Larry and Brenda find themselves in a long-distance relationship due to the geographical separation caused by their respective work locations. At first, it was a big challenge for them. Brenda was insecure and constantly bombarded Larry with questions about his whereabouts and with whom he was communicating. This took a toll on the relationship. Larry would get irritated, frustrated and felt smothered by the relationship. Their relationship was on the rocks but a friend’s advice helped them to salvage it. Today, Brenda and Larry are going strong in their relationship. They have fewer problems to worry about now that they have learned to communicate effectively and set certain boundaries.
Long distance relationships are like a marathon, not a sprint. They require patience, dedication, a lot of hard work and above all TRUST. But if you are willing to put in the effort, the rewards can be truly amazing. We shall see what advice they followed to build trust in a long distance relationship in this article.
How to Build Trust in a Long Distance Relationship
Open and Honest Communication
Open and honest communication is a cornerstone for building trust and a strong relationship. It entails a willingness to share your innermost thoughts, feelings, and experiences with your partner, even when they might be challenging or evoke discomfort. This genuine exchange of ideas fosters a deep understanding and connection between both individuals, creating a solid foundation upon which trust can flourish.
When engaging in open communication, it is crucial to express yourself authentically and transparently. Rather than holding back or masking your true emotions, strive to convey them honestly. This doesn’t mean you should unload all your thoughts without considering the impact on your partner. Instead, it’s about finding a balance between being forthright and respectful, ensuring that your words are delivered with empathy and sensitivity.
Communicate what is worrying you and see if you both can come to a proper understanding that could solve the problem. Knowing there could be a countless reasons to be insecure ( and I do understand certain things may sound silly to others but to you it may mean a lot and you’d want that to be respected) , you need to address them in a proper manner and set certain boundaries that could help bloom trust in the relationship.
Be Respectful
Building trust within a relationship starts with respecting your partner. It includes a variety of things like actively listening, respecting their viewpoints, and continuously acting in a kind and compassionate manner towards them.
Respect is fundamentally demonstrated via active listening. Make a conscious effort to offer your spouse your whole attention when you are conversing with them. Pay attention to both their verbal and non-verbal indicators, including their body language and voice tone. You can create an atmosphere of respect and validation by actively listening to others and letting them know that you value their opinions and feelings.
Valuing your partner’s opinions is another crucial aspect of respect. Even if you may not always agree with their viewpoints, it is important to acknowledge and consider their ideas as valid and worthy of consideration. Encourage open discussions and embrace constructive dialogue, allowing both of you to express your thoughts without judgment. Respecting their perspectives, even when they differ from your own, creates an environment that promotes trust and mutual understanding.
Be Trustworthy
The best method to establish and build trust in any relationship is by being reliable. It includes a number of essential characteristics, such as keeping your word and being trustworthy.
One of the core components of being trustworthy is keeping your promises. It’s crucial to continually keep your end of any promises or obligations you make to your relationship. Your partner will see that they can rely on you thanks to your dependability and reliability. You strengthen the trust between you by keeping your promises, no matter how big or small.
Honesty is a cornerstone of trustworthiness. It involves being truthful and transparent in your communication with your partner. Honesty entails sharing your thoughts, feelings, and experiences openly, even when the truth may be difficult or uncomfortable. Avoiding deception or misleading information is crucial for establishing and maintaining trust. By being honest in all aspects of your relationship, you foster an environment of authenticity and trust. I really like the line by the character Mira played by Priyanka Chopra from the movie ‘Love Again’ in which she says – “The full truth from you at all times, even if it’s messy, even if it’s painful, especially if it’s messy and painful…”
Spend Quality Time in Communication
No matter how busy it gets make sure you spend time communicating on a daily basis. Take the advantage of technology that we have today. Even if some days are extremely busy, find time for each other, even if it means just 10 minutes. During the day, you could even send each other short texts telling the other you miss them or are thinking about them. It’s the small things like these that make the most difference at times. Make your partner the priority. If ever possible surprise them with visits or make plans to visit each other regularly.
Don’t let ego get in the way of your relationship wherein you wait for the other person to call first. However, it’s important that both sides put in efforts. One of the most important things to build trust in a long distance relationship is make the other feel that you genuinely love and care for them and by doing so you can overcome most difficulties.
Be Forgiving
Everyone can be susceptible to make errors, thus forgiveness is a crucial component of keeping up successful relationships. It’s crucial to develop the ability to forgive your partner if they do anything that violates your trust. While choosing to forgive entails forgetting what happened, it also requires choosing to go on and establish new relationships.
Recognise that forgiveness requires time and effort. It starts with admitting the harm and suffering brought on by the trust violation. As this is a normal part of the healing process, give yourself permission to feel and process these feelings. It’s critical to calmly and constructively explain your feelings to your partner and the effect their deeds had on you.
Be Patient
When it comes to establishing trust in a relationship, patience is a key quality. When starting the process of building a solid foundation of trust, it is imperative to be patient with both your partner and yourself.
It takes time and regular work to develop trust. You can’t rush or force it. It needs a number of rewarding exchanges, open communication, and reliable behaviours spread out over time. Recognise that developing trust takes time and happens gradually as you go through the highs and lows of your relationship.
Conclusion
Trust serves as a fundamental pillar of any healthy relationship, including long-distance ones. By implementing the suggestions outlined in this article, you can actively work towards building and strengthening trust, fostering a bond that is resilient and enduring. Remember not to give up easily, if it’s a relationship worth fighting for, just like how Larry and Brenda did.