In this day and age, all of the dating essentials should fall on the man and the woman equally. Unfortunately, many women seem to settle into a sedentary role when it comes to relationships, while men get saddled with the enormous responsibility of initiating everything and ensuring that things progress. You’re capable of doing more, so do these things and do them with gusto.
- Compliment him. Sadly, because men are usually the ones doing the complimenting, they can probably count on one hand how many times they’ve received a compliment from a woman who wasn’t their mother. There are endless qualities that you can praise: his physique, his humor, his work ethic, his spider-murdering skills, and so on. If you like something about him, vocalize it.
- Buy him stuff. Everyone likes getting little “just because” gifts. Nice surprises like that tell him that you pay attention to what he likes, and you think about him when he’s not around. Plus, epic gifts give him epic bragging rights. What guy wouldn’t want to tell his friends that his amazing girlfriend bought him a tactical ninja sword for no reason?
- Take him on dates. Plan the date, execute it and cover the bill. +100 girlfriend points for you.
- Experiment with him. Never fear trying new things with your boyfriend. Go see new places, try new restaurants and keep an open mind in the bedroom. A lot of things are more exciting when you’re trying them for the first time together, and spontaneity will give your relationship a nice little kick in the nads if things have gotten a little too “routine.”
- Give him a massage.Your hands are probably stronger than you think. Don’t be afraid to dig into his shoulders-he’ll stop you if anything hurts. If he exercises a lot or works a physically demanding job, a massage at the end of the day will have every muscle in his body erecting (hehe) hilltop shrines in your honor. And, you get to touch him all over the place. That’s a win-win.
- Initiate sex. Don’t do this once every six months just so you can say that you initiated “that one time.” Start doing it and keep doing it. The man in your life isn’t a soulless mannequin — he’s an actual flesh and blood human with needs, desires and armpits, among other things. He wants to feel wanted just like you do. If he’s always the one initiating sex, he’s going to feel bothersome and insecure after awhile. Don’t wait around for him to get things rolling. Get the fire started yourself.
- Be the big spoon. Getting cozy in bed with your partner snuggled up against your back feels amazing, doesn’t it? Breaking news: this sensation is enjoyable for your boyfriend as well. Switch things up and become the revered big spoon. If your boyfriend is bigger than you, this is also known as “jetpacking.” Bonus points if you eat a lot of beans beforehand for some extra throttle. Just kidding. Or am I?
- Cook for him. You should do this because you want to make a nice meal for someone you care about, not because you are a woman and must therefore bear many sandwiches. Cook for him because of the way his face lights up when he walks in the door and sees a delicious dinner waiting for him. The way to a man’s heart is through his arteries.
- Leave him alone.Everyone needs some alone time now and then. Sometimes it’s easier to work through stress in solitude and you shouldn’t take that as an insult. If your boyfriend had a long day and doesn’t seem open to talking about it just yet, hand him a beer and leave him be for awhile. He’ll come unleash his expletive-laden rant when he’s ready.
- Help him work out. You can be his spotter or get involved (becoming a human dumbbell should be on everyone’s bucket list) and do partner workouts together. You’ll get a great exercise high, and working out together supposedly builds trust, which is a great bonus. Both of you will feel amazing when you’re done. Plus, watching him concentrate on his form and working up a sweat will probably get your motor running. The possibilities are endless when you’re getting fit and staying healthy together.
