Stay In Love Series Day 3: Appreciation, Simplest Tip Ever

Appreciation. A little goes a long way.

Well, I am trying to be freakin’ awesome. But sometimes I feel like I fail in this area far too often. You see, my husband is constantly telling me how much he appreciates things that I do for him and our son.

“Thanks for dinner tonight. It was really good and I am so grateful to have a good wife who cooks good food for me.”
“I love you. You are such a good wife.”
“Thanks for doing the laundry and keeping our home clean.”
“Your a such a good mother. Thank you for taking such good care of our son.”

I know…super sweet, right?! And these are just random things he will tell me throughout the day.

I often do show appreciation to him by telling him…

“Thank you for working so hard to provide for our family.”
“I am so lucky to have an understanding husband. One that gets me!”
“Thanks for giving little guy a bath…it was a big help.”
“Our little boy loves you so…he is one lucky little guy for having you for his dad.”

But it is not often enough. If I am to say who shares the most appreciation in our relationship, hands down my husband would win. And this is why I feel like I need improvement in this area.

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I have discovered a neat thing about appreciation. It makes me look for the positive things in my husband. Sometimes I am quick to focus on Chris’s flaws- that I lose my ability to see all of his great qualities or “awesomeness”. And really the honest truth is focusing on my husbands strengths is what helps keep me in love with him.

So how can you show appreciation to your partner? I have a few suggestions…

Write a note….
If there are things you like about your partner, tell them! Or simply write to say “thank you”. For example, Chris has often brought home a card with a little hand written note telling me that he loves me and appreciates me in his life. On those days, I always have a little more spring in my step!

Ask what they want…
Next time ask your partner what they would like to do, then go do it! Freedom is such a rare treat as an adult. I have often let Chris pick the movie on our date nights. I think he likes that except if it ends up being a bad movie. Then I get to tease him… 🙂

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That special touch…
Another great way to show appreciation is to touch your partner. Holding hands and the spontaneous long hugs are my favorites. Sometimes a sneaky pinch on the butt is fun too! 🙂

Spontaneous surprises are nice….
Those little unexpected surprises sure are double sweet. Because not only do you get a little gift, but you know your loved one was thinking about you. And that just instantly makes your heart skip a beat. 🙂

There really are many ways to express to your partner that you appreciate them and the things they do for you. I guess it comes down to being thoughtful.