If you set it… meet it.
Trust is a funny thing. Meaning you often trust without having much evidence to trust and you often struggle to heal trust, even when you have supporting evidence that it’s being rebuilt. And don’t even get me started on the ways your brain looks for little inconsistencies as major warning signals when you’re trying to heal trust. It’s all sorts of wonky.
The good news is that it’s really all about expectations. You see, it doesn’t matter whether you’re building trust, healing trust, or working to resurrect it, trust all boils down to expectations.
When you set expectations and follow through on them, trust grows.
When you set expectations and don’t follow through on them, trust shrinks.
And no matter how big or small the expectations are, they always impact trust.
Which is why the easiest, most simple way to strengthen trust (and your relationship) is to always be sure you…
Meet the expectations you have set.
Or quite simply,
Don’t set expectations you can’t meet.
Big or small… don’t say it if you’re not going to do it.
And if you do say it… and realize that you’re not going to be able to do it… speak up and communicate it.
Don’t sit quietly hoping the other one has forgotten. Instead, keep them in the loop and be proactive in communicating a shift in expectations.
Believe me, it is always far better to communicate a shift in expectations than it is to let each unmet expectation become a chip in your trust meter.
If you remember the simple rule of not setting expectations you can’t meet, you’re already on your road to success in love.
I just know it.
Until next week,
-A
P.S. Trust is vitally important to your relationship. If you need help in repairing it, rebuilding it, or strengthening it, please reach out. That is exactly what I’m here for.