Life
life advice
30-Second Love Tips
Want to be an irresistible spouse? Use these five tips to show your loved one you are thinking about them every day!

Showing your spouse you love them can often be overlooked in your marriage. Each day, many couples go through routines, but leave out the little things that can end up being more important than anything either one of them does that day—the part where they express their love.

Don’t fret! By using these 30-second love tips each week, you can bring a little sparkle into your marriage and surprise your spouse all at the same time. Better yet, share these tips with them and see how the little things in life can really make a big impact on your marriage and love for one another.

1. Use "Follow Up" Bonds: When your spouse tells you about something that’s going to happen that day, whether it’s a meeting, a doctor’s appointment or taking your son or daughter to a soccer game, always make it a top priority to ask your mate, "How did it go?" By following up you are saying you matter to me and I love you.

2. Bestow "Focused" Talk: If you and your spouse are away from one other during the day and you are busy but have access to e-mail or text messaging, take 30 seconds to send a romantic note saying, "Just thinking about you," "How’s your day going?" or "Looking forward to seeing you tonight."

3. Offer "Pitch-in" Connectors: Volunteering to help your spouse with tasks (like those in the kitchen or child care) even when you are busy, tired or overwhelmed yourself is another powerful way to say, "I love you. You are special to me and I care about you."

4. Display "Face-to-Face" Expressions: As love becomes a permanent fixture in our life, we often take it for granted. Don’t ignore your mate. Routinely say hello and goodbye to each other and engage in one sentence face-to-face expressions of love such as, "I love our life together," "You’re a great husband/wife," or "You were so kind to do that for me."

5. Exhibit "Touch and Go" Contact: When you and your spouse arrive home, how much time passes before you touch one another or offer a quick hug or kiss? When you and your mate are together, whether you are watching TV, emptying the dishwasher or reading, take 30 seconds to reach out to one another. This quick touch says, "I see you. I hear you. I love you."

Remember, it’s the little things that help us break up the monotony of our daily routines and show our significant others we care. Take just 30 seconds out of your day and remind each other that not only do you care, but you love.

Ms. Puhn has a B.A. and law degree from Harvard. She has private practice in couples mediation in New York City. She regularly appears on The Early Show, Good Morning America, Fox News and CNN to offer relationship communication commentary and advice. She is the bestselling author of "Fight Less, Love More: 5 Minute Conversations to Change Your Relationship without Blowing Up or Giving In" and lives in New York with her husband and two children. Visit www.fightlesslovemore.com for more information.


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