I’ve noticed that there are compliments I pay my husband that’ll leave him grinning from ear to ear all day long.
I’m not saying that I rarely pay him compliments.
Still, there are specific compliments that apply to a peculiar time or situation that he seems to appreciate more than the regular compliments.
When I say the words, they seem to add more spring to his steps, increase his shoulder pads, and generally brighten his mood.
That led me to the discovery that there are compliments husbands secretly wish they’d hear more.
Men are not usually vocal about the things they need, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need them.
Dear woman, I’m not suggesting that you should start giving forced and faux compliments even when they’re unnecessary.
The key lies in paying compliments sincerely and at the right time, too.
The essence of compliments is to make the recipient feel seen, loved and appreciated.
In this article, we’ll talk about the compliments husbands secretly wish they’d hear more.
Enjoy the read!
8 Compliments Husbands Secretly Wish They’d Hear More
1. “I’m proud of you.”
These four words strung together are weightier than you think.
Saying that you’re proud of someone shows that you see them and their hard work.
It means that you appreciate the things they do, whether big or small.
People do not need to move mountains before they’ll be appreciated.
Appreciate the effort they put into the little things first, and watch them want to do more.
There’s an Igbo (an ethnic group in the southeastern part of Nigeria) adage that translates to, ‘When you appreciate a great man for what he has done, he’ll be moved to do more.’
That’s the power of appreciation.
Telling your husband that you’re proud of him opens doors that you didn’t know existed.
It’s your way of telling him that you see the way he shows up all the time, how he works hard, and how much he has grown.
It lets him know that he’s doing well, and it feels so good to be acknowledged that way by your loved one, especially your spouse.
2. “You’re amazing, and I love you the way you are.”
In a world that’s constantly trying to get people to change their identities before they can fit into what’s considered obtainable these days, paying this compliment to your husband is a form of reassurance to him.
You’re simply telling him that he doesn’t need to change himself to be able to win you over or sustain the love you have for him.
You fell in love with his authentic self, and you want him to remain that way with you.
Knowing that you love him, appreciate him, and see him as amazing, even with all his imperfections, creates a strong bond of trust between both of you.
It shows him that your love for him is genuine, and to be honest, that’s the kind of love we all hope and pray for.
3. “Thank you for completing me.”
Acknowledging that your husband completes you means a whole lot to him.
It’s a testament to the part of scripture that says, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
It shows that you complement each other in likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and everything in between.
It serves as a gentle reminder that your marriage is a puzzle, and each of you is the missing piece that solves the puzzle.
Knowing that you see your husband in that light gives him a sense of pride and belonging.
4. “I Believe in You.”
Men are naturally saddled with many responsibilities, and sometimes, they begin to doubt themselves and their abilities as they try to get a lot of things done.
Telling your husband that you believe in him can be the lifeline he needs to pull himself out of the ocean of self-doubt that’s trying to drown him.
It doesn’t matter what he’s doing at that point—navigating his daily activities, trying to meet a target, working to achieve a goal, or trying to break even on new ground—telling him that you believe in him will mean everything to him.
It means that you believe in his abilities and trust that he’s capable of handling whatever he needs to do.
Even when he’s unsure of what he’s doing, the thought of your strong belief in him keeps him going.
5. “You look good.”
If you take a public opinion poll, at least seventy percent will say that women are more particular about their appearance and will want to be complimented when they step out.
As I mentioned earlier, men are not usually vocal about the things they need, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need these things.
Most of them put in effort to look good and smell nice.
It’ll be nice to notice their effort and compliment them whenever they step out looking really good.
Telling your husband that he smells nice and looks good will make him very happy.
It shows that you see him and notice the things he does.
Say nice things about the fragrances he wears, his clothes, his haircut, and his footwear.
For instance, you can say something like, “This haircut suits your face really well. You look good on it. I think you should cut your hair like this more often.”
You can also say, “I love this fragrance you’re wearing. It smells so good and suits your great personality.”
6. “You make my life better.”
One of the life purpose of everyone is to contribute their quota and make a difference in whatever capacity that they can.
When you tell your husband that he makes your life better, you’re letting him know that he adds real value to your life and world.
Those words remind him of his strengths and great attributes — his love, empathy, kindness, and so on.
Hearing them from you is enough proof that he brings you peace, comfort, and joy.
I don’t think that many things in this life trump the feeling of fulfilment that comes with that realization.
7. “I appreciate all that you do.”
Every responsible man takes on the bulk of the family’s responsibilities, and although he won’t ask outrightly to be appreciated, he definitely knows when he’s not being appreciated.
Appreciation is a very important aspect of our lives that should come into play from time to time daily.
It doesn’t matter if your husband does what you consider small tasks, such as trimming the flowers, or big ones, such as picking the bills; you need to appreciate his efforts.
Telling him that you appreciate all he does lets him know that you see and notice all he does for you and the family.
It shows that you value him and don’t take him for granted.
8. “I feel safe with you.”
I remember the first time I told my husband that I felt safe with him.
It was some months after our wedding.
He was over the moon with happiness and even told a few of his friends about it.
The compliment came from a genuine place of appreciation to him for being reliable and my confidant.
I see him as not only someone who ensures that I’m comfortable physically, but he also makes sure that I’m always in a safe place emotionally.
So, it’s not out of place for me to feel safe with him and tell him the same.
I asked him much later about his reaction — feeling so happy and even telling his friends about the compliment because to me, it was nothing out of the ordinary.
He said that the compliment showed that he was doing something right and making a positive difference in my life by bringing peace, comfort, and safety into it.
One of the wisest men on earth wrote, “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!”
There might be other words your husband would love to hear and that he secretly wishes you’d tell him, but the point is that there will always be joy when graceful words are spoken to a person.
You can start by adopting the compliments in this article, but be sure that they come from your heart and that you are not just paying lip service because your husband can tell whether or not you mean what you say.
Many times, this works better than nagging.
Call it reverse psychology, but the things you wish he’d change will begin to change as you notice the other great things about him and compliment him.
I personally believe that your husband won’t be the only one to change, but you will also change as you compliment him more and notice the more remarkable things about him.
This is because whatever we focus on amplifies.
If you are focused on the great guy your husband is and the things he is doing great at, they will be amplified.
This is not to encourage pretense about the things you are dissatisfied with, but naturally, humans are wired to think negatively more than positively.
Re-wiring yourself this way will bring health to your marriage and bless your husband’s heart.
Which one of these will you be trying out?