By Marni Battista — Written on Aug 23, 2012
What DO men want in a relationship? It’s an age-old question. If you’ve already read “Dating with Dignity’s Guide to What Men Really Want: Three Myths and Three Truths to Stop Wondering Today!”, you’re headed in the right direction. The problem is, women think the obvious answer to this important question is, well, sex and dinner. While those are two lovely components of a relationship, however, mature, emotionally available men want other things in a relationship as well.
What follows are the Dating with Dignity “Hit Parade” of the Top Three Things Grown Up Men Want in a Healthy Relationship:
1. Respect. Period. Men want to be your hero. (Which, in the 21st century, can be challenging to a woman who doesn’t really “need” a hero.) That said, it’s important for you to find opportunities to show respect to the man you care about. Whether it’s through a juicy compliment or a handwritten Post-it note that says, “Babe, loved the way you handled that customer service rep yesterday.” Kind and Direct = Super Hot!
Showing respect to your man and what he does for you makes him feel like he’s doing something right. Even though it’s 2012, a man wants to feel like he’s providing for you in a masculine way. When you vocalize your respect for him, he’ll feel like he’s in a relationship that is worth his time.
Another “stealth” action you can take to give him that respect is to let him lead. Let him plan a special date, and don’t always be the one suggesting activities. When he does suggest an activity say “Yes!” without giving your “better” alternative.
And finally, a man wants to be in a relationship where he doesn’t feel like he’s in a pressure cooker. Letting him lead and allowing him to go through his process of discovering you’re “the one” in his own way (assuming your relationship is progressing consistently over time) ensures that he’s truly relationship ready and committed.
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This article was originally published at . Reprinted with permission from the author.