Building trust with my pets and children
All relationships are built on trust. It affects how we see others and the world, how we approach situations and how much we’re willing to do for others. High levels of trust allow us to be relaxed and at our best, while low levels make us uncomfortable. Here are ten tips to help build trust in relationships:
- Keep it confidential. Be a trustworthy listener and respect the confidence placed in you by not sharing personal information.
- Keep your promises and follow through with commitments. You are seen as reliable when you keep promises and follow through with commitments. Do what you say, even for small things.
- Forgive and move on. You must be able to forgive and move on to build trusting relationships. Try to let go of old issues, arguments, and resentments from the past.
- Realize that trust is up to you. We are responsible for building trust in relationships, especially new ones.
- Trust people who are different from you. It takes much more work to trust people that hold different values, beliefs, and opinions that are different from us. Look for common interests and use inclusive language that does not alienate others.
- Tell the truth. Honesty attracts trusting and trustworthy people. Admit when you are wrong and make amends as needed.
- Communicate openly and honestly. Sharing information openly and honestly allows others to trust your intentions. Avoid name-calling and negative labels. Watch your body language and tone.
- Be a good listener. Listening well is one of the best ways to show you care and build trust. Focus on the one talking and don’t try to accomplish other tasks at the same time.
- Work at building trust when there is a problem. Talk with the person that disappointed you and find ways to trust the person in smaller ways and allow the trust to be rebuilt over time in bigger areas.
- Learn to recognize whom to trust. Do not blindly trust everyone you meet. Instead, look for signs that the person can be trusted.
Source: Ceridian Corp.