Ways to Show Appreciation to Your Spouse

Years of familiarity can make it easy to overlook the thoughtful acts your partner does for you. However, understanding the positive impact of expressing...

Marriage
June 26, 2025

Years of familiarity can make it easy to overlook the thoughtful acts your partner does for you. However, understanding the positive impact of expressing gratitude can inspire you to show appreciation to your spouse. Spontaneously remind your spouse of your love for them by sending a sweet, romantic text or writing them a heartfelt letter or note. Acknowledge specific deeds with genuine thanks, such as doing your chores, surprising you with your favorite treat, or offering helpful insights or advice. Insist they take a day off from responsibilities and let them relax while you handle the chores as a token of gratitude for their efforts. These simple actions can make your spouse feel valued and loved, strengthening your bond and fostering a more harmonious relationship.

Remind Them of Your Love for Them

The age-long tradition of professing love to your partner is instrumental when you want to show appreciation to your spouse. Reminding them you love them will have some overarching influence on how well they will treat you.You can also remind them of your love by flirting with them and saying how you feel in short, witty remarks.You can speak sexual jokes and input punchlines of how you want them because you love and admire them.You can also plan dates to tell them of your love.During the dates, you can slip notes filled with your declaration of love and desire to spend eternity with them. Planning the dates on your lonesome will show your spouse how much you appreciate their efforts.Similarly, you can plan displays of love tailored to their love language.If they love words of affirmation, you can write paragraphs containing compliments for them and how much you love them. If they love acts of service, you can help them with their specific duties. If they fancy gifts, you can get the things they would appreciate. Regardless of their love language, there's always something you can do for them.

Thank Them

Thanksgiving can be an essential part of any relationship because it gives a partner to appreciate the efforts of the other while making the other feel loved and appreciated.

Hence, if you want to show appreciation to your spouse, you have to thank them.You can start by thanking them for the general things they have done.You can also thank them for their general qualities like honesty, trustworthiness, good communication skills, listening ears, motivational speeches, financial skills, and love for you.Similarly, you can thank them for the identifiable things. Generally, the thanks given for specific events are better because they can easily see why you thanked them.When thanking them, be sure you do it properly. Avoid making your thanks all about sacrifices they make since that will make them believe you only care about them putting themselves in extreme situations to help you.

Give Them Off-Days

Getting off days can be a fantastic experience for anyone because it means there are fewer responsibilities on that day and more free time to enjoy peace or engage in fun activities. Thus, you can show appreciation to your spouse by allowing them to enjoy off-days. The off-day can start with the chores to do in the morning. Despite the structured house chore plan you may have, it will be fantastic for your partner to awaken to your voice, telling them not to worry about the chores for the day because you are trying to appreciate them. With their off day, they can go to town and have fun alone. Doing this can allow them to clear their head and think of personal things. Getting that chance from you will make them appreciate you in return and push them to reciprocate. If they have personal development classes or books to catch up on, the off day will be an excellent opportunity to get by with the pursuit. You will be helping them pursue their goals when you initiate this idea.

a man cutting food on the kitchen counter

Cook for Them

If you don't have a passion for cooking, it can be a stressful affair for you. Even if you have a passion for it, cooking on purpose for your partner will make them feel loved.You can consider doing it if you want to show appreciation to your spouse.Instead of cooking just any meal, you can cook their favorite meal, ensuring that they will be delighted with it. And if you want to experiment with something else, you can try to remember meals they have mentioned in the past. The more you can blend their desires into the meal, the happier they'll be.If you aren't so good at cooking the meal, you can check for videos online to follow their recipes and cooking methods. Doing this can help you gain confidence in your cooking and sound cute to your spouse when they hear how you learned it.When you appreciate your partner with this method, it will show how much you are willing to keep the marriage kicking. It will also enable them to show more love to you.

Show Them Love for No Reason

Unexpected displays of affection are usually the cutest because they happen without visible indications. When you show appreciation to your spouse unexpectedly, they are sure to remember the moments multiple times and feel giddy all over.You can get them a surprise spa appointment, ensuring that they get some luxurious treatment for their body. You may follow them for the treat, allowing them to enjoy your presence while enjoying your surprise gift.You can also send them a food basket without any reason. Just attach a general thank you note to the food and watch how happy they will be.If they are busy at work for longer hours, you can surprise them with a visit, carrying sweet things and homemade food. When you do all these acts, they will be happy and likely reciprocate.‍

Conclusion

When you show appreciation to your spouse, you will get a continuous cycle of good deeds from both of you in the marriage, resulting in a sweeter relationship.You can appreciate your spouse by reminding them of your love for them, thanking them, giving them off-days, cooking for them, and showing them love for no reason.

Author

Jennifer Luttman, LPC, ACS

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, and owner of Overcomers Counseling. I'm dedicated to helping individuals find strength and healing through life’s challenges. With a deep understanding of mental health and years of professional experience, I specialize in fostering hope and resilience while equipping her clients with tools to thrive. Passionate about empowering others, she creates a safe, supportive space where everyone feels seen, valued, and capable of overcoming obstacles on their path to well-being.

Common Questions

Questions about Marriage

When Should I Talk to a Professional?

If you've tried everything and you're still not sure how to help your codependent husband, it may be time to seek professional help. This is a big decision, but it may be the best thing for your husband and your relationship. If you're not sure where to start, you can talk to your husband's doctor or mental health professional. They will be able to provide you with more information on codependency and how to help your husband.

How can I tell if my relationship is emotionally healthy?

There are a few key indicators that can help you to tell if your relationship is emotionally healthy. First, do you and your partner feel safe communicating with each other? Do you feel like you can express your emotions freely, without judgment or criticism? Are there mutual respect's needs and boundaries? Are you both willing to compromise when necessary? If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, then it's likely that you have an emotionally healthy relationship.

Is it possible to overcome abandonment issues completely?

While complete recovery from abandonment issues may not be possible for everyone, it is possible to manage symptoms effectively with the help of professional support, self-care practices, and ongoing personal development. With time and effort, it is possible to build healthier relationships and increase overall well-being.

Is it normal to feel nervous before starting couples therapy?

Yes, it's completely normal. Starting therapy can feel daunting as it often involves discussing sensitive topics. It's important to remember that it's okay to feel this way and that your therapist is there to support you.

What are some things that can damage trust in a relationship?

Some signs that trust is present in a relationship include feeling safe to be yourself, being able to rely on your partner, and feeling like you can share anything with them.

How do I make my spouse feel special over text?

Here are some ideas:

  • Send a sweet and heartfelt message in the middle of the day
  • Tell them how much you love and appreciate them
  • Send a cute photo with a loving message attached
  • Plan a surprise for later in the day or week
  • What are some thoughtful things to do for your spouse?

Some thoughtful things you can do for your spouse are:

  • Write them a heartfelt letter expressing your love and appreciation for them
  • Make them breakfast in bed
  • Plan a surprise weekend getaway
  • Do something that they've been wanting to do but haven't had the time for
  • What are some romantic things to do for your spouse?

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