Guys may seem tough and complicated but they’re actually easy to please. You just have to be willing to go beyond the obvious romantic gestures like having sex or buying him gifts to keep your guy satisfied, happy and interested in you long-term. Disclaimer: he should be going to the same efforts to ensure you’re happy in the relationship too, but that should go without saying.
- Take good care of yourself. Just because he’s finally yours and you’ve been going out a while doesn’t mean you can just let yourself go and stop trying. Men are happy knowing that their partners are putting in an effort to look good for them. Dress in a way that flatters your shape, switch up your hairstyle, throw on a little makeup to make your features pop. When you feel and look good, confidence will radiate off you. He’ll notice and it’ll make him want you more.
- Show appreciation for him. Women don’t have a monopoly on receiving and loving compliments. I’ve never met a man who didn’t want to be applauded and made to feel special too. Tell him how much he means to you often. Compliment his looks. Tell him you love how he smells. When he does something nice for you, big or small, appreciate him for it. Be his number one fan. Support and encourage him in his endeavors.
- Keep things interesting. Don’t let the relationship get boring. Keep things fresh and interesting by doing things to surprise him and keep him guessing your next move. Once in a while, take a break from your habits and routines and do something fun and spontaneous. Plan a date that’s different from the ones you normally go on. Buy some sexy lingerie and put on a show for him. I’m not saying that you have to make every day an adventure, just make room for excitement in the relationship.
- Take the lead every now and then. Seriously, don’t wait for your guy to make the first move every time. It’s not your job to sit there and do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. You’re both equal partners so the responsibility for keeping the relationship alive falls on both of you. Men love women who have a mind of their own, women who can take charge, make decisions, and initiate stuff. Plan date night for a change, choose what movies you both watch, pick the vacation destination and itinerary.
- Let him have time alone. Even if your natural instinct is to spend every waking moment with him, resist it. It’s important that you let him have time to himself when he needs or wants it. It doesn’t mean he’s trying to push you away. Don’t make a big deal out of it or deny him space by smothering him with your presence. If he wants to hang out with his friends one night, stay home and play video games online, or requires time alone to just be, respect that. Even better, give him space without him asking for it.
- Accept him for who he is. Trying to guilt or nag him into changing for you is probably not going to work. If anything, it’ll make him resent you. Instead of trying to mold him into a second you, accept that you’re different and celebrate that. You’ll make him happy by not trying to force him to be untrue to himself or be something he’s not. Love him the way he is and let that be enough.
- Take an interest in the things he loves. It’s easy to dismiss something you don’t understand and care about, but if you want to keep your guy happy, you need to learn to appreciate the stuff he’s interested in or passionate about. Explore those activities with him, ask him questions about it, and try to see things from his perspective. No matter how boring the subject is, I promise it won’t kill you, but it would bring you closer together.
- Be quick to forgive him for honest mistakes. Nobody likes having their screw-ups held over their heads. Don’t try to manipulate or guilt him into doing what you want. If he mistakenly forgets your birthday or an anniversary, don’t make him pay for it for the rest of the year. Address issues as they come up, then let them go. By not holding things against him or making him feel eternally bad for his actions, he’ll feel lucky to have you every day.
- Make him feel safe and secure. If he feels like he can confide in you about anything no matter how silly or dark it may be, he’ll be happy around you. Guys don’t always know how to open up and be vulnerable, so when they find someone they can do that with, they’ll be reluctant to let go. Show him that he can let his guard down around you. Give him space to be honest and comfortable talking to you.
