R E S P E C T…Find out what it means to Men
The wonderful and talented Queen of Soul, Ms. Aretha Franklin, and her chart topper “Respect” still resonates throughout the world at Karaoke parties and from thousands of women who chant it out aloud as their anthem. Respect is not only an anthem for women, but it resonates just as much, if not more, with men as well. If I’ve learned one thing about men and what’s important to them, it revolves around one simple word – respect.
I’ve heard the phrase so many times before “men just want to know and feel respected, while women want to know and feel loved.” Honestly, that’s actually fairly true when you think about each person’s preference. If you asked a man to choose between love and respect, he’d probably go with respect as the more important one of the two.
As women, we have to be more cognizant of what we convey and present to our husbands, and even men in general, when it comes to respecting them. Respect, or lack thereof, can be displayed through our actions, verbal and even non-verbal interactions. Rolling the eyes, arms folded, speaking in a condescending tone, never telling them how much we appreciate them, talking instead of listening, being disrespectful in front of their family and friends – these are all examples of how we run the risk of conveying to our husbands that we don’t respect them.
Sometimes it’s as simple as saying “I respect you,” or “thank you for taking care of our family.” At times it may require praying instead of talking relentlessly just to prove a point, or releasing the reigns of control in every situation. Ultimately, we have to be willing to show respect in our walk and our talk.
When it comes to respect, remember 3 key components: adoration, appreciation, and affection. Tell him you respect and appreciate him, and then reward him with affection. Ultimately, this combination accomplishes the goal of declaring, acknowledging, and truly making him feel like he’s the man.
