Did you know that gratitude can lead to an overall feeling of happiness and contentment? In relationships, it can be easy to let the little moments go by unnoticed. It can be easy to take each other for granted, especially when you know the person will always be there. Instead of letting the little moments go unnoticed, what if we acknowledge them? What if we catch those moments, tell our spouse how we feel, and truly appreciate what we have in life? Let’s look at 4 simple ways to show gratitude to our spouse/partner, and in doing so, improve our own mental health and happiness.
4 Ways To Show Gratitude To Your Spouse/Partner
1) Show Gratitude with Small Gestures
Try to make small gestures daily. It will lead to a greater impact in your life as a couple. Saying “Hello” or “Goodbye” with a kiss, daily, starts your day off right. When your spouse gets home from work, greet him/her with a smile and “How was your day?” Little gestures can add up to make a big impact in how we feel as a couple.
Small gestures can take many forms and can happen at any point in the day. If you see your spouse is tired and is dragging, step in and take over the dishes, or take out the garbage, or make dinner. Pitch in to help! Give your spouse a hand to lessen his/her workload, and watch how lightening the load can brighten the mood.
2) Share Your Compliments
We all appreciate when someone takes a moment to compliment us. When we’ve been having a rough day, a compliment can take some of the attention off the negative and lighten our mood.
Have you ever thought something nice about your spouse? Have you looked on as he/she was playing with the kids and thought “He is such a good dad” or “How does she do all of this?”? Don’t just think it! Go ahead and say it! Saying what we were already thinking doesn’t cost us a thing. It doesn’t take any time or mental energy, so don’t keep it inside. Compliment your spouse/partner to show gratitude.
3) Be Specific in Your “Thanks”
Saying “Thank you” is always kind, but we can take it 1 step further and be specific in our thanks. Instead of sitting down to dinner and saying “Thank you” maybe say “Thank you for making this dinner even though you worked late” or “I can’t thank you enough for making dinner. I am so tired when I get home and it is such a gift to be able to sit down and eat dinner with you”.
Think of why you are thankful, and say it. When we are specific in our thanks to our spouse, we are able to amplify our gratitude and really express what we are feeling.
4) Give Your Full Attention
Multi-tasking has its moments, but it can also come at a cost. When speaking with your spouse/partner, stop what you are doing and give your full attention.
Really listen to what your spouse/partner is saying. Encourage their thoughts, dreams and hobbies. Be an active participant in the conversation. Listen and add to the conversation.
It can be easy to take for granted those that we love and that love us in return. They are there for us, day after day.
Gratitude is so much more than just saying “Thank you”. Gratitude can change our perspective on life. It can increase our overall happiness in our own lives and all we have to do is recognize, acknowledge and appreciate what we have right in front of us. When we recognize the work our spouse puts in, acknowledge it, and truly appreciate it, we can feel happier with what we have in life.
Gratitude helps promote our own contentment. We can stop looking for the next thing that may make us happier, or wealthier, and we can simply be happy with the here and now.
Couples Therapy In Washington, PA
Have you considered couples counseling? Counseling can help you find ways to resolve conflict and help you feel closer to your partner again. My office in Washington, PA is warm and inviting. It’s a lovely place to sit down with a drink, relax, talk, and be heard without judgement or criticism.
If you have any questions or would like to get to know us a little better, please call (724) 503-6670 or email us at admin@inthenowcounseling.org. You can also reach us on Facebook and Instagram, too.
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