Being a great wife means more than just cooking, cleaning, and keeping the home in order. It also means knowing how to deal with your husband in ways that will make him want to be with you forever and ever! Luckily, you can do many things to become the best wife possible. Check out these 10 ways to become a better wife and improve your marriage today!
1) Think About Your Partner
Before becoming a better wife, you must truly understand your partner. If you aren’t able to consider their perspective and what they value, then it’s unlikely that your improvements will be as effective as possible. Understanding who your partner is isn’t just about understanding their character; it also includes taking time and learning about their goals and values. We often think of our spouses or partners as people we have complete control over, but if you’re looking for ways to improve your marriage or relationship, consider how these improvements might impact them. It could help lead you toward solutions that are win-win scenarios!
2) Keep Things Under Control
As an employee, you are expected to always remain professional. But how do you act professionally at home? At work, your behavior is strictly monitored, and your tasks are delegated by your superiors. This is not true at home. The more rules surrounding you, the better you learn how to function under pressure. The less structure in a relationship means people can drift apart due to a lack of common goals and plans for their future together. If communication breaks down because there’s no set plan for dealing with household matters or other problems, it becomes harder for couples to develop stronger bonds. Another key thing is to help others by listening attentively and remembering what they say. Showing interest in their thoughts and feelings is important in making them feel loved and supported! And never forget to give compliments. When was the last time you told your significant other how much you appreciate him/her? You don’t have to go overboard but even just telling someone thank you can make a big difference in his/her day! In short, if you want to be a good wife or girlfriend.
Follow these 10 tips:
1) Be open-minded; 2) Listen; 3) Help each other out; 4) Give compliments; 5) Plan things together; 6) Keep things under control; 7) Don’t let yourself get too busy for him/her; 8) Do nice things for one another without being asked (or expect something in return); 9) Express gratitude often; 10) Don’t take each other for granted. Watch How to attract a Proverbs 31 man.
3) Have His Back
Your man needs your support. He wants you to be happy but also knows he can’t be everything for you. If your husband is a complete workaholic or starts running around every night, give him a chance before calling him out. Maybe his business is failing, or maybe his mother just died. You won’t know if you don’t ask questions, and it doesn’t hurt to pick up an extra shift at work so that he has more time with his friends if that is what’s happening. When it comes down to it, you want your guy to be successful—so make sure he feels like he can do that without feeling like you need something from him. Be supportive of his goals and ambitions, even if they aren’t yours.
4) Offer Tenderness Instead of Criticism
Nothing sabotages a healthy marriage like hurtful words. Think about how your words come across—and then offer comfort, not criticism. Whenever you want to call out your partner for something he or she did, take a deep breath and say something nice instead. One smart approach is to make comments that begin with I statements (I feel hurt when you don’t clean up after yourself.) rather than statements (You always leave a mess in the kitchen!). Though it may be difficult, work on turning constructive criticism into compliments. For example, instead of saying Don’t forget to pick up my dry cleaning tomorrow! try saying Thank you so much for picking up my dry cleaning today. You saved me some time! A little tenderness goes a long way.
5) Stay Positive
Complaining about your spouse or significant other is inevitable, but you must avoid it at all costs. Positivity attracts positivity—venting to your husband will only make things worse when you’re having a bad day. To become a better wife and partner, look for ways that you can support your husband in achieving his goals. Chances are he’ll be more likely to return that favor! For example, if your husband wants to start an exercise routine with you as part of his new year’s resolution, consider signing up for a yoga class together. He’ll get into shape while spending quality time with you and doing something fun together. Not only does being supportive help create a positive home environment, but it also helps keep those grumpy days away! So let go of any negative thoughts—and try saying I love you when something goes wrong (even if it isn’t true). Saying I love you is proven to reduce stress hormones (like cortisol) by as much as 20 percent. Also, laughter has been shown to lower levels of stress hormones too! Laughing with your husband daily will not only strengthen your relationship but will also improve both of your moods. You’ll end up laughing more than you would have had you stayed negative!
The same advice applies to wives. If your husband comes home stressed from work, don’t complain about how hard your day was. Instead, ask him what happened and listen intently. The next step is critical: offer him emotional support in whatever way makes sense—give him a hug, cook dinner, tell him he’s amazing…whatever works best for you two. Remember: there’s no right way to do things in relationships; just do what feels right and natural to both of you.
6) Know His Love Language
You’ve probably heard of The Five Love Languages. Popularized by psychologist Dr. Gary Chapman, it’s a concept that breaks down and categorizes love in five unique ways we communicate our affection: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. Learning how your partner prefers to receive love is a great way to show them you care about them—and it can help ensure that he knows how much you love him. (Which may be what he needs from you most.) The idea is simple: try sending your partner all five kinds of affection for two weeks straight and then switch roles with him; at the end of two weeks, each one will have received each type of affection from you at least once. It doesn’t sound like much, but it can make a big difference in strengthening your relationship. If nothing else, you’ll learn something new about yourself—and maybe even your partner! This goes for both men and women; after all, isn’t learning more about ourselves always a good thing?
7) Love Him When He Isn’t Lovable
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but it’s also pretty important. If you’re going to be married for life, you must learn how and when to love your partner even when he isn’t lovable. Whether stressed out from work or upset with something that happened in their day, men tend not to be as expressive with their emotions as women. Sometimes they don’t want us around them while they sort through what’s troubling them, but other times they’re just at a loss for words themselves. In these cases especially, showing them love is essential—they’ll eventually come around and open up once they see that you’re there for them even when it’s hard. Often, they just need space before discussing what’s on their mind. Just make sure you give them that space! But when they do reach out to you, take care of them; let them know how much you love and appreciate them by putting in some extra effort during those tough moments. He will certainly notice and feel better knowing he has someone who cares so much about him. You might think you are annoyed by asking if everything is okay all of the time, but trust me, if he loves you enough to marry you, he doesn’t mind answering your questions.
8) Listen when he isn’t talking
Listening is one of those things that can be both difficult and easy. It’s especially hard when you feel like your husband or boyfriend isn’t listening to you, but don’t let that deter you from giving it your best shot! If he won’t talk, ask him questions. Think about his interests and ask him questions based on those things; just make sure they aren’t too personal—nothing is more likely to kill a conversation faster than asking something that makes someone uncomfortable. When he does talk, listen carefully and respond thoughtfully. Make eye contact with him while he’s talking (even if it seems silly) because doing so will help you focus on what he has to say. And remember: Even if you think you know what your partner will say next, wait until she finishes her thought before speaking up yourself. That way, she knows she has your full attention (and hopefully, she’ll reciprocate). A good listener can turn any situation around, whether at home or in business.
Don’t get defensive: Sometimes, we get defensive because we fear being judged or have some kind of insecurity. People are far less critical than we imagine them to be—most often, people are only trying to help us improve ourselves in their eyes. So instead of taking criticism personally, try to see it as an opportunity for growth and improvement. In other words: Listen when others speak (see above) and offer constructive criticism when asked.
9) Don’t Try to Fix Him (You Can Only Work on Yourself)
Commit yourself fully if you’re committed to improving your relationship with your husband. For example, try not to become consumed with his actions and continue doing things that make you happy. When you put your own life first, both of you feel confident that each of you has room for growth without feeling threatened or discouraged by each other. An important part of maintaining self-confidence is accepting that while we can control some outcomes in our lives, others are out of our hands—especially as they relate to someone else’s behavior. Focus on what’s in your control, and don’t worry about everything else. The more you accept responsibility for your happiness, health, career success, and well-being, the less likely you will blame him when something goes wrong. Instead of trying to fix him (or anything else), work on fixing yourself. The most effective way to improve any relationship is by improving yourself first. And if he still isn’t willing to change? It might be time to move on…but only if it feels right for you. Everyone deserves to be with someone who wants them, respects them, and values their contributions. Don’t settle for anything less than that.
10) Encourage Him and Support Him Whenever Possible
Your husband is your partner, and as such, he relies on you for strength and support. It’s so important to encourage him when you can and provide advice when he needs it. The same goes for your significant other – help them grow whenever possible by providing words of wisdom. When they succeed, rejoice with them; they’ll appreciate it even more than if they had done it themselves! And let them know you’re there for them no matter what happens. You are their rock, after all. So always be there to lend an ear or offer a shoulder to cry on in times of need. After all, they’re just as human as we are – and who doesn’t need someone around who understands? Always remember that love isn’t just about saying I love you every day; it’s also about showing those feelings through your actions. It’s never too late to start working on being a better wife/girlfriend! Just look at how far you’ve come already, and keep going from there. There’s nothing like being able to say that you tried everything in your power to improve yourself and make things better between yourself and your loved one. No relationship is perfect, but yours could still become something truly special given enough time. These tips should serve as a guide – not as rules or commandments!
Just remember: At the end of the day, nobody knows exactly what makes relationships work except for two people: You both do. Read Coping in marriage.