Without this, a relationship has no future

It doesn't matter if you've been with your significant other for 2 days, 2 weeks, or 2 years. Without trust, a relationship can't survive.

Like loyalty, respect, communication, and honesty, it is one of the essential ingredients of a healthy, long-lasting relationship.

Is it any wonder that infidelity wrecks a relationship like nothing else?

Imagine how difficult it is to confide in someone who took your trust and sliced and diced it by cheating on you. There aren't many other things a partner can do that are nearly as deplorable.

The same can be said for a friend who steals from you or a sibling who talks behind your back.

They can make repeated assurances that they'll never do it again, but our gut tells us to guard ourselves against the prospect of being subject to similar behavior in the future (whether from that person or anyone else).

I'm not saying you should never give someone another chance -- only to be careful not to allow them to run roughshod over you.

Some of us feel so attached to certain people -- especially those we've known a really long time -- that we let them get away with disrespecting or otherwise taking advantage of us.

Such behavior should never be tolerated. If someone truly values you, they know better than to jeopardize the trust you've placed in them.

And to add insult to injury, these same people will bristle at any sign of others letting them down. Hypocrisy at its worst!

People with so little regard for your trust don't deserve it. Instead, save it for those who are worth your whole -- the ones who will covet because it genuinely means so much to them.

Remember: Trust takes years to build and seconds to break.

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