You cannot have a happy, healthy, lasting marriage without trust. There are so many issues, every day which require trust, that it just isn’t possible to have a good relationship without it. From making childrearing choices and monetary decisions to believing that your spouse will be faithful, trust is an integral part of your connection to each other.
Trust however is not automatic. It must be earned. Once earned, it must be protected. If you lose your husband or wife’s trust, getting it back is far more difficult than it was to achieve it in the first place. Do not give your spouse reason to distrust you. Don’t try to make him or her jealous or give your spouse cause to question your fidelity. Try to always deal with your spouse in an open, honest manner.
On the other hand, being suspicious is not a very attractive quality either. Not only that, but suspicion breeds feelings of doubt and distrust. When you accuse your spouse although he or she has done nothing wrong, your mate may start to wonder if your suspicion is caused by feelings of guilt for your own actions. If your spouse has not given you any real reason for distrust, give him or her the benefit of the doubt.
Keeping secrets is another good way to harm the trust you have built. Never keep secrets with your children or go behind your spouse’s back to let them do something the other parent does not allow. Other secrets can also be damaging. Secrets from your past, friends you haven’t told the other person about, or a little flirting online that you’d rather not discuss, can all lead to doubts.
When you marry another person, you are basically putting the rest of your life in his or her hands. You want -you need- that person to someone that you trust implicitly, and you want him or her to feel the same way about you.