15 Best Ways To Show Respect in Your Relationship
Communication is one of the keys to any successful relationship, but just as equally important is respect. You need to respect your partner and make sure they feel loved. Respect comes in many forms. There are lots of ways how to respect a woman in a relationship. You can show your feelings through the way you act, the words you use, or even the way you look at your girl. Showing respect will solidify your connection and make your bond that much stronger.
It is not just your partner to who you should be showing respect. Any relationship you have with someone, be they your girlfriend, work colleague, or the guy who is your waiter at your favorite restaurant, deserves respect. If you are a decent human being you are probably already doing this, but if you need a few more pointers this article has you covered. Learn about respect in a relationship along with 15 ways you can show respect in your romantic relationship.
What Is Healthy Respect in a Relationship?
There are many different meanings when it comes to the term respect. It can be used when talking about authority figures, such as your parents, or it can be used in the context of showing admiration for someone and their achievements. In terms of a relationship, respect means you see each other as equals, despite the fact you might have differing views on certain subjects. It is reflected in how you treat each other and the freedoms you allow each other. Being able to live your own lives outside of your relationship is all part of how to respect a woman in a relationship.
A great definition of what respect in a relationship entails is; “Respect means that you accept somebody for who they are, even when they’re different from you or you don’t agree with them. Respect in your relationships builds feelings of trust, safety, and wellbeing.”
How To Respect a Woman in a Relationship
The definition above is the way you should treat anyone, be they your girlfriend or your Uber driver. To help you achieve a healthy respectful relationship with your loved one, here are 15 things you can take into account and practice for how to respect a woman in a relationship.
1. Communicate Your Feelings
Be open and vulnerable with your girlfriend. Communicate how you feel about her and this will create trust and respect. This doesn’t just mean telling her you love her now and again. Discuss how you feel if she does something you don’t like or express your opinion when you don’t agree with hers. There is nothing wrong with talking through your thoughts and feelings. You might not always be on the same page, but it is much better to get things out in the open than leave them bottled up inside you ready to burst out at any moment.
You also can’t expect your partner to always know what is on your mind. By communicating what you are thinking she won’t assume you are ok when you are not. Just be sure to use words that express how you feel without putting her down. This is how to respect a woman in a relationship.
2. Listen
One of the easiest things you can do is listen, but somehow many men fail with this simple action. If your partner is talking to you give her the respect she deserves and really listen to what she has to say. She might only be talking about what happened during her day, but that doesn’t mean you can half-listen while playing video games or scrolling through your phone. Give her your full attention. Being totally present is a must if you want to cultivate a respectful relationship.
If what she has to say is important, make sure you put your phone away and the tv is off. Clear all distractions. Maintain eye contact with her. Don’t interject when she is speaking. Allow her to say what she has to tell you before replying. Afford her the same courtesy you expect when you are talking. Relationships and respect go both ways remember.
3. No Mansplaining
Once you have listened to what she has to say, don’t start trying to explain your thoughts or ideas in a way that belittles her. Mansplaining is a recent term (although it has been going on since the dawn of time) used to describe a who man explains something to a woman in a condescending way. The official meaning as stated by the always reliable Urban Dictionary states mansplaining as; “When a man explains something to a woman in a patronizing tone as if the woman is too emotional and illogical to understand.”
Now while this is not great, many men do this without even thinking about it. That’s not an excuse, just a fact. It also doesn’t mean it is ok. You need to work on yourself to make sure you aren’t doing this.
An example of mansplaining could be something as simple as your girlfriend asking you how to tune the TV and you explaining it to her like she is a child. Think about what you are going to say before you say it. If your partner is talking about something you have little knowledge of, don’t try and tell her you know more about it than her. Listen to what she has to say and take her advice on board. She needs to feel that you value what she has to say and won’t talk down to her. This is key in how to have respect in a relationship with a woman.
4. Value Her Opinion
Following on from the previous point, you must show that you value her opinions and what she has to say. Listen to her and don’t try and talk over her or mansplain. It doesn’t matter whether she is talking about what you should have for dinner or the hotel you should book for your next holiday, taking in what she says and reacting accordingly is paramount to creating respect between you both. Don’t undermine her opinions and let her take the lead on things she has a better understanding of. It really isn’t that hard for you to listen and let her express her thoughts. It shows you’re willing to take what she says on board and respect her opinion.
5. Be Reliable
Nobody likes a flakey date. If you prove you aren’t reliable to your partner, it won’t be long until you find yourself on your own again. If you make plans to do something together, follow through with those plans. Maybe you have organized to take her out for a fancy feed. Don’t back down at the last minute. Don’t say you are going to call her then send her a text four hours later. Be consistent with her and she will respect you for the way you treat her.
No doubt there will be times when something important comes up, like a family emergency, but your lady is more likely to understand as she is used to you being reliable and always following through on previous plans.
6. Put Her First
If you are in a committed and loving relationship you will always put your partner before you. She should be your main focus and your number one priority. This doesn’t mean you have to spend every waking moment with her. You can still catch up with the boys every couple of weeks or spend some time alone doing your own thing. Just don’t make these moments greater than the time you spend with her. If you are going out every weekend with your mates and getting wasted, you aren’t showing her the respect she deserves. Spending quality time with her should always be your number priority.
7. Offer Support
Whenever she is struggling you should always be there to help her get through the tough times. No matter whether she’s going through a hard time at work or is arguing with her best friend, be there to offer support and any assistance she needs. This also goes to supporting her goals and dreams. Give her encouragement to follow her chosen path. Offer her a shoulder to lean on when things get tough or an ear to listen to her ideas and thoughts. If she knows you have her back she will respect you even more and no doubt do the same for you.
8. Be Kind
Easy, right? For some reason, people find it hard to be kind and caring all the time. Sure, you are going to get into arguments and have disagreements over things, but that doesn’t mean you have to be nasty about it. You should always be trying to make your lady feel good about herself and your relationship, and being kind is one of the easiest ways to do that.
Be quick to apologize when you are wrong. Offer compliments here and there for no other reason than because you love her. Surprise her with a small gift. Cook dinner for her one night. Tell her how much you love her as often as you can. These are all small gestures that show how you feel and the respect you have for her. And when you do fight, don’t fly off the handle. Stay cool, calm, and collected and talk things through like adults.
9. Be Honest
Another element of any successful and respectful relationship is honesty. Similar to being kind, honesty should be something you are always trying to achieve. Unfortunately, many men find this difficult also. You should be open and honest with your partner about everything in your life. If you are talking about your past and she has questions, tell her the truth. Even when there are times you know being honest will cause her to get upset or angry, you still have to let her know. There is no such thing as a good lie. Honesty is part of the foundation of any solid relationship and is a must if you want things to succeed.
10. Make Her Feel Secure
Your girlfriend should never feel like your relationship is in jeopardy. You want her to feel emotionally and physically secure so she never has any thoughts of you cheating or hiding secrets from her. Communicating your feelings and always being honest and open with her will help her feel secure. If she understands how committed you are to the relationship and that you respect what you are creating, she will never think twice about you messing around.
You can also help this by not playing mind games with her or openly flirting with other women in front of her. If you are truly all in on the relationship you will respect her and not do anything stupid to put your bond at risk.
11. Don’t Be Forceful
When talking about being forceful, I am referring to making her do things she doesn’t want to. Manipulating her to do what you want is a big no-no and shows you have a lack of respect for your partner. This also extends to the bedroom. Men can often become forceful in this area of a relationship and make their partners do things they don’t want to. If she says no you have to respect her decision and stop. Your girlfriend should never feel like she is being forced against her will to do anything.
Don’t get angry if she says no either. It is her body and she can do with it as she pleases. The same goes for anything else she doesn’t want to do in the relationship. She is entitled to say no and you just have to accept that. Acknowledge that and her reasons and let her know you understand and support her decision. It shows your respect for her and will help reinforce your love for her.
12. Appreciate Her
Similar to making her feel secure, appreciating your partner is all about making her understand how much you respect and love her. This can be done in many ways. Tell you how great she is as a mother. Let her know you support her new business venture. Tell her how beautiful she looks. These might seem like trivial things but they all add up. It is the small gestures that really show how you feel about her and are great examples of how to respect a woman in a relationship.
Be sure to do this in public as well as behind closed doors at home. If you are with friends tell them how proud you are of the new promotion she got. Let her family know how amazing her studies are going. Making her feel good and appreciated is a big part of earning respect from her.
13. Don’t Degrade Her
Your girlfriend should never feel like you are putting her down or making fun of her. Sure, you will have a few jokes here and there but it should never be anything serious. Even if there are things about her that begin to get on your nerves after being together for a long period of time. You don’t put her down and demean her. Talk to her about how you feel and see if you can come up with a solution.
This also goes when hanging out with her friends or family. Degrading her or embarrassing her in public is a horrible thing to do and shows you have no respect for her or your relationship. Don’t go judging her and telling everyone about her faults or issues you have. Talk to her privately about things if you must and try and work on them together.
14. Respect Her Friends and Family
It isn’t just your girlfriend you need to respect. This also extends to her family and friends. If you can show her that you get on well with them and appreciate them, she will respect you even more. Now, this isn’t always easy, because you might have some disagreements with her parents or friends on certain things, but you have to show you are willing to listen to what they have to say and respect their stand on things. Even if you can’t stand her dad, you can still be kind and courteous around him and show your partner that you are willing to make the effort.
15. Trust Her
For any relationship to work, you have to trust each other. This is a major way how to respect a woman in a relationship. This is a two-way street that shows you both respect and care for each other. If she says she is going out with her friends, trust that this is what she is doing. Don’t keep messaging her to check up on where she is or who she is with. This type of behavior will quickly lead to a breakdown in your relationship and any respect she has for you disappearing quickly.
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