Being in a relationship is not as easy as it looks in shows and movies. There is always an immense pressure to perform grand gestures and live up to expectations.
However, holding negative emotions because your partner failed to do as expected is a toxic trait and can be unhealthy in a relationship.
On the other hand, the role of appreciation in relationships is of great importance. It doesn’t have to be grand gestures but small acts of affection and appreciation to show your partner you love them as you did the day you got together.
Nevertheless, most disappointments arise when you feel neglected and unappreciated. Therefore, it is as important to know that you are appreciated as it is important to show appreciation.
Research conducted by Dr. John Gottman suggests that even the smallest gestures of appreciation on regular days significantly improve the relationship. It builds more love, trust, and affection and strengthens the bond.
However, as aforementioned, people tend to develop unreal expectations that may make all these sincere gestures go unnoticed and feel unloved. As a result, end up criticizing their partner or feeling the loss of love.
To avoid that, here are 10 signs of appreciation every couple should know.
Listening isn’t everything; sometimes people sit and listen either because they can’t find a nicer way to excuse themselves, or they just do it out of respect. If your partner puts their phone down around you and their eyes are locked on you. This is a clear sign they appreciate you.
There is not a single distraction in the world that would divert their attention from you. If you’re in a relationship, you might have already observed this behavior. That is when you are in a crowded place and your partner continuously looks at you as you speak.
Being in a relationship isn’t a one-man show. Both partners need to be fully invested and participate in resolving conflicts as soon as they arise. If your partner is the one to be reaching out without any manipulative ways to get you down, they truly appreciate you.
This just comes to show they disregard the conflict and just want to be on happy terms with you. A toxic partner would take this effort and put it in, manipulating you emotionally until you’re apologizing for whatever happened.
Whereas an appreciative partner would love you enough that you want to apologize and disregard the conflict.
This is a follow-up of the second sign. At best, all you need is ten minutes to yourself to realize that you do not want to have any conflicts. If your partner truly appreciates you, they’ll be rushing to apologize and ensure they do not repeat their mistakes.
Taking full responsibility for one’s mistake is a sign of maturity as much as it is a sign of appreciation.
Honesty is crucial in any relationship. Otherwise, the relationship will not last long, and it was never worth it to begin with.
Whether it is a mistake or opening up about something, an appreciative partner will be honest with you. It’s a common saying – strong relationships are only built on trust and honesty.
Dating your partner doesn’t stop after marriage. Love only dies out when left unattended. Remember, it was the initial moments when you admired each other’s personality and looks.
After being married, it is common to become comfortable with one another. However, an appreciative partner will be willing to spend quality time with you regardless of whatever matters they have to attend to.
Asking someone for their opinion is a sign of great respect. It means they see you as someone wise and capable of helping them out, whether it is picking a dress or making important life decisions.
If your partner asks you for your opinion and values it, they genuinely appreciate and respect you.
Clinginess is cute, but excess of everything is bad. As humans, everyone needs some extent of privacy and boundaries. An appreciative partner will never attempt to control you and tell you who you can or can’t see.
They will also not force or manipulate you into doing things you are uncomfortable with. Remember, being in a relationship does not mean “slavery.” As harsh as the word may sound, it is true that some toxic partners would get upset and force you into being happy in circumstances of their choice.
Suppose you spot your partner smiling at you for no reason. You are in luck! They still admire you and appreciate you. Whether you goof around or tell jokes to crack them up, either way, it’s a great sign!
It means you make them feel happy and contemptuous. For that, your partner is appreciative of you, and just looking at you lightens up their mood.
This sign is a bit hard to spot but possibly one of the best. All the little things you do, your partner would never let it come to the point where you have to say, “Oh, I did this and that for you!”.
An appreciative partner understands the hard work you do and the sacrifices you make. They will continuously bring up the good things you do as positive reinforcement.
Then again, a toxic partner would just say that these are things you have to do and nothing special unless you buy them a luxurious villa and a car.
Finally, at the end of the list. Unconditional love is by far the greatest sign of appreciation in a relationship. You’re the luckiest person alive if your partner does not force you to do things you do not like.
Moreover, they do not expect you to dress or speak a certain way or do things that would be out of your comfort zone. Think of it this way: you’re comfortable with friends because you can easily accept or reject things others want to do without straining the friendship.
A loving and appreciative partner is someone who values you for who you are and loves your ways of showing love.
There are dozens of different signs of appreciation in a relationship. However, the ten mentioned in this article carry a lot of weight and give you the insight to understand whether your partner appreciates you or not.
Note that, these are inarguable as no alternative to these small gestures show you love your partner. This is the bare minimum criteria, and any appreciative partner will be able to show these signs without needing to learn about them.
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