Women Whose Husbands Are Deliriously Happy Usually Say 5 Sweet But Honest Things Daily
Olena Yakobchuk | ShutterstockThere are so many articles written about what wives need to stay happy, but rarely do we talk about what husbands need to hear regularly. It’s not that your husband doesn't think his affirmation and contentment are important.
The old adage "happy wife, happy life" is emphasized as part of an equitable relationship, but the concern is that either partner may ignore their needs. Over a long period of time, that can lead to resentment. That's why women who have happy husbands focus on saying a few kind things all while honestly advocating for their needs, too.
Women whose husbands are deliriously happy usually say these sweet but honest things:
1. 'Thank you'
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Once, during a fall fair that my friend and I had organized, I ran into her husband and their three kids. The kids were young and hard to manage, and he looked exhausted.
I asked him if anyone ever said "thank you" to him. He shook his head. I think about that moment a lot. I know that saying "thank you" to your husband for helping out seems like something that you shouldn’t have to do. After all, no one ever thanks you and your husband often doesn’t do things the way you want him to. That can be extremely frustrating, so sometimes it's hard to appreciate them.
But recognizing the things that your husband does to support you is very important. Why? Because everyone wants to be recognized for the efforts they make, even if those efforts might not be exactly what you want them to be.
So, next time your husband covers for you when you need to be out of the house, thank him. If he does something that you've asked him to do, thank him. If he listens to you vent and gives you a shoulder to cry on, thank him. If he buys you a birthday present, thank him, even if it’s not something you like.
Think about how much you like it when someone says thank you. Do the same for your husband, and let him know you'd like to make it a mutual thing, where you both thank each other for the things you do, even the ones you think should be obvious.
2. 'I love you'
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So many husbands and wives stop saying "I love you" after a few years, unless it's just a routine with very little meaning. It’s not always because they've stopped loving each other, but because they have started taking each other for granted.
"I don’t have to tell her/him that I love him. He/she knows," you may say. But failing to say the words is a recipe for disaster.
I remember when my ex and I were struggling. We still said, "I love you" when we hung up the phone or said goodbye in the morning.
One day, I asked him not to. I said I wanted to save those words for special times between us and not use them by rote. And he agreed. But he wasn't happy.
Our marriage was struggling, but my ex-husband needed to hear that I still loved him. He needed to hear that, no matter how hard things got, that I still felt love for him. Not hearing it was devastating to him and made him feel like I didn't love or appreciate him as much as I did.
Of course, he didn’t tell me that and, a few years later, he left. And one of the reasons he did, he told me, was because we "didn’t love each other anymore."
Don't end up in a failing marriage. Instead, make an effort to tell your husband that you love him, and make sure he knows it. While actions are important, so are words. So, he must know.
Emotionally intelligent individuals tend to be self-aware, empathetic, and good at regulating their emotions, which can translate into healthy relationship dynamics, including expressing love. However, research cautions that if someone frequently says "I love you" but their actions don't match their words, it could indicate a lack of emotional intelligence.
3. 'You're hot'
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Many men and women worry about being desirable as they age. Social media has played some pretty serious mind games with us as far as physical beauty, and that makes people very insecure.
Just saying a simple "You're hot" to him, whether it's when he's cooking dinner, taking out the garbage, or getting out of the shower, will remind him of just how attracted you are to him, no matter how many years later. Let him know that you still desire him, despite whatever mundane thing he's doing.
Research argues that a simple compliment, even if frequent, doesn't necessarily demonstrate those deeper skills. The impact of a compliment depends heavily on the context and the relationship between the people involved. A compliment that might be appropriate in one situation could be offensive or unwelcome in another.
4. 'Go have fun'
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Be honest. How many times have you told your husband that it's OK for him to go out and do something outside of the house without you, but secretly been resentful that they were doing so?
When my kids, who were born 20 months apart, were very young, my husband decided to set a goal of running the New York Marathon. An admirable goal and one that required a lot of effort and a lot of training.
As a result, not only did he work long hours, but he also spent a lot of time running. Specifically, not at home with me and the kids, and I was not happy.
While I did tell him how I felt, I didn’t tell him the extent of it. I didn’t want to be unsupportive, so I quietly simmered with resentment. As a result, our marriage suffered in a big way.
I wish that I had been able to embrace the things that he wanted to do instead of feeling resentment for them. I wish that I had been able to honestly say, "Go have fun," and be happy that he was doing whatever he was doing. Or at least I wish I could've been clearer about how I felt so that we didn't build resentment.
So, if you find that you don’t support your husband’s activities outside of the family, dig deep and find a way to let him do things without resentment or find a compromise that will help you both get your needs met.
Remind yourself that everyone needs to do things for themselves sometimes, and that it has nothing to do with you. Of course, that should go both ways, and you should equally be able to do the things that bring you joy.
5. 'I'm proud of you'
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The final phrase husbands need to hear regularly is that you're proud of them. Much like "I love you," men and women get somewhat complacent when it comes to recognizing their partner's achievements.
Again, they think they don’t have to say anything because they believe that their partners know how they feel. Unfortunately, the opposite is true, almost everyone needs to hear that their person is proud of them.
For many men, their self-esteem is achievement-based. While women thrive on emotional connection, for many men, accomplishment is the thing that makes them feel good about themselves. And to be recognized by their person for their accomplishments feels really good!
One of the worst things you can tell your husband is that he's done a really bad job at something, particularly if he did a pretty good job but didn’t do it the way you wanted it done. Criticism like that can often destroy relationships, and that's not what you want.
Of course, it's important to give your partner feedback if you would like things done differently, but don’t do it with derision. Do it in a positive, supportive way, so that he will hear you and do things the way you want them done the next time.
And when he does things differently, make sure that you tell him how proud of him you are and that you appreciate the thoughtful effort.
Mitzi Bockmann is a NYC-based Certified Life Coach.
