10 Ways To Make Sure He Never Takes You For Granted

You accommodate your guy so often without him reciprocating that you end up being taken for granted. Screw that noise! Stop that cycle in its tracks by being the badass woman you know you are inside. Don’t want to be taken for granted again? It’s time to strike a balance between your lovely urge to care for others and your duty to care for yourself. Think of your relationship like an airplane oxygen mask. You have to take care of yourself before you can help others.

  1. Be comfortable with yourself. A common trait in women who get taken for granted is their hardcore focus on other people. You’re so focused on the man, family, or friends in your life that your own feelings take a backseat. The first step to not being a doormat is to start putting yourself on an even level of importance–at least–to everyone else in your life. Not only do you need to be important in your life, but you need to be comfortable with this level of self-attention. It can take time, but it’s worth it.
  2. Get in touch with your desires. Once you’re comfortable making yourself a centerpiece in your life, it’s time to delve into your desires. You might be focusing so much on what your guy wants that you’ve lost what’s important to you along the way.  Find quiet time alone and write a list of what you want. Want to travel? Want a more active sex life? A new pet? A weekly date night? Even chores? A career change? Write it down!
  3. Communicate what you want. Now that you know what you want, don’t keep it to yourself. Tell your guy about your desires and look for his reaction. If you’re in a healthy relationship, he’ll want these things for you and even help you achieve him. If he’s already begun to take you for granted, he’ll be resistant with his sole focus being on keeping up with the status quo of your imbalanced relationship.
  4. Take action and set an example. Figuring out what you want means nothing if you don’t actually achieve these goals. A shady guy might go along with what you say with the assumption that it’s all talk. Show him you’re strong and self-confident by signing up for that rock-climbing class. Remember: You’re a woman of action when it comes to your own wants and needs. Don’t give up your me-time for a relationship.
  5. Take responsibility for what you can control. You’re in charge of your own happiness. Although you can, and should, do things for the people around you, ultimately it’s up to you to make your own self happy. Ultimately, you can’t control how someone treats you, you can only steer them in the right direction and leave if you’re not getting what you want or need.
  6. Don’t always let things go. The type of person who would take you for granted expects that you’ll let them. Prove them wrong by not letting things go. Sure, compromise is good, but if you do it every single time in favor of your boyfriend’s happiness, you’re the only one who’s losing. Stand up for yourself and you’ll be setting an example that your wants and needs shouldn’t be ignored.
  7. Make it clear that there are consequences. Now that you’ve communicated what you want, it’s time to put things into action. Did you say you wanted a romantic date night and he canceled at the last minute to play video games instead? Don’t just suck it up for the greater good. If he gets away with his bad behavior, he knows he can take you for granted.
  8. Know that you deserve better. You’re gorgeous and you deserve all of the amazing things life has to offer. You know how you make everyone around you comfortable and happy? You deserve the same damn thing.
  9. Don’t over-correct. A relationship is a partnership. The best ones have both people getting what they want with an equal amount of love and happiness. After being taken for granted in past relationships, your first instinct may be to go into your next one with a “then it’s going to be all about me!” attitude. Don’t over-correct. Keep your loving, accommodating attitude–just make sure that you’re loving and accommodating to your own needs as well.
  10. Don’t accept anything less. No one can take you for granted if you don’t let them. As soon as you realize you’re in an imbalanced relationship, do yourself a favor and get out of there.
Trisha is a full time writer living in Montana. In her free time, she paints mountainscapes on her skin with body paint and reads a ton of YA lit.
close-link
close-link