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Writer's pictureShe's SINGLE Magazine
Dec 13, 20218 min read

14 Ways to Show Appreciation in a Relationship

by Kimberly Perez

Image courtesy of JoyAmo Jewelry


It is nice to feel special and wanted when you are in a relationship. Finding new and creative ways to make your girlfriend feel special is a great way to show her how much you care. Women, like people in general, feel as though actions speak far louder than words. If you are struggling with ideas to make your girlfriend feel special below are several ideas that can help.


OCCASIONAL GESTURES:

CLASSIC GOOD MORNING TEXT

There is nothing like waking up to a text from your favorite person. While a "hi" might start the conversation, a meaningful and thought-out opener will show your girlfriend that she truly is special. Some options might include "Good morning, beautiful. I was thinking of you" or "I hope you have a wonderful morning. I can't wait to see you tonight." Not only during the morning, but it is also such a great feeling to receive a call or text from someone special for no apparent reason throughout the day; it shows that you remember her despite your hectic schedule.


REMEMBER IMPORTANT DATES Girls feel less important once their special someone forgets anniversaries, birthdays, or “month-saries”. While remembering your actual anniversary is important, remind her of the specific days that you went on your first date, when you had your first kiss, or when the two of you became engaged. Doing something small to acknowledge those dates go far in proving how you feel about her. It might be something as small as a single rose or even just mentioning the date in passing but showing that you’ve remembered these details is a fantastic way to show how important she is to you.


GIVE HER GIRLS NIGHT

Sometimes a girl needs a night out (or in) with her friends. Although you enjoy spending time together, there can be a need for some activities apart. Giving her some space to be with friends lets her know that you don't feel the need to monopolize her time. It is a good idea to shoot her a quick text telling her to have fun, though! If she is going out to a bar or getting alcoholic beverages with friends, it is even better if you can offer her and her friends a sober ride home. Ensuring that she makes it home safe will show her how special she is to you. CREATE NEW EXPERIENCES TOGETHER Dates these days are so often standard events - dinner and a movie being the go-to. By planning a date night that is different from the norm you can show your girlfriend that you have thought about your time together and how to spend it best.


It would be best for your date to include things that you both enjoy, but it is extra special if it is something that she loves. If she is passionate about art, check out a new art exhibit. If she enjoys basketball, take her to a game. “Arranging classes to foster a passion of hers, a cooking course, for example, shows that you know what’s important to her and that you’re supportive,” says relationship expert, Rori Sassoon.


SINCERE COMPLIMENTS

A real compliment can go a long way to making your girl feel important. Telling your girl that you love her passion and drive in her career is a compliment that runs deep. While telling her that she looks good in her dress is a nice thing to say, a compliment about her strengths and talents will likely stay with her for longer. Go further and compliment her in public. Do it when you’re with friends, family, and business associates. It will not only make her feel appreciated and special but it shows you’re proud to be with her. When giving a sincere compliment, it is important to be honest about it. Honesty in compliments is often something that can be felt, which makes the compliment so much better.


PUBLIC AFFECTION Not everyone is into PDA but minor gestures can mean a lot to her. While kisses on the lips are great, a kiss to the forehead acts as a caring gesture that carries more weight than lip kisses do in some ways. Another brief way to show PDA is by giving her an unexpected embrace, especially when she’s tense. This brings your strength to the tension and allows her to relax from it.


For a lot of people, holding hands is very juvenile. In truth, the connection sets of hormones in the brain are called oxytocin. This hormone boosts moods, decreases stress levels, and strengthens your relationship. When you are the first to grab her hand, she feels loved because it was your idea, as women are generally the first to initiate physical contact.


SPEAK WITH YOUR BODY If you want to know how to make a girl feel special, body language is everything. When at a restaurant, sit next to her instead of across from her. If you’re always near her or sitting towards her it subconsciously makes her feel wanted and protected.


Show her that you still desire her even further. Give her a long hug when you see her and kiss her when she doesn’t expect it. Make love instead of raw sex, get some candles, dim the lights, and offer a massage. Slowly kiss her body and if you are both in the mood, start with giving her pleasure first. Putting her needs before yours won’t be overlooked on her end.


To truly surprise her with your thoughtfulness, you might consider adding a personal touch with a curated collection of gift baskets in Toronto, perfect for setting a romantic evening or celebrating a special occasion together in Canada. Each basket is thoughtfully assembled to add an extra layer of intimacy and appreciation between you two. ROMANTIC GIFTS There are all kinds of gifts and she will be happy about most of them. However, girls prefer gifts that hold personal meaning in them, one that shows you have put some thought into them. The ideal gifts that fall into this category are the ones that are engraved with your names or the date you came together.


A perfect yet simple way to show this is by giving her a signature name necklace with her or your name/initials on it. To make it extra special for her look into couple’s jewelry like this Infinity Name Necklace which holds both your name and hers around an infinity symbol.


This is a personal recommendation from She’s SINGLE Magazine. The Infinity Name Necklace is dainty, attractive and light to wear. This necklace comes in 3 types of metals: 925 Sterling Silver, 18K Gold Plating and 18K Rose Gold Plating. Perfect for everyday wear and can make any woman smile from ear to ear. Head over to JoyAmo Custom Name Necklaces & Jewelry today and grab your lucky lady her very own Infinity Name Necklace.

Another great gift idea is a personalized handkerchief that she can use during special occasions. You know a handkerchief is top tier when it is made with high-quality material and construction sewed to last for years. With such a bespoke customized linen handkerchief, she can use it for a long time and even pass it on to her future daughters as an heirloom.


SHOW SMALL ACTS OF THOUGHTFULNESS

It doesn’t seem like fancy trips or heroic declarations of love impress most women. More than heroism and grand gestures, it’s the small, everyday acts of thoughtfulness and care that seem to matter most. Thinking about small ways to show appreciation, to make her life easier, or to anticipate what she needs are just some of the ways you can show her how much you love her.


Ask yourself “What does she need help with?” “What would brighten her day?” “What has she appreciated that you’ve done for her before?” Consciously think of small ways to improve her life – things like putting away your clothes or the dishes in the kitchen seem to make a much bigger difference to women than you can imagine.


Ask her what food she likes, what color she prefers, or what drink she likes better. This will mean so much to her because you value her decisions and ask her opinions in every choice you make. “Since you can’t read her mind, it’s fine to ask her what would make her feel special,” says relationship therapist, John Sullivan. This may even mean picking up on small chores she usually does. “The key is then to do one or two a day whether you feel like it or not.”


ONGOING GESTURES:

MAKING TIME A woman feels loved when you make time for and prioritize her in your life. I’ve seen a lot of men who tend to create a lot of time for women during the dating process, but not once they’re in a relationship with them. Just like how you create time for anything else you value in your life, you have to create time for your girlfriend. Make it time that’s dedicated exclusively to her – fun nights out, game nights at home, or joint adventures with friends. Creating time for the woman in your life helps her feel important, cared for, and loved. If you continually date and woo her, she won’t feel taken for granted.


APPRECIATE HER

Most women go out of their way to nurture, care for and serve the people they care most about so much of their work and giving is ignored. Express your sincere gratitude. Letting your girlfriend know how much you appreciate everything she does for you, is the same as expressing how much you love her. Her compliments and acts of kindness towards you deserve gratitude in return. So, as much as possible don’t forget to say “Thank you” either by telling her personally or showing it. Simple appreciation for what she means to you can make a world of difference to her.


CULTIVATE COMPASSION Part of accepting her involves compassion and understanding what she’s going through. Compassion means understanding her challenges, her upbringing, and the difficulties she’s experiencing daily. This means being present, being empathetic, being forgiving, and seeing where she’s coming from—it’s not having to be right all the time but letting her do things the way she wants from time to time. Put yourself in her shoes and see things from her perspective. Compassion can involve simply creating space for her or holding her for comfort.

Related articles: Being Too Independent In a Relationship: Upsides and Downsides ACCEPT HER FOR WHO SHE IS Society has spent generation after generation creating an “ideal” mold of what all women should fit into whether it be what to do, what to eat, how to look, and even how to dress. Just because news, media, and culture harass women and get them to conform doesn’t mean that you should. Instead of attempting to change her or to get her to become someone she’s not, work on becoming the best person you can be.


Work on your growth, not your desire to change her, and how to let go of that desire. Take your gratitude practice up a notch by looking for what you can appreciate about the woman you’re with, not what you can criticize her for. Appreciate her for the best version of herself instead of reminding her of her flaws. The last thing she’ll want to hear is that she doesn’t measure up or is insufficient in some way.


MAKE AN EFFORT If you truly want your girlfriend to feel special, there are so many ways to do so. What is important, however, is that you truly make an effort. If you have tried these suggestions and the relationship doesn't feel as it should, getting professional help can be a real asset to your relationship.

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