Good & Healthy Relationship Advice & Tips

Men are not always the best communicators. Although saying “I love you” is always a nice gesture, it’s the things you do for your partner that speak volumes more than just the words themselves.

Actions speak louder than words, but the Daily Mail reported there is supposedly a formula for wedded relationship bliss that includes telling your partner you love them 10 times a week and going on at least three dates a month, according to a detailed study of 1,000 married Americans by global market researchers at OnePoll.com.

The survey also revealed that three surprise romantic gestures and 10 meaningful conversations each month are also key in the equation to a harmonious relationship.

It may sound like a tedious checklist that you have to cover in order to maintain a healthy relationship, but The Cheat Sheet has you covered to help squeeze in those romantic gestures — ones that help say “I love you” without actually saying it. Although there are a million ways to do so, here are seven ways to express to your partner that you love and appreciate him or her.

1. Make dinner

There is something undeniably romantic about this gesture, and it just so happens to be something that women find incredibly endearing in a man, reports Examiner. Set aside a night where you can surprise your partner by cooking dinner. Cook your signature dish, if you have one, or cook one of your significant other’s favorite foods. Remember, although you’ll both be enjoying the meal, you’re really doing it to show your partner how much you love him or her.

If this goes over well, why not also try making breakfast and serving it in bed on a Sunday morning?

2. Buy a small gift

It can be as small as giving your partner something he or she needs, a home improvement trinket, or chocolates. Pay attention to the things your significant other mentions; it’s one of the easiest ways to show you’re always listening.

3. Ask what’s bothering your partner

This is something many women can’t get enough of. When women need to express their emotions or what’s on their mind, they appreciate a partner who is there to listen, lean in, and concentrate on her when she needs it. Listening is the key here. Regardless of gender, sometimes when people are frustrated, they need to let it out. An open ear can make all the difference. Don’t offer unsolicited suggestions, but simply be there to listen and hear what your partner has to say. Now that, gentlemen, is love.

4. Leave a note

Why not be super romantic and leave a cute note? Sounds tacky, sure, but it will sure put a smile on your partner’s face. Leave a hand-written note on your significant other’s pillow before you leave for work, or throw one in his or her workbag that says “I hope you have a good day,” or since you’re not saying it verbally, you could write “I love you.”

5. Bring your significant other coffee in the morning

This is can be an amazing gesture that your partner will never forget. If you bring your significant other coffee or tea in the morning, whether you made it yourself or went out and got it, he or she will know right away just how much you care.

6. Passionately kiss your partner

What woman or man doesn’t love a passionate, lengthy kiss? YourTango reports that a man who truly loves his partner usually initiates passionate kisses. This is truly an action that speaks volumes. You know what to do — go for it, and make it a good one.

7. Put your loved one’s needs or wants ahead of yours

This is a really big one. Even if it’s a small gesture, like doing something your partner wants to do or going to a restaurant your partner likes, putting your own preferences aside and doing what your loved one wants will mean the world to him or her. That is love.