This was originally published on GalTime,
our female friends who occasionally give us some much-needed tips. In
this case, they trusted one of us (a man) to show the rest of us how
it's done. Robert Manni is President of BrandEnable LLC, a marketing consultancy in New York City, and author of the novel The Guys’ Guys Guide To Love.
Women are easy to please. What?
I know, it’s not often we think that way but it’s true and, trust me,
I’ve learned the hard way. Like most men, I used to view women as
beautiful, exotic creatures that are unpredictable and impossible to
figure out. I wasn’t doing the math. When guys don’t address the basics,
women get complicated quickly. It’s all about the layers. Here are five
simple ways for men to help keep their partners happy and their
relationships on course, Guy’s Guy style. Share them, ladies, and you
might see a change for the better.
1. Clean Up Your Act –
Regardless of how tidy a woman may or may not be, she’s delighted when a
man keeps his home, car, clothes and body squeaky clean and smelling
good. Special attention is required for the refrigerator, sink, and
especially the bathroom. She’ll notice. Keeping clean is a positive way
to live and it will help guys score a check plus on the first date
and beyond. It may also up his chances at her wanting to see if his
sheets are clean, also. Once into a relationship, guys need to set the
bar high. That means cleaning up around the house, taking out the
garbage and vacuuming etc. It’s got to be done anyway and she’ll notice.
2. Be Proactive – If a woman has to keep drilling a guy about
doing every little thing that’s expected, he’ll remain in her doghouse.
It’s critical for men to take care of things on their own without having
to be asked a million times. No one wants to be a nag, but she’ll seem
like one if he doesn’t think ahead. Want to avoid “the talk”? Anticipate
a woman’s needs and address them. Surprise her with flowers,
reservations at a restaurant she’s mentioned, cook her a tasty meal,
order tickets for that play she wanted to see, etc. It all comes down
to…
3. Paying Attention – Yep, I’ve said it again, and I still mess up. Guys
have to stop thinking about themselves 24/7 and show more consideration
for the one who keeps them happy. When they don’t, things get tricky
and guys hear about it at the most inopportune times. I got an earful
the other night right after settling in for the second half of the
Cowboys-Giants football game. She made a lot of great points, but maybe
she should have been paying attention also. After all, she knows I’m a
big Cowboys fan. But, her points were on target, so I maintained eye
contact throughout the 'discussion', actively listened and took her
suggestions to heart.
4. Tell Her How You Feel – When
something’s wrong with a relationship guys often choose one of two
courses of action. They do something about it or they leave. I’m not
suggesting men are well adjusted in this area, but it’s usually how we
roll. We’re not very good at addressing relationship issues.
We try to fix things instead of discussing what’s wrong, the way women
do. Men can work wonders if they listen with an open mind and express
how they feel at the appropriate time. That’s not too much to ask.
5. Sex – I’m not going into details, but women reward men who are creative, romantic and aim to please their partner.
It’s that simple. There are lots more ways for men to keep their
relationships on course, but mostly it comes down to mutual love and
respect. Men and women want the same things. They just have different
ways of expressing themselves. But, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? It
would be a drag if everyone were the same.
