Men and women want different things from their partners, making it confusing for the opposite gender to understand what they should do. Learning what men secretly want in a partner can help you deepen your healthy bond.
When you assume your man wants the same thing you do, it can lead to resentment and anger. You might be upset that he doesn’t respond how you expected him to, and he might feel neglected. Instead, you can use these things they secretly want their partner to do as a starting point for your efforts.
Changing what you do in your relationship can help you gain clarity into your partner’s needs. It’ll ease or prevent arguments, miscommunication, and emotional disconnection. These tips will help you deepen your healthy relationship.
NOTE: Men aren’t the only ones who want their partners to do specific things. If you want to learn what women want, you can read about it in a separate article.
Thirteen Things Men Want Their Partner to Do
The things men want from their partners aren’t as complicated as you think. They can be simple once you learn their relationship desires.
1 – Be Playful
Having a playful partner shows you can have fun together without taking yourself too seriously. Rather than organizing and multitasking, take some time to be a little playful.
Consider being spontaneous and letting loose, reminding your man how much fun you can be. He’ll like it if you let loose and enjoy the moment without thinking of all your responsibilities.
Show him your sense of humor, letting him know you’re comfortable and relaxed in his presence. It’s a way to make memories and develop inside jokes that deepen your relationship.
2 – Show Your Partner Respect
Males need to know that their partner respects them, and you can show it in many ways. Let him take charge of some aspects of your relationship, letting him know you trust him. Show him that you have faith in what he can do and want to offer the opportunity for him to choose what he wants in life.
You can also show him that you respect him by telling him you appreciate what he does for you. Additionally, make sure he knows you approve of his career, values, and who he is as a person.
Another way to show respect is to avoid manipulation. Instead, ask for what you want or need without making him guess, and don’t pressure him to do things he’s not ready for.
3 – Be Confident and Secure
Men want a partner who is confident and secure on her own. A good indication of this is wanting to be with someone rather than entering a relationship out of desperation.
Men want their partner to maintain their individuality, having separate friends and interests outside the relationship. However, while a man wants someone who can care for themselves, he also wants to feel needed.
4 – Be Romantic
Men want romance, although many people don’t realize it. Love your partner through romantic gestures, showing your love more than you can express with words.
Express your passion and generosity in the relationship and do sweet things expecting nothing in return. You can send a thoughtful text message during the day or kiss him as you walk by. These small gestures will deepen your connection and let your man know how much you care.
5 – Be Dependable
A man wants to know he can depend on you, so show him that you follow through on your promises. Show him that you do things when you say you will and won’t let him down.
You don’t want someone you have to question or continually remind to do what they said they would, and neither does he. If you say you’ll do something and don’t, it can cause him to lose faith in you.
6 – Be Emotionally Intimate
Males often learn that emotional intimacy is a weakness and spend their lives hiding their feelings. They don’t always voice their concerns or fears and often hide worry or self-doubt.
These behaviors make people think they don’t want emotional intimacy, but they do. It often takes them a while to reveal their feelings to their partner, but they do want it.
When you show emotional intimacy, it shows him that you’re a safe space where he can expose himself and heal. He wants to know that you won’t push him away or make him feel insecure when he shows emotion. Instead, he wants to see that you can handle his vulnerability and will nurture him when he shows emotion.
7 – Praise and Accept Your Partner
Males love it when their partner praises and accepts them. He wants to hear compliments, approval, and admiration because it makes him feel good about himself. It also lets him know what you like about him, encouraging him to let you see it more often.
You can show praise and approval by reassuring him about his career path, attractiveness, and personality. Anything making him feel good about who he is lets him know you accept him.
Avoid judging and criticizing him, allowing him to be true to himself. It sometimes requires overlooking minor issues and focusing on being there for him instead. When you praise and accept your man, he’ll feel loved, and your connection deepens.
8 – Give Him a Sense of Security and Prioritize Him
A man wants to know you’re in the relationship for the long haul. You can give him a sense of security and help him build trust in you by showing him that you’re committed and invested. While he wants to know you won’t leave, he also desires security in other areas.
Men want to know that you trust them and are confident enough in the relationship that you won’t snoop through his phone. This level of security also involves not calling nonstop when he’s with his friends.
Giving him a sense of security also involves prioritizing him. He wants to feel valued and know you’re considerate of his needs. Putting him first in your life shows him that he’s more than just another option.
9 – Show Physical Affection
Men need a non-sexual physical touch from their partner, so don’t hesitate to caress him often. Consider lovingly touching his neck, hair, or cheek to show him that you care. It can help deepen your connection and strengthen your relationship.
Physical affection increases his happiness and makes him feel loved. It reaffirms that you’re there for him and are by his side.
10 – Treat Him as a Partner
Men want their partners to treat them as a partner. It involves being more than a significant other and instead becoming his friend, confidant, companion, and the person he always turns to.
Some ways to treat him as a partner are to help him find excitement in his life and embrace future possibilities. Inspire him to grow into a better person and continue learning more. When you can achieve this level of partnership, it’ll help create a lasting relationship.
11 – Encourage Him
Men want to be with someone who supports their dreams and encourages them throughout the journey. Your encouragement will help boost his confidence and self-esteem, empowering him to achieve his dreams.
12 – Be Honest and Faithful
Honesty is essential in a healthy relationship. Tell the truth, avoiding even little white lies, because lying can cause your man to lose trust in you. He wants to know he can trust what you say and that you won’t hide things from them.
When you’re honest, your partner won’t second guess what you say. He’ll also know that he can trust you with his emotions.
Staying faithful and honest means you’re loyal to him and don’t play games. You’ll be honest when you feel he’s not giving you something you need rather than turning to another person for it. Faithfulness also requires not purposely making him feel jealous to get a reaction.
13 – Communicate and Compromise With Your Partner
A man wants someone who can communicate to resolve problems and avoid destructiveness. It often requires compromise from one of you, and it shouldn’t always be him.
Arguments are inevitable, but someone who can stay calm and deal with the problem maturely is ideal. When you do your best to communicate, he’ll recognize it as an ability to respect the relationship. It’ll also make him respect you more.
You can try to visualize that the problem is separate from the two of you and work to overcome it together. Detaching from the situation allows you to work together instead of against one another. It helps you avoid blaming each other, too.
Another way to communicate healthily is to answer questions honestly when he asks something. It’s even better to give the information without waiting for your partner to ask. It makes it clear you want to communicate with him straightforwardly.
Final Thoughts on Things Men Secretly Want Their Partner to Do (Besides Sex)
Men aren’t always open about what they want their partners to do. It takes them a while to become vulnerable enough to discuss it, but you don’t have to wait.
The things men secretly want from their partners can help you strengthen your bond. He’ll see that you want to be with him, make him feel special, and help him stay happy. You can improve your relationship without waiting for your partner to discuss it.
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