14 Tips to Live By in Healthy Relationships (3 of 8)

Keep an open line of communication

Building trust is all about being transparent and discussing things face-to-face whenever possible. When they know they can be frank with you and not hold anything back (and vice versa), it decreases the odds that you’ll be hit by surprises in the future. It will also help the relationship achieve stability.

Don’t be judgmental

Your partner isn’t going to be perfect, that’s for sure! But neither are you. When you’re in a relationship, you have to accept them for what they are, warts and all. If they do things their own way and it has no bearing on your life, let them be. If you feel the sincere need to criticize them, make it constructive; don’t simply nitpick over every little thing.