You know your partner is awesome, right? Have you told them that lately? No? Then you should probably do that as soon as you can. Sometimes when you’re with someone for a long time, you tend to forget to pay a compliment to your partner. Not just compliments, but also forget to show your appreciation for all that they do for you. Is this because you’ve stopped loving them? Or stopped caring for them? No, right? So why then have you kept mum about it?
It doesn’t matter if you’re the affectionate type or you’re just plain lazy, you need to show appreciation to someone you love, your partner. Whether you’ve been married a year or a decade, if you’re in a long distance relationship or already engaged to be married, you need to learn how to show appreciation to your partner and win their heart.
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Let’s take a look at all the ways on how to show appreciation and love to your partner. [Disclaimer: Though some of these might be cheesy, they work like a charm, that’s why they are classics!]
1. Cook them a meal
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Some wise person has said that food is the way to the heart, and they couldn’t have been more right. One of the best ways to show your appreciation to your lover is by cooking them a meal. Even if you’re not a culinary expert, it matters not. Because what matters is the gesture and the thought behind it than the actual meal. Of course, if the meal does come out to be edible, if not super tasty, then you get bonus points! With Google at the tip of your fingers, you can pull up any recipe from any part of the world and get cooking. All you need is the will to do something nice for your partner.
2. Express your love through hidden Post-it notes
I know, I know, this one’s a cliché if there’s ever one! But you have to understand that it’s a cliché for a reason. No matter how many times you do it, it doesn’t get old. Scrawl something really nice or sexy or touching in Post-it notes and hide them where your lover is sure to come across them. Or, you could even make it into a game by leaving clues in each of the Post-it notes, which then lead them to the final prize – which could be you wrapped up with a bow, to do with as they please *wink*, or something else entirely. The point is to show them that despite the hectic schedule and the everyday things you need to deal with, you haven’t forgotten to show them how much they mean to you.
3. Buy them flowers for no reason
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Whether you’re a man or a woman, flowers make everything seem a little less serious, and add that much-needed color into a drab, everyday existence. Go ahead and buy your lover that big, beautiful bunch of flowers – for no reason at all, than you wish to see them smile. The points here to let them know that you were thinking about them when you walked past a florist’s and that you’d carry those flowers on the subway ride over, just so you can see that precious smile light up their face!
4. Ask about their day – and really listen when they tell you
This might not seem something that is even remotely connected with romance, but it’s a sure way of showing your appreciation to your partner. It’s sad that something as simple as asking your partner how their day went should be included in a list, but that’s the world we live in. Anyway, when your lover gets home, talk to them about what they did that day, what all they had to deal with, and really listen to them when they talk. You really listening to them rant and rave about the crazy day they had is actually one of the best ways you can show your appreciation for all that they endure during a workday. This is a way for you to show that you actually care about the big and the small things that happened to them that day.
5. Make them breakfast in bed
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Put a smile on your partner’s face by surprising them with breakfast in bed. The cherry on top would be if you cooked all of their favorite breakfast foods. Pancakes with a smiley face on it, heart-shaped waffles, their favorite biscuits, or a bagel toasted to perfection and slathered with delicious cream cheese, just as they like it. The options are numerous, if you only have the will to do something nice and surprising for your partner. You can make enough for two and join them in bed too!
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6. Dress up for your partner
You used to dress to impress your partner in the beginning of your relationship. But you hardly do that now. Why though? You still like to look good, and they still like to see you all decked up, so that’s stopping you from looking your best by dressing up? Sure, you feel comfortable lounging in your pjs, but you won’t lose anything if you took a few minutes extra to make yourself look sexy, eh? Think about it.
7. Cuddle up on the couch
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Whether you’ve been together a year or a decade, cuddling up with your lover on the couch and just being, is one of the perks of being in a relationship. Cuddle them after a long day at the office, or when you’re just feeling the need to have a warm body holding you. Show your appreciation to your partner by letting them know that you draw immense comfort and succor from them, and that it never gets old to feel their arms holding you to them.
8. Surprise them with a bubble bath
You know your lover. You know when they’re stressed and when they’re feeling the need to just sink their weary body in a tubful of scented hot water. Draw them a bubble bath, and insist that they not come out till the water’s gone cold. Get them a glass of wine to sip while in the tub, which should be effective to put them in a good mood by the end of their bath. To add to this experience, you could even light scented candles around the bathroom. Brownie points for you if the dinner’s waiting by the time they’re out of their bath!
9. Plan a surprise staycation
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You know your partner has worked their bum off this past week (or month), and they’ve been constantly stressed about work. Give them a whole weekend of stress-free relaxation with a planned staycation in the comfort of your own home, without any smartphones or tablets to worry over. Maybe just the TV though, so that you both can cuddle up and watch Breaking Bad reruns or catch a few old classics together. This is an ideal way of showing how much your appreciate all that they do for you, and that you want them to be happy and stress-free and content.
10. Don’t forget your manners
This one might seem like trivial, but many people take their partners for granted and forget their manners. It never, I repeat, never gets old to hear ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ when you deserve it. Whether or not your partner expects it, you must never forget these. Not just that, but be polite to your partner, however foul your mood might be. It’s not their fault that you’re in a foul mood, is it? So one sure way of showing your appreciation is by being polite and following basic manners.
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11. Never go to bed angry
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This is one of those things that everyone’s grandmas used to tell them. Why? Because it’s true. You must never go to bed angry, because it’s one of the sure ways to let the issue fester and give it potential to blow up at a later date. You want to know how to show appreciation and love for you partner? Don’t let differences, however big or small, come between you two and ruin what you’ve built. Never let arguments, differences of opinions prevent you from kissing your lover, or communicating.
No matter how long you’ve been a couple or what type of a relationship you both share, there’s always, always, something good to appreciate about your partner. Show them how much they mean to you with these above mentioned ways, and you’ll have helped build a healthy, mature, stable, and a loving relationship.
Featured image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
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