by Quintus Juvenal

Created on: January 12, 2007   Last Updated: April 28, 2007

Trust is one of the fundamental elements of a good friendship. Consider this: what are you looking for in your friends? What would make YOU trust your friend? Well, they're probably looking for the same in you. Friendship is a reciprocal relationship.

Here are a few tips for building and maintaining trust:

1) Be honest with your friend. This one is obvious - would you want to be friends with a liar?

2) If they tell you a secret, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. Don't gossip. Your friend is sharing that information IN TRUST because they need someone else to listen. YOU are the person they trusted enough to tell. Helping to 'carry the load' is part of being a good friend.

3) Keep your promises, and don't make promises you can't keep. If your actions live up to your deeds, you will show your friend that you can be trusted in what you say. If you say you're going to meet them somewhere at 3:00, be there at 3:00.

Remember, it takes time to establish trust. Trust isn't forged instantly (but it can be destroyed in a heartbeat)! So be consistent with your friend, follow the above tips, and over time you will establish a friendship built on the solid foundation of trust.

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