Trust is a critical component in any successful marriage, and without it, it can be challenging to continue to build a marriage. It's an essential foundation and must remain strong in order to support spouses. From communication issues to affairs and more, several things can affect marriage and cause the trust to be broken. It can be overwhelming to admitting you need help in your marriage, but marriage counselors are here to provide support, guidance, and unbiased counsel. Below, we break down a few ways to help build trust within your marriage so that it can flourish.
Tips to build trust
1) Be open to feedback
One key element to a healthy marriage and trust in that marriage is to be open to feedback. If your spouse gives you feedback, you can utilize it to improve your marriage. We should always be willing to listen to our partners and see things from their perspective to grow. It's important not to be defensive, reactive or punishing for feedback. To build trust, it's important to be as honest as possible and open to hearing your partners' concerns. Once you are honest and vulnerable, it will be easy to gain your partner's trust and create a stronger connection.
2) Have your actions align with your words
You may have heard the phrase "actions speak louder than words." In a successful marriage, it's essential to always act with integrity and make our actions match our words, so that our partner feels supported and can trust you. If we say we are in love, we should engage in behaviors toward our partner that are loving. From small acts of love to grand gestures, it's important to do what you say and say what you mean, so you can continue to establish trust with your partner and maintain a solid marriage.
3) Be honest
You may have heard that "honesty is the best policy." With marriage, it's best, to be honest in all aspects of your relationship. These honest, direct statements may feel uncomfortable at times, but they come from a place of openness that can lead to more intimacy over time. If you are honest, you can improve your marriage overall and become more open in the process. When you lead with honesty, you can avoid any smaller fights or arguments, which will help in the long-run.