10 Quick & (Mostly) Easy Ways to Love Your Spouse Today...

Smile. Not only can it boost your mood and immune system (and, rumor has it, also make your butt tingle) but smiles are contagious, relieve stress, and are considered more attractive than make-up by almost 70% of men! Make a conscious effort to smile at your mate today.


Hug. Kids love getting them. Pets love getting them. Rest assured your spouse probably does too. A quick and easy way to say "I love you." Don't let the day go by without hugging your spouse!


 Say something nice. It can be anything from, "You look beautiful today" (one of my personal favorites) to "Honey, you give such great advice sometimes" (my man melts at that) to "I just really like being around you". The options are endless...why do we often struggle to shower our spouse with verbal affirmation? We don't always know how stressful their days are, but I bet they can always use our kind words! (Included in this list is remembering to thank them...I often take for granted the ways my husband serves our family by working so hard. My appreciation of him needs to be spoken!)

Laugh. Laughter really is the best medicine. Has your spouse heard you laugh lately? Not only does it make them feel like you actually want to be around them, but it also releases tension and increases bonding. So whether you're laughing because you are enjoying time with your spouse, or your laughing to try and work through something with your spouse, remember that you are on the same team. And take time to laugh.


 Don't say the something that doesn't need to be said. The day was long and your spouse didn't follow through with that commitment...again. You want to snap, but take a breath, empathize with what they may be going through, and say something encouraging instead. Later, when you are less heated and tired, you can address the issue. But for now, bite your tongue and use your words to be kind instead.


 Give focused attention. You're busy. It can be difficult to take time to just sit. But five minutes of one-on-one attention with eye-contact and no multitasking might be just the connection you and your spouse need to fill the love tank. There are a lot of things that can wait...take the five minutes to really focus on the one you committed to "for better or worse".


Let them know they are on your mind. There are so many ways to do this in the age of modern technology. A quick text message or short email can go a long way in making your mate feel special. Feeling feisty? A flirty or sexy note can ensure they will be thinking about you all day long. 

 
Plant one on em'. It takes more work to french kiss (using 34 face muscles as opposed to just 2 for a quick peck) and burns more calories (6.4 a minute which comes out to 384 calories an hour). It is also statistically shown that kissing your spouse for at least a six-second interval helps many people feel closer to their mate all day! 

Do Something Nice. Sometimes I feel like I am serving, serving, serving my family. But that attitude gets me nowhere and I mean no where. If I focus on myself I can end up grumpy, self-righteous, and fully lacking the desire to serve anybody in my family, especially my fully-capable husband. But when I look for ways to serve my spouse it becomes a game I play. How can I serve my husband in this particular instance? Not only does he feel loved, but I end up in a much better mood. Do something nice for your spouse today, just because.


Thank God for them. Whether you feel like you might just pull all of your hair out (or smother them with a pillow while they sleep) or you are riding the gentle waves of marriage, cultivating a thankful heart is one of the most important ways to keep your marriage strong and healthy. They may have done 101 things to irritate you today and you are certainly not in a thankful mood! But take a minute (you don't have to tell them you are doing this) and think of a few things about them you are thankful for. Do they love your kids well? Are they a faithful provider? Take a minute and thank God for them and their value to you and your family. And don't be surprised if you find yourself a little bit softer towards them afterwards.

Today I am linking up with Better Mom Mondays! To get to her blog click here!