Appreciate your spouse

 

In the period of married life, we tend to take our mates for granted. We grow accustomed to virtues and strengths, and it becomes easy to pounce on the faults, weaknesses and failures that irritate us. We rarely mention admirable qualities but magnify minor irritations.

 

Admiring him

Admiration and approval meet a man’s most basic need. Women need to be loved but men need to be admired. If you want a man to keep on loving you, you only need to do one thing, appreciate him and let him know you do. This advice would save many marriages if women would only practice it.

A man appreciates honour and there is one individual he wants to impress more than his business associates, friends or neighbours is his wife. Men thrive on admiration.

Courage and devotion to his life, work also deserve admiration. Many women accept financial support from their husbands without due appreciation.

Does he leave you free to develop your own interests? Share the car with you? Occasionally help with the dishes? Makes your bed? Withhold complaints when you are late with dinner? Remember anniversaries and birthdays without being reminded? Such courtesies require appreciation. Returning a gift, exchanging it for something else or putting it away without using it are discourtesies that are nearly unforgivable. A garment that does not fit, however, may be exchanged for another size. If you don’t like something, use it for a time and then put it away. The principle involved is to appreciate the giver, not the gift. Choose you words carefully in order to show appreciation for the thoughtfulness behind the gift.

Appreciate her

Women have also a natural need for appreciation which two few men realise. A man takes professional pride in his occupation and is rewarded periodically with raises, promotions and bonuses.