If You Aren’t Sure What Trust Really Looks Like In A Healthy Relationship, Let These Seven Elements Serve As Your Guide
We’ve been told time and time again that trust is an essential part of any healthy relationship.
However, that statement has always felt really vague. There are so many things that can make you trust or distrust somebody, and it can be hard to know whether or not you truly trust your partner.
If you’re struggling to figure out how to create and embrace trust in your relationship, you can think of the acronym ‘B.R.A.V.I.N.G,’ created by famous speaker and writer Brene Brown, to break down the seven key elements of trust.
So, if you’re entering a new relationship and are unsure of how it feels to have trust in a healthy relationship, keep these seven things in mind as you go through the motions.
Boundaries
You can’t have trust without boundaries. One of the simplest ways to show someone you trust them is to have clear and honest boundaries with each other. If you respect theirs, they’ll respect yours.
Reliability
When someone lets you down time after time, and they aren’t reliable in your eyes, how can you trust them?
When you’re in a relationship where there’s trust, that means you and your partner should be reliable to each other.
Victoria Chudinova – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual people
Does that mean you have to do everything for one another? No, but it does mean that you’re going to do what you say you’re going to do and come through.
Part of being reliable also includes being honest about your limitations. You and your partner shouldn’t lead each other on only to fall short of your promises.
Accountability
It is so much easier to trust those who own up to their actions and mistakes than someone who refuses to take accountability. Not only that, but trust will thrive if the person who did something wrong apologizes after owning up to their mistakes.
Vault
You know how when they’re sharing secrets with someone, and you tell them to keep it in the ‘vault?’ There needs to be a pretty sturdy vault between you and your partner to have a good, trusting relationship.
How can you trust someone who tells other people intimate details you only meant to share with that person? You can’t. That’s one of the quickest ways to lose trust in someone.
Integrity
Integrity is all about consistently choosing right over wrong and upholding your values. You’re more likely to build trust with someone who has integrity over someone who doesn’t.
Non-judgement
You know you can fully trust someone when you feel extremely comfortable around them and don’t have to worry about being judged. You especially want to be able to ask for help or for something you need without judgment, and you need to be able to do the same for your partner.
Generosity
This doesn’t mean you have to give gifts and do favors for someone all the time in order to build trust. It means that you should be coming from a place of generosity when interacting with your partner.
For instance, if your partner makes a mistake that makes you upset, you can approach them and the conflict from a place of generosity and have a calm discussion instead of blowing up at them.
Trust does not happen overnight. It’s certainly something that needs to be constantly worked on and nurtured. But if you keep B.R.A.V.I.N.G in mind and take more time to evaluate the trust in your relationships, you’ll be on your way to making it stronger.
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