First, as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, you need to be predictable. You might think this goes against the grain of stirring things up to keep the romance alive. A nice surprise like a new restaurant or surprise gift doesn't go astray, but above all, we need to be consistent to keep the relationship going. Being reliable day in and day out helps build a foundation of trust.

The next tip is to make sure you are always honest about how you feel. This just means that what you say has to match what you feel or your body language won't be consistent with what you are verbalizing. If you say you are happy but you are frowning, your partner doesn’t hear your words, he or she sees your face and the tone in your voice. Your partner needs to be able to rely on what you say and know that it is truthful. If you walk the walk and talk the talk you will build trust in the relationship.

Thirdly, you need a belief in your partner's competency. Lacking this belief will create strong resistance to developing trust in the relationship. The truth can never be destructive if it's communicated in a positive and loving manner. If you don't have any faith in the competency of your partner with anything it will fracture the trust in the relationship.

Don’t keep secrets. Nothing destroys the trust in a relationship quicker than a secret that has been found out. Honesty and openness is the key. If you assume that everything will eventually be found out you will find it harder to keep secrets. Having secrets is a huge emotional drain. That is energy that could be going into building the relationship.

The fifth thing to master is the ability to always let your partner know what your needs are. Making them guess is never a good thing. Let them know. Being self-centered and being selfish are not the same thing. Indeed, if you are reluctant to assert your needs, you may go overboard in the opposite direction and smother your partner.

Mastering the art of when to say no is the sixth skill. When your partner voices his or her needs, that is a good thing. However, you don't have to say yes to everything. You will lose respect if you become a 'yes man'. Not saying yes to everything will actually build trust in a relationship rather than detracting from it.

Finally, you must always strive to achieve growth. When you plant a flower, you begin by digging in the dirt. You might cause pain by digging around in the dirt of a relationship. But, through that pain, we prepare the soil for future growth. Don’t be afraid of turmoil, crisis, or questions. These are actually the fertilizer for future growth. Embrace what is difficult.

When you decide to work on trust in a relationship, you are bound to encounter a little pain. But, as you work through this pain, you will not only become stronger as an individual, you will also strengthen your coupledom.