In this post, we want to highlight for you the results of a survey we did of more than 700 couples across the country. What we learned is that men and women are different from each other. Are you surprised? It doesn’t take science or a survey to tell us that. All we need to do is look at how any group of men or women interact to begin to see some differences. Obviously, these are generalities, but here are just a few of the differences between men and women:
- When men need encouragement, they typically go for the slap on the back from the guys on the court. When women need encouragement, they want hugs from their supportive friends.
- Men look to their friends to be just company. Women want emotional connection in friendships. For women, it hasn’t been a good time if they haven’t had a good laugh, a good cry or a good talk.
- Men think of intimacy in physical terms (S-E-X); women think of intimacy in emotional terms (T-A-L-K).
So how are you supposed to know what your husband or wife wants and needs? Well we’ve done part of the work for you! Here’s a look at the top five love needs for husbands and wives.
A WIFE’S TOP 5 LOVE NEEDS
- Unconditional Love and Acceptance
- Emotional Intimacy and Communication
- Spiritual Intimacy
- Encouragement and Affirmation
- Companionship
A HUSBAND’S TOP 5 LOVE NEEDS
- Unconditional Love and Acceptance
- Sexual Intimacy
- Companionship
- Encouragement and Affirmation
- Spiritual Intimacy
HERE’S THE DRILL:
Meeting your spouse’s love needs is one of the most important responsibilities you have in your marriage. So take the time to learn your spouse’s love needs—and meet them! It will bring you closer and help you build an extraordinary marriage. So, here’s the drill… Plan to do something that will meet your spouse’s need for encouragement and affirmation at least twice in the next week.
Husbands – To keep a bounce in her step, give her daily doses of encouragement. Leave her a thank you note mentioning something you appreciate about her, tell her she’s your best friend and a great wife, and give her extra help with chores.
Wives – Your husband can feel discouraged and defeated when he doesn’t hear you cheering him on. Tell him what you love and appreciate about him, leave him a note affirming that he’s the only one in your world, and help him with something that you know will lighten his load.
Take the time to discover the ways in which your spouse feels most loved, and put it into practice today!
