This doesn’t mean that all relationship problems can be solved with a list as above, but I’d be willing to bet that at the route of a lot of marriage problems is lack of motivation caused by lack of appreciation. That is sad, but true. So many husbands and wives just don’t feel appreciated by their partners. They feel that everything they do is in vain, so who can blame them for feeling burnt out and emotionally exhausted.

Take a few minutes to think about this…do you think that your partner deserves some appreciation? What are some things they do that deserve some good ol’ praise and thanks?

Get out your pen and paper and start writing. Below are some ideas for things you can include that should never go unappreciated.

1. I love the way you smile at me when I come in the door.
2. I love when you wake me up with a kiss
3. I love when you hug me for no reason
4. I love that you always ask me how my day was when I get home
5. I love that you try so hard to get along with my family, even when they are being difficult
6. I love when you approach me for a quickie
7. I love making out with you in the middle of a movie
8. I love watching you with our children, you are such an amazing father/mother
9. I love watching you with other people, you are so kind and selfless
10. I love that you always put the cap on the toothpaste just for me
11. I love making love to you in the middle of the afternoon when the sun is shining
12. I love when you give me our “secret wink” in public
13. I love when you take my hand while walking beside me
14. I love the way your eyes light up when you see me
15. I love when you get playful
16. I love feeling your strong arms around me at night as we fall asleep
17. I love the contentment I feel just sitting with you while we eat breakfast
18. I love the way your silky hair feels on my skin
19. I love when you lay your head on my chest
20. I love when you tell me how pretty I am
21. I love when you tell me how safe you feel in my arms
22. I love when you kiss my forehead
23. I love when you introduce me as your beautiful wife
24. I love when you introduce me as your gorgeous husband
25. I love when you turn off the TV to spend time with me
26. I love the way you listen so intently when I tell you about my day
27. I love that you always notice when I get my hair cut
28. I love that you always compliment me when I wear a new outfit
29. I love that let me read the comics first on Saturday
30. I love when you make love to me even though you are really tired and would prefer to sleep
31. I love that you appreciate all the things I do
32. I love that you never leave me by myself at a party
33. I love that you love to cuddle
34. I love when you greet me at the door in lingerie
35. I love when you tease me
36. I love when you make my favorite meal for supper, I feel so special
37. I love that you always dry the dishes because you know I hate doing it
38. I love that you never make me feel like a failure
39. I love that you don’t tell me what to do or how to do it
40. I love when you let me take charge and plan things
41. I love when you take charge and plan things
42. I love when you fill the car with gas so I won’t have to
43. I love when you leave me lovenotes to find

44. I love that you read relationship books for us

A Random Act of Affection is just that, being affectionate towards your partner for no reason and at completely spontaneous times. Why should cuddling and kissing be limited to certain situations, such as after sex or while watching a movie? Maybe some of you reading this are in a new relationship and still in the “Can’t keep your hands off each other” phase. Well, when all the newness dies down there is really no excuse for nolonger being affectionate with your love on a regular basis. How much time does it take to kiss your sweetheart on the back of the neck while they are cooking supper, for example?

I guarantee that your partner will love receiving your Random Acts of Affection, it may even inspire them to start sending some your way. When you are affectionate with your partner on a regular basis you are setting the overall tone of your relationship to be more positive and intimate. Instead of time making you more and more like two roomates, Random Acts of Affection help insure that you will always be two lovers.

Below are some excellent Random Acts of Affection you can try on your love.

• Hug your partner from behind while they are brushing their teeth, washing the dishes or making supper.
• Take your partner’s hand while walking together
• Play slow music and ask your spouse to dance
• While your partner is seated to talk on the phone or read a book walk by and stop to kiss him or her on the forehead
• Share a full mouth kiss with your love as soon as you walk in the door and whenever you leave
• Sneak up on your love and nuzzle your face in their hair or neck
• Run fingers through your love’s hair, or rest your hand on his/her back while waiting in a long line up.
• Hold hands across the table while eating dinner
• Rest your head on his chest while watching a movie (even if it is a movie theatre)
• Hold hands while driving together
• Soothingly rub your love’s leg while sitting beside him or her
• Place your hand on the small of her back while walking
• Enthusiastically hug her from the side and plant a kiss on her cheek for no reason
• Caress your partner’s face or arms while talking
• Invade your partner’s side of the bed for some cuddling tonight before falling asleep
• Offer to brush her hair
• Offer to shave his face
• Touch your partner in some way every time you walk by them. It could be a hand brushing across the shoulder or back, grasping their hand then letting it slide away, tosselling their hair or a quick kiss.
• Cuddle up to your love while they are watching TV
• Watch your love while they are reading the newspaper or otherwise engaged in concentration, when they look up and make eye contact smile and say “I love you”, or “You are so beautiful”.
• When she puts on a new outfit that you like be sure to admire her with your eyes, say “Wow”, then take her hand and twirl her around playfully. Finish it off with a kiss.
• Gather her up in your arms and hug for no reason other than you because love her so much

The best way to make sure someone continues to do what you like is by appreciating them when they do do it. If you let your boyfriend know that you think he is the most romantic man in the world (even if he isn’t) he will strive to be even more romantic. Not to mention that his chest will puff out in utter pride for pleasing you.

The same works for women…so often I have received compliments for this and that aspect of my personality and thought to myself ‘hmmm, I don’t think I’m really THAT generous” (or whatever the compliment was). I then want to live up to these great things that are being said about me and be a better person.

Your partner will thrive in your relationship if you give them appreciation for everything they do and everything they are. Wouldn’t you?

Here are some ways to inspire the best in your partner:

• Compile a list of things you appreciate about your partner and/or 100 things you love about your partner and watch them read it when you’re through. click here for some suggestions
• Give your wife flowers for no reason and always include a card or note with a special message. My father comes up with very creative messages for his girlfriend and just today she told me that she now looks forward to reading his cards more than getting the flowers! 
• Never stop dishing out compliments and appreciation. Your wife will be less likely to tire of cooking you supper every night if you tell her that she is the best cook and that you love her food. Likewise, your husband will feel better about taking out the trash if you remind him every single week of how much you appreciate that you don’t have to lug the heavy bags out to the end of the driveway.

Who ever gave us the idea that if we compliment our partner once or appreciate what they do just once, that that is enough to motivate them to do it for a lifetime? Men if you have trouble understanding why your wife needs repeated compliments think of how you’d feel if she never appreciated all of the things you do for her. Women, if you have trouble understanding why he needs you to appreciate and admire him, think of how you’d feel if he told you that you are beautiful the day you met…then never again.

Leave a note in their briefcase, before they go to work, giving them a taste of what’s to come when they get home. Try: “I’m sending the kids to the babysitter’s tonight”.

Appreciate your Parner

If your husband takes out the trash every week, post a “Thank you, I love you” note on the garbage bag where he will see it.

Daily Reminders of Love

Buy him/her a daily planner and scatter love notes on the pages within it.

Love Notes Redeemable for…

Create some fun coupons for your partner to redeem and leave them in his/her check book or coupon box. Example: “Redeemable for dinner for two at your favorite restaurant.”, “Redeemable for an evening of pampering.”, “Redeemable for one quickie”.

RomanticPrintables.com has an awesome collection of printable love coupons…they’re prewritten so you won’t be staring at a blank piece of paper trying to figure out what to say!

Going Away Love Notes

Before your love leaves for a vacation, stick a card in their suitcase with a personal note. They will find it when they arrive at their destination. Include their favorite chocolate bar or candy as a surprise. This is also great to do when your long distance love leaves after visiting with you.

Or – Before you leave for a vacation or after visiting your long distance love, leave a lovenote and small gift hidden somewhere in their house. When you arrive at your destination call your partner and tell them to look “in the linen closet”….or let him or her find it by surprise.

This works on men too, the other day I called my boyfriend “gorgeous” and he temporarily forgot what he was going to say and broke into a smile from ear to ear. Now, wouldn’t you like to have an effect like that on your partner?

Here are some reasons why nicknames are great:

• They serve as wonderful compliments if you pick the right one for your mate (ie: sexy, beautiful, handsome, etc.)
• They are romantic (ie: sweetheart, my love, darling)
• They make you smile (ie: sugar lips, sweet cheeks, snookums)
• When you choose a special nickname for your partner they will feel special (ie: sunshine, smiley, angel)
• They are playful (ie: sexy, babe, Tarzan, Superman)

Below is a list of some nicknames you can consider using in your relationship. Remember, often the most special nicknames are orginal. They represent some aspect about your partner or your relationship that you love. Keep this in mind when choosing a nickname for your love.

1. Angel
2. Babe
3. Baby
4. Beauty
5. Beautiful
6. Bella
7. Buttercup
8. Cupcake
9. Cutie
10. Cutie Pie
11. Darling
12. Dear
13. Doll
14. Dumpling
15. Handsome
16. Hulk
17. Hun (short for Hunny)
18. Hunny
19. Hunny Bunn(s)
20. Gorgeous
21. Kitten
22. Love
23. Lovely
24. Lulu
25. My Little Cutie
26. My Love
27. My Sweet Baboo
28. Brown Eyed Girl (or blue or green, etc.)
29. Peanut
30. Pookie
31. Princess
32. Pumpkin
33. Rosey
34. Sexy
35. Smiley
36. Sugar
37. Sugar Lips
38. Sunshine
39. Superman
40. Sweet Cheeks
41. Sweet Pea
42. Sweety
43. Sweety Pie
44. Sweetheart
45. Tarzan
46. Twinkle Toes