Ever heard the saying that “respect is love in plain clothes”? It means that love and respect go hand in hand in a romantic relationship, and it’s impossible to love someone without respecting them. But what exactly does “respect” mean?

In marriage, respect simply means valuing your partner and always doing your best to take their needs into consideration. That sounds really simple but for some reason, people have very different ideas of what respect looks like in a relationship. This is why it’s important to have some ground rules.

Communicate Respectfully

This seems like the most obvious way to show respect to your wife or husband, but it is also very easy to get it wrong especially when things get heated. Respectful communication is all about choosing your words and tone carefully, and not letting your emotions get the better of you. It’s about always taking the time to calm down and process your emotions before attempting to communicate what you are thinking or how you are feeling.

Respect Boundaries

Showing respect for your spouse’s personal boundaries is another easy way to show respect. This requires you to be aware of your partner’s limits, especially with regard to friendships with people of the opposite sex, the in laws, sexual intimacy and other hot-button issues.

Value Contributions

There are many ways to acknowledge and show that you value your partner’s efforts and contributions to the marriage. You can thank them and tell them just how much you appreciate their contributions, brag about them to your family and friends and do nice things for them in return.

However, keep I mind that acknowledgment has nothing to do with flattery. It’s just about not taking your spouse for granted.

Compromise

Compromising tells your spouse that you value their input and that their needs are just as important as yours. This is especially important when you’re making decisions about important things such as finances and parenting.

Many people agree that respect is a very important part of healthy relationships, but people have very different ideas of what respect looks like. With the above relationships tips, you can navigate pretty much any situation in a romantic relationship that calls for respect.