Trust is an essential component of any healthy relationship. It is the foundation upon which all other related aspects are built, including communication, intimacy, and commitment. Without trust, a relationship cannot thrive or even survive. Therefore, we must value trust, because regaining it when lost is extremely hard.
Trust is the assurance that your partner will be there for you, support you, and not betray or hurt you. It is the feeling of safety, security, and confidence in the other person's words and actions. Trust can only be built, established, and maintained with consistency and effort. Many relationships now are established without building trust. These people are bound to expect the worst in each other.
How often do you hear people say, “men will always cheat; it’s their nature”, or “women are not to be trusted”? Statements like these are reasons why there is a lack of trust in the community. Another is because people these days have little integrity and are more likely to jump from relationship to relationship. Lastly, as a society, we inter change the stages of relationships to suit our needs, but that is another conversation for another day.
Trust can be broken in a relationship. It can happen for various reasons: infidelity, dishonesty, or betrayal. When trust is broken, it is not easy to regain. It takes the willingness of both partners to rebuild. Willingness entails being open and honest with each other, committing to consistent behavior, and putting in time and effort.
Open and honest communication is sharing your thoughts and feelings with your partner without fear of judgment or rejection. Be willing to listen to your partner's perspective, even if you disagree with it, and admit when you have made a mistake.
Consistency, simply put, is a repeated action that progressively serves as an attribute of one’s character. If your partner can rely on you to be there for them and to follow through on your promises, trust will ensue. On the other hand, if you are unpredictable or unreliable, it will be a challenge for your partner to trust you. If you respect your partner and their boundaries and treat them with kindness and compassion, trust will follow. Aversely, if you are disrespectful or dismissive of your partner's feelings, again, it will be challenging for them to trust you. Trust is closely tied to respect.
In any case, the first step to rebuilding the trust in your relationship is to take responsibility for your actions. Admit your mistake and apologize–it is crucial. Be willing to make amends, for example, by being more transparent or by committing to change. Remember, also, that change takes time, so commit to it long-term. Another essential step is to give your partner space to process their feelings. Be patient; do not push them to any decisions before they are ready.
Trust is an essential component of any healthy relationship. It is the foundation upon which all relationships are built. Trust takes time, effort, and consistency to establish and maintain, as well as open and honest communication. Do not let the woes of your surroundings deter you from being able to trust. If you do not have trust, you exert much energy being afraid and insecure. Unfortunately, trust can be broken, but fortunately, it can be rebuilt with both partners' time, effort, and willingness to work on it.
“Trust people. Always trust everyone to be themselves. But trust in the fact you can see them well. It takes too much energy not to trust someone; you always have to stay two steps ahead of them. Trust people to be them.”
~Earl Simmons, a.k.a, DMX.
