"I love you" is something you tell your husband multiple times a day. But telling him isn't the only way you can or should express your love. You have to show your husband that you love him--and show it in ways he'll truly appreciate.
“I love you” is something you tell your husband multiple times a day. But telling him isn’t the only way you can or should express your love. You have to show your husband that you love him–and show it in ways he’ll truly appreciate.
David A. Bednar has said, “We should remember that saying ‘I love you’ is only a beginning. We need to say it, we need to mean it, and most importantly, we need to consistently show it. We need to both express and demonstrate love.”
Here are 10 ways you can both express and demonstrate the love you have for that handsome husband of yours.
We all know the quickest way to a man’s heart is his stomach–and while you’ve already won your man’s heart, cooking his favorite meal will keep his heart and stomach full. Or instead of his go-to meal, ask him what he wants to eat tonight and make that for dinner instead of that quinoa casserole you had planned.
You do most (or all) of the cooking, so naturally you also do the shopping. But next time you’re at the store and grab your pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie because you’re craving it; think of your man and grab his favorite flavor as well. He’ll appreciate the gesture with every sweet bite he takes.
Your man works hard, so he deserves a night out with his boys. If your husband is the kind who doesn’t normally hang with his friends, organize a guys’ night out for him. It’s healthy for your marriage for both of you to make time to do stuff with your friends.
Make a list of everything you love about your husband–from the way his nose crinkles when he laughs to how he reads your daughter the same bedtime story every night. Write each thing down on a sticky note and then hide them throughout the house and his car. They’ll be the sweet little love reminders he just might need at that very moment he finds them.
After you put the kids to bed, let the laundry, dishes and those work emails wait until tomorrow. Spend the evening just talking and binge watching your favorite Netflix show together. It’s good to put fun and each other first every once in a while.
This can be a hard one for many of us. But the next time he leaves the cabinet door open after getting his bowl of cereal, don’t nag him about it or turn it into an argument. Just quietly shut the door and go about your day with no mention of it.
Don’t unload your day’s problems or dump the kids on him and leave as soon as he walks in the door, although sometimes you really want to. He needs time to relax and unwind from his long workday, even if it’s just five minutes of quiet.
The next time you’re with family or friends and your hubby is around, brag about how awesome, helpful and/or hot he is. It’s a good little ego boost for him to hear and know you think he’s the most amazing man around, and that you care enough to tell everyone.
You may come from two very different families and no one blames you for loving your side of the family a little more than his. But don’t compare how his family does extended family gatherings vs. how your family does theirs. And never speak badly of his family. That’s his family; they’ll always be his family, he’ll always love them and they’ll always be in your lives, so think twice when you get irritated and feel like verbally criticizing them.
At the end of every week, tell each other three reasons why you love each other. It can be something specific that happened that week or a more general, everyday thing you love. Make this a weekly tradition, and I promise your love and appreciation for one another will grow substantially.
If you want to know for sure your husband will love your extra efforts, ask him to make a list of things you can do for him that would make him feel loved and special. And make your own list to give to him. Then you both can have go-to ways to keep your marriage close through the good and difficult times.
