As I stepped into the light, airy office I felt my throat close up. The doctor asked my to have a seat, and I did. I nervously played with my fingernails as she asked my why I decided to begin therapy. I began to sweat as I breathed heavily, "I have a problem with honesty."

My issues with trust in relationships did not derive from a cheating boyfriend or a dishonest relationship. The problem was me. I am a habitual liar. It seems to be a learned habit that has begun to snowball in recent years and is beginning to negatively impact my relationships. Over the past seven years my boyfriend and I have had countless fights regarding my inabilities to tell the truth. He becomes so furious because I lie about silly things. As a result, he has lost all trust in me. We love each other very much and desperately want our relationship to work, but I am beginning to experience feelings of frustration because of his lack of trust.

I am getting better and learning to own my truths. As time continues I am learning that one of the most helpful ways of dealing with trust issues is to provide proof. When I say I am going to do something, I find some way to prove to him that I am actually doing it. Slowly but surely his trust level is increasing. It is a slow, labor intensive process, but I have to tell myself that this takes time. Folks, it takes years to break down trust. I believe it will take twice as long to get it back. It requires patience from both parties and a willingness to work together. When it comes to trust, both members of the relationship must work together to obtain happiness.

Learn more about this author, Kristi Stevens.
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