top priority
When you are in a relationship with someone, you consciously or unconsciously commit to giving the other person the same level of attention you give to yourself. Taking each other for granted, neglecting your duties in the relationship and focusing on other issues/people more than your partner could lead to broken trust that may be hard to repair.
Tips for having faith and trust in a relationship
1. Talk to one another
Communication is the key to having trust in a relationship, but both parties must be willing to participate. Instead of brooding over the issues you are having, sit down and talk about them. Avoid discussing sensitive topics over the phone or email but instead, use your free time to get personal and direct answers. Open communication in relationships is important to clearing doubt, emphasizing commitment and even raising concerns.
2. Show some empathy
Empathy is one of the greatest pillars of human relationships. Understanding your partner is not enough, you need to appreciate their thoughts and opinions by taking their point of view every now and then. If you can manage to understand issues that your partner is going through from their own emotional position, then you will reap increased trust in the relationship.
3. Create opportunities to grow together
When you do things together, you not only create memories but also have more interesting topics to discuss over time. Handling projects together also give each of you an opportunity to watch your partner working and hence you will easily predict their behavior or anticipate their mood which fosters trust.
4. Keep calm when the relationship is tested
Relationships are not perfect and while a couple is working hard to having faith and trust in a relationship, sometimes mistakes do happen. Whether due to poor judgment or a moment of weakness, the aggrieved party should be willing to forgive their partner. At the same time, the one on the wrong should be willing to apologize and work at reaffirming their partner of being committed to the relationship.
5. Avoid keeping secrets
Trust thrives on being open with one another. The worst feeling in a relationship is to find out that your partner has been withholding some information from you. A secret will erode the quality of any relationship when the truth comes out but even more damaging is the knowledge to your partner that you never trusted them with that information. Do not waste your energy of keeping secrets but rather on sharing aspects of your life that will pump life into your relationship and nourish it.
6. Do not be afraid to say NO
We often assume that happy relationships are built on sharing everything, even opinions. Well, partners must listen to each other as a sign of respect but saying yes to each other all the time is something that does not exist. Your partner, just like you is a unique creation with a unique mind and character. Let them know early that you have a stand and will stick to what you believe in whether it matches their opinion or not. This will avoid manipulation and foster an honest association where trust and faith in a relationship thrive.
READ ALSO: How to keep your relationship strong with boyfriend
It is often easier to build trust in a new relationship than in one where the trust has already been broken. To maintain trust and faith in a relationship, train yourself to thinking about your partner before you do anything. If you think that they would not be too happy if you did something, it is better to stay away from it. You may think that keeping it from them is the best but what if they find out eventually?
Source: YEN.com.gh
