A big part of keeping any relationship from getting stagnant is making sure your partner knows you appreciate them and vice-versa. While it’s great for your guy to do little things to let you know he cares about you, chances are he’d be thrilled with the same small gestures in return. If you’re wondering the best ways to show your boyfriend you appreciate him, here are a few tips from a guy.
- Give him food. Let’s be honest, food works for everyone. If you can cook your boyfriend’s favorite meal or a dish that you know he loves, do it. I promise that he’ll recognize the effort and the gesture. Short of that, simply surprise him with takeout from his favorite restaurant or let him pick the place next time you go out. The old adage about the way to a guy’s heart being through his stomach is so true.
- Reciprocate his kind gestures. If your boyfriend does something nice, you should say “thank you” and always try to return the favor. Even if it’s a small gesture, let him know that you noticed it and don’t take him for granted. Not only will it make him feel appreciated but it will also encourage him to perform more kind gestures in the future.
- Write him little love notes. You’d have to be dead inside not to appreciate a nice love note from your partner. It doesn’t need to be anything too long or poetic as long as it’s genuine and thoughtful. Nowadays, most people will think to just text something nice to their significant other, but anyone can do that. Writing a short, hand-written note shows a little more effort and proves you appreciate him.
- Give him praise in public. If you wanna brag about your boyfriend, do it in public. It might embarrass him a little bit, but most of us love it when our girlfriends go on and on about our feats and accomplishments to other people. It lets us know that you’re proud of us, and for most guys, that means the world.
- Bring up the little things. When it comes to relationships, sometimes the devil is in the details. It’s all about appreciating the little things about someone. Share with him the little things you love about him. He may not even be aware of these things, which means he’ll definitely feel appreciated that you’ve noticed and love them.
- Make small sacrifices. As I said, the little things matter in relationships, and sometimes that means making small sacrifices for the other person’s happiness. That could mean sitting through a sporting event he wants to attend or it could mean letting him pick the movie you see. The key is to do these things without making a big deal about it or making it seem like you’re sacrificing something. It’s just a way of letting him know that you’re happy just being around him.
- Be excited to see him. Few things make a guy feel better about himself than seeing how excited you’re to see him, even if you’re not doing anything special together. At the end of a long day, guys just want to know that you like being around them. It lifts our spirits and our ego to know that we helped put you in a good mood. Needless to say, that makes us feel appreciated.
- Engage in a little playful touching. Physical contact is always a good way to show a guy you care about him. It doesn’t have to be sexual. It could just be squeezing his hand or rubbing his shoulders. Unless he’s oblivious, he’ll understand that stuff like that means you care about him and like having him around.
- Compliment his appearance. Don’t you enjoy being told that you look nice? Believe it or not, guys like it too. We also need occasional validation about our appearance. If you notice him putting effort into his fitness or hygiene or dressing nicely, mention it. Let him know you appreciate the effort and think that he’s handsome.
- Give him a gift. Come on, who doesn’t like getting presents? Is that not an obvious way to let someone know that you appreciate him? Granted, this could take a little bit of thinking on your part. It needs to be something thoughtful and useful. However, there are probably plenty of gifts your boyfriend would love.
- Try a little sexy time surprise. If you didn’t already know this, most guys are shallow. We have a tendency to equate sex with love, so there could be no better way to show a guy that you love and appreciate him than going all out with a sexy surprise. Of course, this can’t just be like any other night. Try to dress up nice and create a romantic mood. You have to do something to make it special and spice things up.
- Just say it. If you truly appreciate your boyfriend, just tell him. I mean, you’ll have to say it like you mean it and maybe give him a good reason why you feel that way. However, sometimes direct is best, and there’s no way he can misunderstand your feelings if you just come out with them.
