21 Insightful Tips On How To Respect Your Husband In Real Life
Learning how to respect your husband and show your love through respect and appreciation are important skills that will definitely strengthen your connection and improve your marriage.
Using some simple words to express your love for your husband isn’t and should never be enough. You must show it through your actions.
You must show it by respecting him and appreciating everything he is and all the things he does for you and your marriage every day.
Trust and respect are two pillars on which every healthy relationship must be based on. They’re equal, and they are as important as love is.
If you’re a religious person, then you know that God has also instructed us to respect our husbands. In Ephesians 5:33b, Paul wrote, “However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
In these words of God, we can also see that love and respect go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other.
We can also see that respect must be earned. You can’t have respect for a disrespectful or controlling husband no matter how strong the love you feel for him is.
It’s just as Dr. Emerson Eggerichs has explained in his book, Love and Respect… “When a husband feels disrespected, it is especially hard to love his wife. When a wife feels unloved, it is especially hard to respect her husband.”
Marriage and family life is a very challenging journey. You’ll meet many obstacles on your journey, but the most important thing is to travel carefully and slowly, together, holding each other’s hand.
How do you show respect to your husband?
Your husband wants to feel loved just as we all do. However, above everything else, your husband needs to feel respected and appreciated.
Let’s do some homeschooling, shall we? I’m going to teach you how to respect your husband more and show him you care for him honestly.
So, sit down and pay close attention to these simple ways that will surely help you deepen the emotional bond between you and your hubby.
Leave words out of it; show respect through actions
Your husband doesn’t need you to tell him that you love, trust, or respect him… he needs to feel those things through your actions.
The first time you disrespect him or something that is important to him, his feelings towards you will start to change. The more you treat him badly, the less he’ll love you.
You can swear that you love him as much as you want, but it won’t be enough to make him believe it. Your actions will always speak a lot louder than your words. Indeed, words mean nothing if you can’t back them up with your actions.
There are so many little things that you can do every day to show your husband respect. Those things won’t take a minute of your time each day, but they will mean the world to your hubby for sure.
Remember, ‘in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health’…
Always keep in mind your wedding vows. You took an oath before God and in front of all of your family and friends that you’ll cherish and love your husband until death do you part. Now, you have to stick to your oath.
Your marriage will be wonderful, but at the same time, a very challenging and sometimes incredibly difficult journey. You’ll come across many peaks and valleys on your journey just like all marriages do.
Trust me, there is no happy marriage or happy couple who didn’t have to go through some rough patches. Those are some kinds of challenges that God sends our way just to see if our love is truly strong enough to endure it all.
The most important thing is to always remember that you’re in this together and to keep showing love and respect to your husband even if, sometimes, you start questioning whether he deserves it or not.
Those negative things and thoughts are temporary and transient, while on the other hand, you two are forever. And, in the end, that is the only thing that’s important.
Give him your undivided attention
Don’t think that we’re the only ones who can’t take it when we see that our husbands don’t listen to us. They hate it, also.
So, how do you respect your husband? Don’t look at your phone while he’s trying to talk with you, and don’t refuse him when he asks you to talk because you’re busy. Nothing should ever be more important than your man.
It’s time to have a weekend getaway for just the two of you. Leave your phones and everything else that might interrupt your quiet time behind.
Organize a small romantic trip for your hubby where you’ll be able to give him your undivided attention.
Communicate in a healthy way
You need to learn to communicate with your husband in a more efficient and healthy way. That means no fights because every disagreement and every conflict can always be solved through communication.
Of course, there will be some situations when he’ll really make you angry, but you need to learn how to respond in those moments. If something bothers you, you can and you should discuss it with your partner.
However, don’t allow those disagreements to grow into a fight. Calm down first, be mindful of the tone of your voice, and try to work things out through healthy communication.
Self-control is a virtue that means everything for a healthy and happy marriage.
Lack of healthy communication can really damage your marriage relationship to the point that it’ll be very difficult to save it. You need to prove to him that you’re trustworthy, and make him open up to you.
I’m not talking about verbal communication only. You also need to have open body language towards your man that will show him that you aren’t afraid to let him in.
Pick your battles
You don’t have to fight over every little thing that bothers you. Sometimes, you need to keep some things to yourself because there is no point in making too much drama about things that aren’t important at all.
Never react in anger because that will make you say and do some things that you’ll regret later for sure. Calm down, wait until it’s the right time, and talk about it with your partner. TALK, I must really emphasize this; Talk, don’t yell!
Respect his family and friends, also
You really have to be considerate to your husband’s needs, his professional life, and his loved ones. Maybe you won’t get along with all of them too well, but you need to respect them no matter what.
His friends and family members are people he loves and trusts the most, and if you don’t respect them, that would mean that you don’t respect your husband either.
Maybe, sometimes, the actions of your in-laws won’t be worthy of respect, but still, you must think about your husband first and how he would feel if he finds out that you’re being disrespectful to his loved ones.
This is also a two-way street. If you treat his family with respect, he’ll definitely show the same amount of respect to your loved ones.
Don’t ever be too proud to apologize nor to forgive
Is it really that hard to stand behind your actions, accept that you’ve made a mistake, and offer a genuine apology to your partner? Is it really too hard to say those three simple words “I am sorry“?
If your pride is really much bigger than the love you feel for your partner, then something is wrong in your marriage relationship.
This can only lead to the conclusion that you don’t care nor love your partner at all.
We are humans and we all make mistakes sometimes. It’s just a part of our nature. I always say if God can forgive us all for so many mistakes we make on a daily basis, who are we then not to forgive that one person we love when they do us wrong?
Value his opinion
Your husband should be included in your decision-making process. Most of your decisions should be brought together because marriage is a partnership and it’s just how things work in a healthy and happy marriage.
If you don’t allow him to help you with your decisions, or if you don’t ask him for his opinion about things that are important to you, he’ll think that you don’t value him or his opinion.
Make spending quality time a priority
I’m not saying that you should spend 24/7 together, but you should definitely find a way to spend some quality time alone every day.
Find a hobby that you’ll both like and do it together just because you’re married. This doesn’t mean that you should stop going on dates.
Make Wednesday your movie night. Pray to the Holy Spirit together.
Find something you’ll both like and do it together. Spending quality time together is crucial if you want to strengthen your emotional connection and deepen the bond between you.
Physical touch matters, too
Lack of physical intimacy is one of the first signs of an unhappy marriage. Touching can also say ‘I love you and I’m always here for you’.
Just because you’re married now doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t flirt with your husband anymore. Unfortunately, that’s a mistake that many women make today. Flirting will help you to keep the spark in your relationship alive.
It will also show him that you still find him attractive, which can be a huge ego boost for a man. This part is especially important if you already know that his primary love language is physical touch.
Stand shoulder to shoulder ALWAYS
Your man needs to know that he can count on you no matter what. He needs to know that you will always be there watching his back just as he will be for you.
Remember, marriage is a partnership. This means supporting each other and staying together through everything that gets in your way.
You need to be his friend, not just his wife… a friend he can always count on and a friend who’ll be and stay at his side through all the highs and lows.
Be his number one fan
Support your man in everything he does, even if you don’t always agree with his choices. This will show him that you truly believe in him and that you respect all of his choices.
Maybe his choice isn’t good, but trust me, his intentions always are. Whatever he does, he does it for you, for the sake of your marriage, and for your family.
Don’t nag and criticize him all day long. Your husband doesn’t need a mother, he needs a partner.
If you two are constantly criticizing each other, it’s a true red flag that you’re in a loveless marriage.
Your support will always be his biggest motivation. You will never even be aware of how much your word of support means to him, especially in the difficult moments of his life.
Be his greatest admirer, too
You fell in love with him because you saw all the amazing and adorable qualities he has.
Of course, he has some imperfections and flaws, too, as we all do, but you need to accept and embrace them all.
Actually, you need to show him that his flaws don’t make him weak or bad or less manly. You fell in love with him for who he really is, and that means you’ll stay in love with him no matter what.
Encourage him to be a better man…
One of the most important marriage goals is to encourage each other to become better versions of yourselves.
Be his cheerleader and support him through all of his ventures. Guys like to hear compliments as much as we do, so why don’t you praise him more often?
Be fully present in his life even if sometimes, it seems like he’s trying to push you away. That’s when he actually needs you the most, trust me.
Pursue his dreams tirelessly…
Support and encourage him to follow his dreams and goals. Tell him that no matter what direction those dreams take him in, you’ll always travel together to the final destination.
Show him that you believe in him and in his success. Show him that he always can count on you and that you’ll always help him as much as you can to follow his dreams. After all, his dreams are your dreams, too.
Rise fast after falling
There will be many ups and downs in your marriage and in your lives in general. Your husband just needs to know that you’ll be there for him every time life knocks him on the floor.
He needs to know that he can count on you in those moments to give him your hand and help him stand up again. Again and again, no matter how many times he falls down, he should know that you’ll always be there to help him rise and heal.
Appreciate everything he does for you
You, as a wife and as a mother, have so many responsibilities every day, and I’m sure your man knows how to appreciate them.
But, he also has just as many serious tasks and responsibilities as you do, and it would only be fair to also show respect for everything he does for you.
First of all, show him that you’re very thankful to God for sending him into your life.
Then, tell him that even though, sometimes, it seems like you don’t see all of his sacrifices, you do and you appreciate every single one of them.
I always say that if someone doesn’t appreciate and respect you, he doesn’t deserve you either.
Keep your promises and commitments
How do you respect your husband? Simply by always standing behind your words and keeping your promises. This will ensure that your marriage relationship stays healthy.
Broken promises will have a negative impact on the trust between you and your partner, which will definitely damage your marriage.
Don’t ever let your husband down by breaking your promises because that would mean you’re letting your marriage down, too.
Your words and your promises are truly much more powerful and important than you think.
Give him personal space
The fact is that sometimes, we all need personal space in a relationship. We have different interests than our partner has and we simply need time to dedicate to them.
You must understand that men are very protective of their personal space when they’re in a committed relationship. They have some interests that we don’t understand and we shouldn’t really interfere there.
That’s why the next time your partner says that he needs quiet time, don’t immediately react as if it’s a bad thing. They probably just need time and space to dedicate to their career or hobbies.
Spoil him with love and respect
Random acts of kindnesses will cost you nothing, but will surely lure a smile on your husband’s face every time.
Give him a massage if you know he had a hard time at work that day. Make his favorite dinner after he comes back from a business trip.
Make him coffee before he goes to work. Bring him breakfast in bed on Sunday mornings. Surprise him with a romantic anniversary letter that you leave in his lunch box.
Those are all some little things that will make your husband feel extremely loved and respected. You don’t have to buy him some expensive gifts to show him that you love him.
Spoil your man with love and respect, and always remember, you’re his queen and you need to treat him like a king.
Final words
In order to have a successful and healthy marriage, there has to be mutual respect and trust built between two partners. Those two are the building bricks of every prosperous relationship.
I hope this little homeschool and my advice on how to respect your husband will help you to improve your marriage and make a very strong connection with your husband such that nothing and no one will be able to break it.
You can’t say that you honestly love someone if you don’t respect them. Love and respect always go hand in hand. You just can’t have one without the other.
Lack of respect is definitely one of the most common reasons why so many couples take marriage counseling nowadays or, in the worst case scenario, get divorced.
You can’t have a deep emotional connection nor a healthy relationship with someone if you don’t respect them. In order to maintain a relationship, there has to be a lot of understanding and mutual respect.
You’ll never be able to cultivate respect for a self-absorbed man or a disrespectful husband.
I never liked the phrase ‘to express love’ because expressing love means nothing to me. Words mean nothing because we all can say something we don’t really mean or feel.
On the other hand, we can’t behave in a way in which our heart doesn’t want us to. That’s why I have always believed in the power of actions above words and everything else.
