Trust is one of those things that when it is there, it can bring a lot of joy and happiness into your relationship. On the other hand, when trust does not exist, it is inevitable that sooner or later you end up experiencing resentment, insecurities and emotional exhaustion. Trusting the person you love can be a scary thing. You are allowing them to hold your heart in the palm of their hands and trusting them not to break it. But, how do you trust when it is something that does not come naturally to you?

Here is our advice:

1. Trusting your partner is a choice. You can decide whether or not to put trust within your partner. When you decide to trust, you are deciding to have faith that your partner loves you enough to do what he can to honor the trust you have given him. When you make trusting someone as a conscious decision rather than something that you cannot have control over, you are putting the situation in your hands. At the end of the day, no amount of “proof”, time or words that can ever truly bring you a sense of security. Trusting someone is a decision that you make because you know it is the most important element to have for any relationships to succeed.

2. Trusting yourself first. A lot of the time trust is not just about the person you are with but also the relationship you have with yourself. You will never be able to trust another person if you cannot trust yourself first. Trusting yourself means knowing that no matter what happens or whoever hurts you, you will be able to push on through and be strong for yourself. Trusting yourself also means knowing that you will not take your partner’s trust for granted. If you are the type of person that finds it difficult to stay faithful in a relationship, knowing this about yourself will influence the way you trust your partner in return. The more your trust yourself in all kinds of situation, to do good by your partner, the easier it will be to return the trust of your partner in return.

3. Work on yourself and be transparent about it. If trust is an issue that you have difficulties in overcoming, it is important to talk to your partner about it. You could have the assumption that you would be able to be more trusting with a different person. However, when you have deep rooted issues with trust, the problem will follow you into every relationship you are in. Therefore, instead of running away from the problem, love yourself enough to work on yourself. It will help to communicate to your partner regarding how you feel around trust and how he could perhaps help. Being honest and transparent will allow your partner the chance to understand how best to support you in your journey of being able to trust again.