15 Ways on How to Build Trust in a Relationship

Trust generally is the act of placing confidence and being able to depend on someone or something. Trust is necessary for close relationships, corporate bodies, and society to function and for any person to be relatively happy. Without trust, fear sets in. So, how to build trust in a relationship?

Trust is a matter of degree, and certain life experiences can impact a person’s ability to trust others. The issue of trust in relationships focuses on whether the partners are faithful and honest enough with one another.

Being able to trust your partner is the most crucial part of being in a relationship. To build trust in a relationship is essential to relationship satisfaction. Lack of trust and honesty is the marker of a broken relationship. 

What is trust in a relationship? 

Trust and relationship cannot exist in isolation, and if there is a violation of trust, the relationship is bound to go kaput.

Trust is said to be the foundation of every relationship from which a strong connection can be built. Without trust between couples, relationships won’t grow and progress to a deeper level.

Trust fosters better understanding and mutual respect. It makes the relationship stronger, where both people can come together without being afraid of judgment.

Why is trust important in a relationship?

Trust is important in relationships as it points at how much you can lean on another person. Without trust, insecurities and doubts can take over the relationship.

Research suggests people value trust as a marker of fidelity and an indicator of emotional intimacy and vulnerability in the relationship. Therefore, you might not be happy as a couple without trust.

Relationships are built on trust. Trust showcases whether you can depend on someone emotionally or in life. Once you can depend on your partner, it becomes easier to picture a life with them and have a healthier relationship.

Learning how to build trust in a relationship also helps you better your relationship and aids your personal growth. It takes you away from a mindset driven by doubts and insecurity. 

How long does it take to establish trust in a relationship?

Trust is not a given; it is often earned over time. And earning trust requires time in any relationship. 

Romantic relationships are an ongoing practice in building trust, where you can keep getting better as time passes. Every stage of a relationship has its challenges, and that might test your trust in your partner differently each time.

Maintaining a healthy body is a life-long effort, but it gets easier if you have the right habits and mindset. The same applies to maintaining healthy relationships that are built on mutual trust and respect.

It might be challenging to trust your partner when you don’t know them that well. But by learning how to build trust in a relationship, you can make your relationship better while getting to know your partner better.

Now that you know the importance of trust in relationships, are you wondering how to build trust in a relationship?

Here are a few tips on how to build trust in a relationship and how to earn trust back if your relationship has suffered the blow of trust issues: 

15 ways to help build trust in your relationship

Trust is a five-letter word that can make or break a relationship. Relationships are built on trust, and you can develop this with a bit of effort and insight. Learn how to build trust in a relationship with the 15 ways mentioned below, and then watch out for positive changes.

1. Communicate effectively

Looking for an answer to the question of how to build trust in a relationship?

Communication is an important factor in building trust between partners in a relationship. Partners should communicate their problems instead of sitting on them and brooding to build trust in a relationship.

When it comes to communication, do it face to face. Personal and verbal communication strengthens the bond between partners in a relationship. Please don’t decide to communicate over emails or phone calls, but instead, make it more personal and direct.

While communicating, make sure you keep eye contact with your partner, as frequent eye contact during a discussion strengthens the bond of partners. These small non-verbal cues also help partners underline the importance of trust in a relationship.  

Also Try: What Is Your Communication Style ?

2. Don’t keep secrets

How do you trust your partner if you feel some secrets are plaguing your relationship?

For building trust in the relationship between you and your partner, transparency is critical. No compromised honesty or secrets if you are learning to trust again.

Trust in marriages or relationships needs openness and honesty. Building trust in a relationship and keeping secrets are mutually exclusive.

If you plan to build trust with your partner, you must also plan to not keep secrets and be open with your partner. To be a trustworthy partner, you must be honest in all your dealings and conversations with your partner.

How do you build trust in a relationship? The simple answer to this is to refrain from keeping any secrets from your partner.

Secrets break up relationships extremely fast, so it is essential to be honest and upfront about issues that arise together or individually. If you are struggling with overcoming trust issues, practice keeping a non-judgmental, open mind towards your partner.

Having an open mind towards your partner helps them share their deepest darkest secrets, which is a sign that they trust you.

Related Reading: 15 Secrets You Should Forever Keep from Your Lover 

3. Learn to say no

How to trust in a relationship if you feel stifled by giving in to your partner’s demands, reasonable or unreasonable?

You don’t have to say yes every time to everything your partner wants or proposes to do. It would be best if you were not forced to endure what you don’t like. When a relationship is based on equality, it will be easier for both of you to move forward.

To build trust in a relationship, remember that if you don’t like something they propose to do, simply say no. You shouldn’t feel forced to do something in any relationship. 

So, how to make someone trust you in a relationship? Don’t pander to your partner’s whims to make them happy or build trust in a relationship, as it will ruin the relationship. 

4. Set boundaries

How do you work on trust in a relationship if one of you is constantly overstepping boundaries? Having clear boundaries set together is essential to building trust amongst partners.

So, how to make your boyfriend trust you if he can’t wrap his head around the concept of downtime alone or respectful boundaries? Or perhaps a girlfriend who turns skeptical about your need for time with yourself?

Setting boundaries helps explain how much space you’re comfortable with within a relationship, emotionally or physically. 

Boundaries can be about all sorts of things: how much time you need alone, how comfortable you are telling other people about your relationship, and so on. Understanding one another’s boundaries is helpful when it comes to building trust in the relationship.

Related Reading: 10 Personal Boundaries You Need in Your Relationship

5. Keep your promises

How to build trust in a relationship again if broken promises are denting the relationship’s happiness?

Always keep your promises! Keep your words and your promises. If you promise your partner that you are going to do something, make sure you do it. 

It makes sense that we want to keep promises, but the little things you promised often get overlooked in relationships. Keeping your promises about little things is just as important as keeping your promises about the big things if you want to build trust in a relationship.

For example, if you don’t meet a deadline, call your partner and explain what is holding you back; remember to pick up those items from the grocery store and pay the bills on time.

Remember, trust is earned with these small acts of thoughtfulness and accountability towards each other. While these things seem small and might be overlooked, they go a very long way when trying to develop trust in a relationship.

6. No cheating

Do you find yourself asking how to trust your girlfriend or boyfriend? It is in the natural tendency of humans to be attracted to more than one person. But this does not warrant you to cheat on your partner.

Here’s the caveat about wanting to build trust with your spouse – even if you are bored with the relationship, spunk it up or else recalibrate your priorities in life. 

So, how to earn trust in a relationship? Simply put, you should not cheat on your partner because they are not fun to be with or you do not enjoy their company anymore.

To build trust in a relationship, make sure you tell your partner that you’re not happy with the way things are between the two of you, and sort it out, or else seek professional help before considering walking out of the relationship.

Research shows that past infidelity increases the risk for further infidelity in the future, which makes trusting a cheater difficult.

Learning how to gain trust back after a breach of trust is the most challenging question to answer. It’s best to build respect and maintain trust in relationships than to later wonder how to trust someone once you are cheated.

Related Reading: 15 Reasons Why You Should Not Cheat on Your Partner 

7. Take responsibility for your actions

To build trust in a relationship, you should own up to your behavior, actions, and inactions. Don’t try to shift the blame to a circumstance or someone else. Learning to trust in a relationship requires taking responsibility for all your actions. 

It would also be a good idea to try trust-building activities for couples like:

• Scheduling fun together
• Engaging in profound, meaningful talks
• Coining terms of endearment for each other
• Asking for forgiveness
• Saying “I love you” more often
• Sharing a gratitude list
• Thanking your partner
• Befriending healthy couples who rub off their relationship satisfaction on you 
• Building and achieving mutual goals (exercise, finances, professional success)

These trust-building exercises for couples will help cement trust in relationships and also answer the question, how to fix trust issues in a relationship. One of the ways to build trust in a relationship is to be honest with yourself and your partner as to why you made your decisions, actions, and inactions. 

8. Be present and engaged

A seemingly simple way to figure out how to build trust in a relationship is by simply choosing to be present with your partner. 

In relationships, over time, complacency can set in and make you withdraw from your partner emotionally. Withdrawing from your partner can help insecurities fester and bring doubts into the relationship. 

By being present and engaged with your partner and their needs, you can reassure them of your continued commitment to them and thus help build trust with your partner.

Related Reading: How Has Being Engaged Affected Your Couple ? 

9. Respond to your partner’s needs

Life can be highly demanding, but prioritize your partner’s needs consistently. Learn how to build trust in a relationship by looking out for each other. 

Your partner, at times, may not tell you what they need to feel better, but you build trust by trying to address their needs regardless. You should try to look out for them at all times to let them know that you are there for them.

10. Be honest

Sounds easy? Then try it. Relationships can be tricky, honesty is an important way to establish trust in a relationship. Try to be honest about the good things and things that might be difficult to address. 

Honesty is a tool that ensures that your partner knows that you are not trying to deceive them. They can then trust you to give them an honest opinion at all times and also can learn to trust your words blindly.

Also Try: Honesty Quiz for Couples 

11. Giving the benefit of doubt

Doubts are destructive, aren’t they? Trust is the healthy addition to relationships that we can build by giving your partner the benefit of the doubt, even when the proof is insufficient.

Take a leap of faith for the person you love, and they will value your faith in them. Once they know that you believe in them, they will feel secure and learn to be more open with you.

12. Address the issues

Denial is a drug. It can be addictive, and an escape from all that is real and important. But denial is not good in your journey to learn how to build trust in a relationship. 

There are issues in all relationships, and it is healthy to address them immediately. 

Once you bring things up, you can work together as a couple to solve the problem. Not only will this make the relationship healthier, but it will also let your partner know that you are invested in making things better.

Related Reading: How to Address Fear in Relationships and Support Your Partner

13. Don’t take love for granted

This is an important one. Isn’t it difficult for you to trust someone that you feel is taking you for granted? Yes? Your partner is no different. 

Value your partner and all that they do for you. Appreciate them, and don’t let complacency destroy your relationship. It isn’t easy to find someone you love who also gets you. So why not let them know just how much you love them?

14. Celebrate vulnerability

Let your guard down even though it might be difficult. Exposing your vulnerable side can let your partner know that you trust them enough to reveal sensitive things. It will create an environment where they, too, can do the same.

In life, we can be vulnerable around only those we trust and who won’t judge us. Once you expose your emotional scars, it will be easier for your partner to do the same.

Studies have concluded that when vulnerable moments/disclosures are met with support, the experience of intimacy and satisfaction in the relationship increases.

15. Take risks together

Relationships are risky business, but you can also learn how to build trust in a relationship by taking risks together. 

It is easier to do things you are afraid of with someone else, especially if they share your fears. But if you manage to get past the fear together, you learn to have confidence in each other.

Related Reading: Are Open Relationships Worth the Risk ? 

7 signs of trust in a relationship

Unsure about whether there is trust in your relationship? Are you and your partner in a vicious cycle of doubt and mistrust? Here is a list to help you distinguish signs of trust in relationships and assess your situation. 

1. Not afraid to be yourself

The most obvious sign of trust in a relationship is when you are not afraid to be yourself around your partner, and they feel the same. It points at mutual respect and understanding that has developed within the relationship.

Each partner can flourish when they allow the other the space to be who they are, without negative judgment. All of us are different, so why try to mold your partner into what you want? Instead, why not appreciate and celebrate their individuality?

2. Can share past pain

A big sign of trust is when you can share painful memories with your partner. You can only be vulnerable with someone when you feel secure and understood in their presence. If you and your partner can do this, you have a trusting and healthy relationship.

3. Don’t check their phone/social media

How often do you try peeking at your partner’s phone? When in a relationship built on a solid foundation of trust, there is no need to check on each other’s online activities. Checking their conversations is a marker of doubt, and that could destroy things eventually.

Wondering how to build trust in a relationship? Don’t doubt them and check on their messages with other people.

Related Reading: 8 Ways Social Media Ruins Relationships

4. Don’t feel controlled/manipulated

Sharing your life with someone is difficult, and it becomes painful when they are trying to control your actions and words. Your partner could do it directly by letting you know what you should change, or they could use effective manipulation to ensure the change.

You can’t trust someone when they try to control you as they don’t appreciate you as you are. A controlling partner might look at you and try to get rid of things that make you who you are.

Also Try: Controlling Relationship Quiz

5. Your friendships are not affected

Look around. Are your friends still there? Is your family still there? 

Couples that trust each other don’t try to affect changes in their partner’s friendship. They don’t feel threatened by the strong bonds that you might have with others. They trust you and your love for them unconditionally.

6. Sharing responsibilities

This is an important one. When you trust someone completely, you will be comfortable sharing responsibilities with them. These responsibilities can be financial, functional, or emotional. It could even include taking care of the household, pets, or children together.

Related Reading: How Do I Make My Partner Realize Their Responsibilities?

7. Asking for help

Admitting that you need help can be difficult for some people, but when you feel comfortable and trust someone, it isn’t difficult at all. Trusting someone makes it possible to ask them for help whenever you are in a difficult situation or are hurting. 

8. Admitting when you are unhappy

A big sign of trust is when you can tell your partner if you are unhappy with any aspect of the relationship. It showcases that you are not afraid of their reaction to something, and you know that they will work with you to find a solution.

Watch this video to learn about what to do when your partner doesn’t trust you:

Related Reading: 11 Signs of An Unhappy Person

Conclusion

Trust is a foundation rock for any relationship, so make sure you have that with your partner. The article above gives you signs and indicators that reveal whether or not you trust your partner through thick and thin.

Also, trust is not a quality that someone can possess; it is a developed trait or habit. You can learn how to build trust in a relationship by following the steps mentioned here and watching your relationship transform beautifully.