Life
15 Millennials Reveal How They Build Trust In A New Relationship
A truly healthy, fulfilling relationship is the culmination of several factors, from communication to compatibility to trust. Trust is how we grow our relationships — it's how we cultivate faith, honor, and respect, and love for our partners and for ourselves. We need trust to build intimacy and to be vulnerable. With trust in a relationship, we feel free to let our guards down and feel safe with our partners physically and emotionally. Trust fosters our spiritual connection and elevates our relationships to a higher level of consciousness.
"How do you build trust in a relationship? While some might be looking for a quick-fix or an easy way to speed things up, the only true way to build trust is time," Erika Ettin, founder and CEO of A Little Nudge & Author of Love at First Site, tells Bustle. "The more time you spend with someone and see how he or she behaves in multiple situations, the more the trust can be built. Losing someone's trust, though, can happen in an instant, so once you have it, make sure to nurture it."
So while there's no way to hack trusting a new partner, there are things you can do to work toward building a healthy foundation in your relationship. Here's how 15 Millennial men and women build trust in a relationship.
2Leslie, 26
"Always saying what I mean."
3Cindy, 24
"I speak my mind and I am direct with my feelings."
5Ivette, 27
"Telling secrets."
6June, 27
"By being accepting and not being judgmental... so they feel more able to be honest with me."
7Lionel,
"By not hiding anything."
9Jake, 26
"I think trust is so much about timing and making yourself vulnerable to the other person."
10Jocelyn, 26
"By not acting in a way that seems sketchy and arouses suspicion... for example, I don't hide my phone from my partner."
11Evan, 24
"Sharing things that make you seem human to the other person, so your fallacies, etc. but not too soon because they may not be wanting to express that to you too soon and they will be scared off."
12Keith, 28
"Trust is built when we admit that we are imperfect."
13Jake, 25
"I think early on in the relationship you need to set boundaries surrounding your commitment and what you expect your partner to tell you about."
15Mary, 30
"Honestly, I think it's just a gut feeling and it takes time — but strong communication definitely helps it happen quicker."
Here are some tips for building trust, according to Ettin.
"1. Follow through on your promises.
2. Maintain open and honest communication, even if you're discussing hard topics.
3. Make your partner feel special and prioritized.
All of that said, if you really want to make a relationship work, assume the trust until it's broken (which, we hope it won't be). Don't constantly make your partner prove to you that he or she is worthy of your trust. That will get exhausting fast."
So while trust can't be built overnight, make sure you're giving your partner a fair chance and working to create a space where you both feel comfortable.
