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Monday, September 10, 2012

Adventures in Encouragement: 10 Ideas To Encourage Your Man

You still have a few more days to sign up for the Encouragement Swap!
What is an Encouragement Swap you ask? Well, you will get paired up with another blogger and swap a REAL LETTER in the mail with an encouraging note inside! 
Click on the link below to find out more! 
{Adventures in Encouragement}
Continuing my September series in encouragement, 
I have compiled a list of 
10 Ideas to Encourage Your Man
(I tried to keep it general, but some of these are specific to my man)
1) Talk positively about him in front of his friends, relatives, strangers. For example for all my blog friends: Daniel is such a hard worker. Every day he wakes up early and works 8 am to whenever the jobs are done for the day. Then he comes home and goes right to work digging in the basement. Most days he works straight until 9 pm!

2) Make him his favorite meal, just because. My man loves almost everything I make, but there are a few meals that he enjoys better than others (but may be slightly more complicated or time consuming to make). When I know he is needing a little extra does of encouragement, I bust out one of his favorite recipes like {THIS!}

3) Thank him for the things he does around the house. I am pretty sure there are times when we wish our husbands would help with more things around the house, but I try to remember to thank him for the things that he DOES DO rather than always pointing out things I wish he had done. Often that little encouragement will spur him on to do more!

4) Leave out the criticism. When listening to his ideas, listen, encourage, and trust his decisions. Use your words to build him up - you should be his #1 cheerleader! 

5) Find ways to show him you respect him and believe in him. This kind of goes with #4 - by not criticizing him, his ideas, or his actions, you will be showing him you believe in him. Now, don't get me wrong, there I times that I disagree with my husband, but I (try) to tell him in a loving and respectful conversation. 

6) Welcome him home with a kiss and a smile. This is hard for me sometimes. I tend to use up all my nice cheerfulness on other people throughout the day and can be grumpy when I get home in the afternoon. Being greeted by a grouchy wife who dumps all her problems on him when he gets home is not fun for any hubby! Greeting him with a kiss and a smile (even if you don't feel like it) will set a good tone for the evening. I have really been working on this one. 

7) Try learning his hobby and doing it with him. My hubby has lots of hobbies. Some I have learned and do with him (like our different house projects) and some I have yet to join him on (like video games). But one thing is for sure, we have more fun doing things together! 

8) Make him breakfast in the morning. Help him start his day off right with a good breakfast. Yes, you may have to get up a little earlier. No, you don't have to do it every morning. But surprising him some mornings will give him an extra special start to his day!

9) If he takes a lunch box, slip a love note into it. Did you write love notes when you were dating or first married. Bring back that tradition by making him smile when he opens his lunch with just a little hand written note to remind him how much you love him. 

10) Learn his love language. This is a big one for us. My (main) love language is different than Daniel's and we have had to learn each other's languages in order to know how to best encourage each other.

So, how about it!? Would you like to find out more about my Adventure in Encouragement?
I would love it if you want to participate in the encouragement swap where bloggers are paired up and exchange a 
real letter in the mail!
Want to join in on the fun? Just click on the button below!
How do you encourage your man?

Linking up today with:
Mom2MemphisandRuby
Top Ten Tuesday at Many Little Blessings

11 comments:

  1. Very cool & very sweet list!
    Thanks for linking up AND for taking the time to visit other participants... you rock!! ♥

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  2. nice post thanks for sharing...i found your blog thrue other follower im looking for to visit more...blessings

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  3. I love it! What is even more neat is that the more you live by that and make your man feel respected the more affection he showers on us! Daniel is very lucky to have you!

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  4. What a great list! Your husband is blessed to have you for a wife!

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  5. Great reminder . . . after ten plus years, it maybe time to brush up a little. ;)

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  6. I learned not too long ago that my husband saves every litle love note I have ever given him in his lunch box at his locker at work. I use to do it more often, I need to return to it. Thank you for thsi wonderful list of ideas and reminders.

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  7. The power of the favorite meal is terrific. I wouldn't have expected it, but I have learned that making his favorite foods is a huge encouragement. And it really doesn't take much extra effort. After all, we have to eat anyway.

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  8. This is a very good list. Most I already know-it is just good to be reminded-over and over. The kiss and the smile is something I am working on too. With 4 kids and home schooling, I just want to vent when he gets home. That is the last thing he needs.
    Linking up from Amanda's. Thanks so much for linking this.

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  9. This is great! I agree with you on all of them except breakfast. Although I do make breakfast for him, but it doesn't seem to communicate love for some reason. :) (And a lot of times I'm running late, so he makes breakfast for me!)

    Thank you for linking up to #DesireToInspire! These were excellent tips. (Also - I pinned the Cinnamon Rolls recipe. Mr. E. and I are about to go gluten free!)

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