Sex is important relationship, but if you don’t show love in other ways, you might as well just be friends with benefits. Without actually showing admiration or appreciation for your partner, you don’t really have a good relationship. If you feel like you’ve been slipping when it comes to showing your partner the affection he deserves, it may be time to try one of these:
- Cook him a nice dinner. Go online, grab a good recipe, and create a beautiful meal for two. For many men (and women!), the way to their hearts is through their stomachs. By giving them a handmade meal, you’re showing them that they are worth the effort… and that you can cook!
- Cuddle. Too often, we forget how important it is to actually feel the soft feeling of our partner’s body against ours. We forget how intimate cuddling can make us feel, and how incredibly beautiful it is to just be that close to someone you care about. Sadly, it typically takes a long term absence for us to realize how important cuddling can be to a relationship’s health.
- Be there for him when bad stuff happens. Say something comforting. Listen to him. Hold him. If things really take a nosedive, let him stay with you and be supportive of him. While some may take this for granted, those that don’t will always remember the gestures you did.
- Do a chore he typically hates to do. Hear him groaning about how much he hates to do laundry? Surprise him by doing it for him once in a while. He’ll be thankful, and realize that you really care about him when you do it. (Just don’t overdo this one. It can quickly turn into an expectation.)
- Take him out to a concert featuring his favorite band. No matter the artist, you have to respect your significant other’s favorite kind of music. If you know his favorite band is coming through town and that it would mean the world to him to see them live, showing your love by bringing him to the concert is a good way to do it.
- Brag about him to others. Everyone wants to be bragged about — it makes people feel great. If you want to make your lover feel appreciated, talk highly of him to people who know him. Ideally, compliment him in front of his friends. He’ll feel 110% awesome about himself and you.
- Dress up extra nice for him when the two of you go out. Sometimes, a person just needs to be reminded of why you caught his eye in the first place. By putting in more effort into your image, you’re showing that you care about making him look good, too.
- Make an effort to meet and bond with his family. Though you can definitely go overboard with this, there’s something pretty profound about actually going the extra mile to try to become a part of his family. Aside from it demonstrating that you actually see a future with him, it also shows him that you respect him and his roots.
- Hold his hand. This simple gesture goes hand-in-hand (pun intended) with cuddling. Hand holding is one of the few human gestures that has been statistically shown to reduce stress, increase trust, and bond two people together. Even if it’s just while you’re walking down the road together, a simple hand holding session can seriously impact your relationship for the better.
- Surprise him with a small gift. Gifting is the most obvious way to show someone that you care about them, and that you’re thinking about them. Really, the gift could be anything as long as it’s thoughtful. After all, it’s the thought that counts.
- Give him a massage. It’s stress-relieving. It’s sensual. It’s insanely intimate. Finding someone who dislikes massages is a rare thing, indeed.
- Thank him when he does something nice. People often forget how much love is intertwined with gratitude. If you don’t act grateful for all that someone does for you, they’ll be sure to stop doing it. Next time your lover does something nice, thank him — and mean it!
- Take him on a nice trip. It doesn’t have to be anywhere super expensive like Paris or Tokyo. Even a quick day trip to a nearby local attraction can show your boyfriend that you want to treat him right and make him happy.
- Compliment him, and take note when he changes his appearance. We know how we feel when our boyfriends never comment or compliment our looks, especially when we’ve changed something big. Try to notice the effort he puts into his appearance, too. It really does make a difference.
- Take the relationship a step further. Commitment is the ultimate way of saying “I love you.” Need I say any more?
