In fact, it was our mission! We bought flowers, listened, took her on dates that cost more money than we actually had, and arrived at her beck and call if she had a bad day. We did all this because we wanted to win her heart. Why is this so hard to translate into married life, years later? RELATED: 18 Comforting Signs He’s The One I’ll never forget the night. It was the end of a long, stressful week, and I was tired. I just wanted to call it a night and get some sleep. My wife’s week had been just as long and stressful. She wanted to unwind and have an actual adult conversation too since her week consisted of conversations with toddlers. But I was zoned out, consumed with my own weariness. I think there was even a football game that took my attention. I could see the look on her face. She wasn’t angry or demanding, belligerent or shameful; she was hurt. Genuinely hurt. My week had consisted of meetings, deadlines, and conversations … lots of conversations. With adults, no less. People who could intelligibly respond to my question or dialogue without snickering under their breath, calling me a doo-doo head, or screaming “I have to go potty” in my face. “I want you to want to be with me,” she said when I finally clued in and asked what was wrong. “I don’t feel as important as all of these other things.” I realize that many readers have spouses who work outside of the home, but the same principle applies. It was a wake-up call. One I needed. In fact, it’s still one I need from time to time. I’m a long way from getting this down to a science. After nearly 16 years of marriage, you learn some things. I tend to learn the hard way. In my heart, I want my wife to know, and feel, that she’s the most important person on earth to me. The question is, how? How do I make her feel like she’s the luckiest woman in the world?
7 sweet ways to make your wife feel like the luckiest woman ever:
1. Put her needs above your own.
Last year I wrote a post called The Serving Spouse. In it, I talked about the importance of putting your spouse’s needs above your own. I believe that if more married couples did this, the marital success rate would increase exponentially. Husbands, this is crucial. Become the biggest servant of your wife. You will win when you do this. Trust me! That’s why it’s the first bullet point. If you and I can get this one right, our wives will feel honored every single day of their lives. And they will show the same respect for your needs, too. RELATED: How To Know If He’s ‘The One’ And What That Even Means
2. Show up unexpectedly, often.
Only stay at work late three out of the five days of the week. Come home early (or on time) the other two. Surprise her for lunch and spend time with her when she’s at home. Voluntarily go with her to the things she’s involved in. You and I should not only show up unexpectedly often but also pack surprises when we can. This is bigger than flowers. Surprise her by farming all of the kids out for the evening and taking her on a date. Surprise her by coming home early, volunteering to clean the kitchen, or taking it upon yourself to carry a load of laundry upstairs. She’ll feel valued and cherished when you do these random, seemingly minuscule, acts for her.
3. Think like you’re in college.
There was no distance you and I weren’t willing to walk or measure we weren’t willing to go to see her, talk to her, or be with her. Somehow this dies (or goes on life-support) when you move from sharing a college campus to sharing a house, a bed, and a life with her. Why is that? I remember finagling my class schedule (even if it cost me a better grade) to see my future wife when we were in college. Heck, I even blew off class to hang out in the city with her. Why don’t I think like that these days? Why don’t you? Maybe we should start thinking, or even acting like we’re in college more often. Disclaimer: If you got caught making out in the back of the library or something when you were in college, you may want to modify acting like you’re in college with everything. :-)
4. Give her 1 for every 3.
For every three hours you’re working or spending time doing what you love, give her one full hour of your undivided attention. For instance, if your workday is nine hours long, give her three hours. After a week that adds up to 15. You’ve got your weekend covered! RELATED: 25 Easy Date Ideas You Can Do From The Comfort Of Your Home
5. Actually want to be with her.
It’s one thing to say you want to spend time with your wife, but it’s another thing to actually want to do it. Guess what, fellas? She can tell when you’re faking it. Our wives are not stupid. Just because you got the college degree and she didn’t finish because she married you and eventually began the most important job in the world as a stay-at-home-mom, doesn’t mean she’s not smart. She is!
6. Ignore your phone at home.
This is a big one for me. I bet it is for a lot of you guys too. I know the struggle—work is important, and so are exterior relationships. I get it. I’ve got a blog that averages close to 100,000 readers a month and a Twitter following that’s over 22,000. My email subscriber list is growing too. While those aren’t astronomical numbers, they’re still high enough to keep me busy, all the time. The reality, however, is that I don’t always need to be on my phone answering tweets, or responding to commenters on our blog. I need downtime, away time, but, so does my wife. More importantly, she needs me. Not just my presence, but my focus.
7. Date her.
I know you’ve heard this a million times in the past, but it’s such an important thing to do. For some odd reason, we lose the value of this after we get married. We did too for a time. And the funny thing is, I lived to take my wife on dates before we got married. Why is this a chore for me at times? Why is it for you? What I’ve learned is simple: when I intentionally plan times for her and me to get away (for a good amount of time, not just a trip to Target) she feels valued. Plain and simple. Guys, you and I need to make this a priority. We need to spend time away from our kids and our home so we can invest in our marriages and get to know our wives on a deeper level. As I said earlier in this post, I’m far from getting this down to a science. In fact, I blow this often. Guys, you and I are rowing in the same boat. We’ve got work to do. It’s the most important work in the world. Our marriages are worth it. Our wives are worth it. Remember, she was the girl of your dreams back in the day. She’s the one human being who could actually get your heart beating fast. Treat her like she’s still all of this and more. In fact, treat her like the queen of the world! Mike Berry is a blogger and the author of 7 Hills Every Parent Should Die On. He has also spent 18 years as a public speaker and family consultant. This article was originally published at The Good Men Project. Reprinted with permission from the author.
