Falling in love is easy. Staying in love is hard work. It takes deliberate effort to follow through on the vows we make on our wedding day. No matter how well prepared we think we are for marriage, we aren’t—not until we begin to walk those vows out.
Whether you’ve said, “I do,” recently or you’ve been together for decades, you can count on one thing—your lives will be full of for better or for worse. So how can you keep your marriage strong in the better and build it back up in the worse? Love your wife more than yourself. Push your needs aside and instead of asking what she can do for you, ask, “What can I do for her?
6 Things Every Man Should Do For His Wife
Pay Attention to Her
Sometimes it’s the little things a man says and does that mean that most. Pay attention to what she’s doing, big and small. Usually, when a woman is switching things up, she’s trying to get your attention. Show her that you notice. Don’t be afraid to compliment that change either. It makes her feel good.
Communicate With Her
Communication is everything in a relationship, especially for a woman. When something’s bothering you, it’s easy to shut down, think that she should just get it or believe that the issue will resolve itself. But sometimes it takes a certain level of honesty to resolve the issue and get the relationship where it needs to be. Make sure you’re actively listening when she’s sharing something with you and that you’re respectfully communicating when you feel like the respect isn’t mutual.
Respect Her
A woman should always be treated with respect. Under no circumstances should arguments escalate to a point where you’re attacking and bringing her down. These acts of disrespect lack respect and can easily turn into emotional and physical abuse. No matter where an argument takes you, you should practice self-control and openly communicate what’s bothering you. Give her the same respect you'd want in the relationship. If you’re doing anything that compromises that, there’s a problem.
Keep the Spark Alive
Don’t cut off the affection. Just because you’ve been together for awhile doesn’t mean the relationship romance should fizzle out—when it does, it can make a woman feel insecure about the relationship. If you feel like the spark is dwindling or simply want to keep the spark alive, do some of the things that made you happy when you first got together. Nothing’s wrong with regular ‘first date nights’ and making her feel special all over again.
Remember Important Dates
Even if she doesn’t say it, a woman loves when her man remembers the important dates: birthdays, anniversaries and milestones in the relationship. And don’t think she doesn’t notice when you don’t. Not only will it impress her when you remember them, it will show her that you care.
Share Financial Information With Her
Men have a tendency for hiding their financial information, especially when they aren’t doing so well financially. But never do this with your wife. She'll be with you forever and it won't help if you keep things from her. Also, don’t force her to dish out money on a shoestring budget. Try to respect her opinion as well. Say, for example, you want to dip into your income for some reason, make it a point to share this with your wife. It's okay to ask your wife to bail you out of a tight spot. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
Also read: Top Sexual Fantasies That Married Women Have
This article was first published on AfricaParent.com