Trust is the currency of any relationship, and it has to be earned by both partners. Whether you want to establish it or restore it after issues, you’re in the right place. The trust exercises covered here are effective in both cases.
As someone who has been with the same partner for over a decade, we have gone through our ups and downs. However, we’ve always gained back each other’s trust. I’ve noticed that certain activities really help in this process.
What are those? Should I reveal them?
14 Powerful Trust Exercises for Couples That Really Work
Some of these involve equal efforts from both and then there are exercies that require one of you to do things that help build trust and strengthen the bond. Nevertheless, they bring out the best in both of you!
1. Do a Weekly Check-in
Every week, make sure to save some more time to talk to your partner about different things. This could be your ‘couple’s hour’ where you can discuss everything from health to finance to future plans.
While small talk happens every day, dedicate an hour for a weekly check-in where you both discuss deeper, more intimate matters with each other.
This ensures that your relationship isn’t just dates and movies but works on an emotional level as well, increasing the trust between you both even further.
Note: Earning someone’s trust is not a competition and things happen slowly. Enjoy the process, and keep working towards improving and strengthening your bond.
2. Plan a Date Night
Don’t just go on dates; plan your dates properly. Yeah, not kidding!
For instance, we’ll go to this bar, then come back home and have a candlelight dinner while jazz music plays. Decide who curates the playlist, who picks the bar, and who orders the food.
Make sure everything is planned to perfection so that the date goes as seamlessly as possible and you are focused on each other rather than on the logistics of the date night!
Sometimes, a date night at home can also be enjoyable. Find some cool ideas here and make your plans accordingly.
Spending these romantic moments with your partner, where the two of you are lost in your thoughts and feelings for each other is a great trust-building activity that every couple must try.
3. Share Vulnerabilities
Transparency is the key thing that ensures trust between couples. This doesn’t limit itself to day-to-day honesty; it also includes emotional honesty. Tell your partner about what’s troubling you.
Tell them about that rude boss at work or something that your father did that upset you. Sometimes, it could also be empathy that you feel for your partner.
Tell them that you did not like it when someone talked to your partner in a loud tone. When you unbottle your feelings, you open up a new communication channel with your partner which didn’t exist previously.
4. Play Couple’s Games
Relationships aren’t all about serious stuff. Of course, there’s emotional support and sharing vulnerabilities, but then there are also fun times. It is nice to plan out these fun times and games in advance.
There are various couples games available, such as Truth or Dare, 20 Questions, Never Have I Ever, etc., which can also help you get to know each other better and understand each other’s experiences and ambitions.
I love playing bedroom games by FYR and would suggest you give them a try. They’re great to spice things up! We often play and enjoy them.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a questions-based game. You can play sudoku, butt heads in the day’s wordle or even solve a crossword together.
While you’re having fun, you’re also doing an activity with your partner at the same time. These games pass this subtle message to your partner that you’ve got their back!
5. Apologize & Appreciate When Needed
Now this is something that isn’t specific to romantic relationships but works for all kinds of relationships. Always apologize if you do something wrong, and always appreciate if you see someone do something well.
In a relationship, it ensures that your partner knows that you have realized your mistake and are self-aware enough to instantly apologize for it. It also shows that you can be trusted to improve yourself.
On the other hand, appreciation ensures your partner feels validated at all times. Hence, it’s one of the best therapy exercises for trust building between the two.
6. Do a Hobby Together
Pursuing hobbies together is among some of the best trust-building exercises that any couple can try. It allows you to spend productive time together.
Things like going on a trek, crafting, or even stargazing can be some of the best things you can do together. Explore different hobbies ideal for couples and try the ones you like.
Both of you can assume different responsibilities, and by the end of the activity, you come out trusting each other even better.
7. Eye Gazing
I love eye-gazing. It is one of the most romantic things to do with your girlfriend. Stand still, speak nothing, and look deep into each other’s eyes. This forms an invisible, unspoken connection between you two.
Sometimes, eyes speak more than words — happiness, anger, sadness — everything is expressed with our eyes.
Maintaining this eye contact with your partner for an extended period of time improves the trust and bonding between you two that you mutually share.
8. Cook and Share a Meal
There’s something magical about eating a meal that you have cooked with your own hands. However, what makes this experience even better is cooking a meal with your partner. This is the ultimate trust-forming activity.
Split your tasks and also know what the other person is doing at the same time. Work towards one common goal, and eventually, your efforts will come together!
Cooking a meal together is an incredibly romantic task – and the food always tastes better at the end!
9. Speak Up and Be Open
Being in a relationship with the same person for a decade now, I have come to learn time and again, that there’s nothing like openness in a relationship.
If you’re planning on doing something big, always tell your partner, and do not blindside them. If you are upset about something or if something they said hurts you, let them know. Do not bottle up your feelings at any cost!
Speaking up and being open about your plans, aspirations, troubles, and emotions always boosts your trust and relationship.
10. Do a Trust Walk
Have you ever tried a trust walk? It is both, a fun activity, as well as one that builds trust between you and your partner.
This is something that corporate training events, as well as ice-breaker events at other functions often have.
A trust walk involves you blindfolding your partner and taking them through an uneven surface or one filled with obstacles. This is followed by them doing the same to you.
Trust walks require you to put your complete faith in your partner and rely on their good judgment. This activity is the physical manifestation of the phrase ‘I’ve got your back’.
11. Do a Meaningful Activity Together
While couples tend to do a lot of activities together, and almost all of them tend to be fun, the human soul also wants meaning to things.
Activities such as taking part in local charity events, raising funds for a cause, or working with animal shelters carry meaning to them. This is why one of them should definitely be on your bucket list of things to do together.
When you do these things together, you not only increase your shared faith in each other but also foster certain shared values and morals that define you. These are not only good for your relationship but for the society at large.
12. Give Space & Privacy When Needed
Every time a young person approaches me and asks me why my relationship has lasted for so long and how my partner and I still love each other after over a decade, I tell them: it’s all about space!
Space and privacy are the two most important things that both you and your partner need. While being close and holding hands is important, you also need to understand sometimes they just need to be by themselves and deal with certain situations on their own.
Knowing when to provide this space to them is a sign of emotional maturity, and makes sure that your partner can trust you emotionally. This is truly one of the best bonding exercises that every couple should practice.
13. Write an Honest Letter
When you sit to write things down, your thoughts are more streamlined and you can express your feelings better. Every now and then, I make it a point to write a letter to my partner.
If it is not a letter, I make sure to leave a love note or just send her a long expressive text. However, letters work the best because they have a personalized touch to them as well as an old-world nostalgia.
Sometimes, these letters express joy, other times disappointment, and other times a little mischievous and romantic. Hence, they’re among the best exercises for healthy communication between couples.
Lastly, this piece of paper offers people something they can hold on to and read again when they need emotional comfort. If something has gone wrong between you both, I highly recommend this activity to help rebuild trust.
14. Show-and-Tell Something Significant
Show-and-tell activities bring back primary-school nostalgia. However, it is fun to do with your partner.
You can bring some artifacts from the early days of your dating, or from your childhood, or other memories that you hold dear and share the stories behind the objects.
This lets you both open up and gain a better insight into each others’ lives, helping improve the trust levels between the two of you.
Final Thoughts!
In a decade of togetherness, my partner and I have realized that we need to always have each other’s back and trust each other blindly. However, this equation of trust needs to be maintained in a healthy way.
Throughout this article, I discussed different activities that have helped us maintain trust over the years. I hope this list above helps you with that.
To sum up, some of these are physical things that you can do together, while others are just tips from a veteran.
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