What You Don’t Appreciate, Depreciates

Appreciation saves and keeps important relationships in our lives. It is very easy to get overwhelmed with life that we fail to practice gratitude. Because of this, we feel tired and incomplete, when in fact, there is a lot to be thankful for each day.

As the holiday season approaches, it is good to reflect on our relationships with others, especially with the people we love. Are you expressing your gratitude to your family and friends? Do you take time to thank a colleague who’s always there to help you with your work or business? Then, maybe we can also ponder on the things that are going on in our lives. Are you recognizing the good things that you have? Now, whether your answer is a yes or a no, practice appreciation more often and make it a year-round habit. The power of appreciation is limitless – it makes us and the people we love happier and more fulfilled.

Ways to Show Appreciation

There are certainly many ways to show appreciation. You can start within yourself and then spread the good vibes outwards. Here are some tips to express how you appreciate your God-given life and other people around you.

 

  1. Keep a gratitude journal and begin and end each day writing what you are grateful for.
  2. Thank someone daily for the good deeds that they have done for you or for a loved one.
  3. Highlight the best moment of your day every day.
  4. Value the most important things in life and spend more time with them – that is your family.
  5. Remember past challenges so you will feel thankful for the present.
  6. Be in the now so you can be aware of the many wonderful things and people that you have right now.

Appreciation Saves Relationships

What you don’t appreciate, depreciates.

I suddenly felt the need to be more appreciative of my blessings no matter how small they are when I first heard of this line. It is very true, right? When we take people and blessings for granted, they tend to draw apart from us. Our relationships fail. Our lives become complicated because we overlook God’s blessings. So, if you are currently facing problems with your personal relationships and even your relationship with yourself, know that appreciation can be very powerful. Be the bigger person to reach out to loved ones who you may be disconnected with lately. Tell them how thankful you are for all that they do and for their presence in your life. This selfless gesture can change the state of your relationships from awful to a new start…

Remember, life is too short to spend it alone simply because you don’t understand the value of appreciation.

Relationship Matters: Ways to Show Respect to Your Husband

One of the most important relationship matters is showing respect to each other as husband and wife. As a wife, this comes in the form of speaking appropriately to your husband. Remember, your words draw your husband either near or far from you.

Respect Is One Among Many Relationship Matters to Work On

“Let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” – Ephesians 5:33

Did you know that there are husbands who would choose respect over love? This isn’t really surprising, considering that men have deep, innate need for respect. On the other hand, us, women, have a strong need for love. Dr. Emerson Eggerichs who is the author of the book Love and Respect backs these up.

According to him, a wife who feels unloved will act disrespectfully toward her husband. In return, a husband who feels disrespected will act unlovingly toward his wife. This is a cycle that can go on if one will not put down his or her pride.

Perhaps, you may ask, “Isn’t respect earned?” While this holds true in life, the Bible is very particular with God’s commandment on wives respecting their husbands. In 1 Peter 3, the Bible says, “Wives, respect and obey your husbands in the same way. Then the husbands who do not obey the word of God will want to know God. They will want to know God because their wives live good lives, even though they say nothing about God.”

Another verse is the Ephesians 5:33,  where Apostle Paul writes, “Let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

How You Can Show Respect to Your Husband

There are many ways to show respect to your husband. These include:

1. Speaking highly of him

Never belittle your husband in front of your friends, family, or colleagues. This will make him feel incapable and incompetent. Instead, practice speaking highly of him. Highlight his good qualities so other people in your circle will respect him too.

2. Giving him encouraging words

Be the wind beneath his sails. As his wife, you are his first and greatest source of hope and motivation. By trusting his leadership skills and abilities, you are encouraging him to do more. Phrases like “I trust you”, “I believe in you”, “You can do it”, etc. are somewhat synonymous to “I love you”. Appreciation also goes a long way, so always remember to say “Thank you” to your husband.

3. Serving him

Actions speak louder than words and this is also true when it comes to respecting your husband. Besides uttering words that show respect, you can also back it up with acts of love. Service can be in the form of making meals for him, arranging his things for work, etc.

4. Allowing God to be the enforcer

There will be many instances when you will have opposing opinions. While you are free to speak your mind, remember that you cannot change your husband’s viewpoint. You cannot also change his decisions on certain matters. When this happens, let God move his hands into your marriage. Pray for your husband so that he will hear your thoughts and decide wisely.

Respecting Your Husband Shows Your Respect to God

When you show respect to your husband no matter what his shortcomings are, you are also showing respect to God. You are living a life that is pleasing to Him. You are following His commandments to wives like you, and this is something that will ensure peace and love in your marriage.

Marriage Tips: The Value of Appreciation

One of the best marriage tips that I can give is to realize the value of appreciation in the relationship. Unfortunately, we get too busy with our lives that we fail to appreciate what other people do for us. The same is the case with our spouse. We get so used to each other’s presence and often take for granted the small acts of love that our spouse does. Believe me, this is not a good relationship habit…

Marriage Tips: Acknowledge the Missing Element In Your Relationship

We all have needs and wants. I am definitely certain that as a wife, you also desire appreciation from your husband. Whether you are a housewife or a career woman, you get more inspired to do what you do when showered with appreciation. However, “proximity breeds apathy”, they say. As we spend more time with each other, we become less and less appreciative. We often lose sight of the best that we have and forget to appreciate the most important person in our lives.

This is a temptation we all face and a season we all go through. As life makes us busy, we fail to communicate with our spouse and see the good in them. We oversee the contributions of the other in making our lives together better. While we all feel guilty about it, this should not be a permanent thing in marriage. So, what should you do? Whether you are the one who desires for appreciation or the one who needs to give it more, be the bigger person to acknowledge the absence of it in your relationship.

Marriage Tips: How to Cultivate Appreciation for Each Other

As a wife and a mother, we keep our family knitted together. It is part of our responsibilities to ensure a healthy home for everyone. And it starts with being good examples when it comes to cultivating a culture of appreciation. Now, how do we create a loving and appreciative marriage that our kids would want to follow someday? The answer is fairly simple – let us be the first to be generous in giving consistent, genuine appreciation to our spouse.

There are many simple ways to show appreciation to our spouse, which include:

Empathizing with them

Does it seem like your spouse had a bad day at work? Ask them about their day without being too pushy. And as you do, hand them over their slippers and changing clothes and offer water or coffee. This will make them feel that you care about their feelings.

Listening to them

Listening is an integral aspect of any relationship. During times when you have different views and opinions, take time to listen to your spouse. It is not always necessary to argue and prove your point. Most of the time, all you have to do is listen to each other and make a sound decision later.

Forgiving them

A lasting marriage is about forgiving each other all the time. You are both human and you both commit mistakes and shortcomings. Forgiveness surely is an act of love and appreciation.

Saying thank you often

No matter how little or how big your spouse’s effort is, always remember to say thank you. It means a lot for the other.

Enjoying their company

What better way to show your appreciation than in action? When your spouse sees that you enjoy their company and appreciate what they do, they become more motivated and inspired. You’ll be surprised to see them do the things that make you happy more often.

Serving them

Service is definitely another sure sign of appreciation. It is like a subtle way of saying thank you for their hard work and love.

Marriage Tips: Appreciation Is A Vital Aspect of Marriage

Appreciation is like a fairy dust in marriage. It makes the relationship even more beautiful and more meaningful. Now, if you’re becoming more critical of your spouse instead of being more appreciative, seek God’s intervention. Ask Him to show you the things that seem invisible to you. Remember, appreciation is one important aspect that builds up your marriage. Express your gratefulness to your spouse often and you’ll witness how a simple “thank you” goes a long way.