You love your boyfriend, but you’re not sure you’re doing everything you can. So, if you’re wondering how to be the best girlfriend, here are your answers.
Relationships aren’t easy. If they were, no one would be getting divorced, and everyone would have a significant other. The truth is, there’s a lot of work put into a relationship and not everything comes easy. And let’s face it – no one teaches you how to be the best girlfriend.
Many women jump through hoops to get a guy to like them, and then they don’t do anything to make him stick around once he’s hers.
This is one of the biggest mistakes out in the dating world today. It seems like too many people work for the chase but not for the catch. [Read: Why men like a chase and how to use this secret in your favor]
Making him stay done right
What would you do if some guy tried to sweep you off your feet by bringing you flowers, opening the car door for you, buying you gifts you love, and suddenly just stopped doing all of it once you said yes to being his girlfriend?
Most likely, you’d be mad and probably wouldn’t be with him much longer, right? Why? Because he’s not doing anything to make you want to stay! [Read: 27 things a good girlfriend always does in a relationship]
How to be the best girlfriend
If you really want to make your man stay, then you need to be a kick-ass girlfriend. Here’s how to be the best girlfriend he’s ever had and make him want to stay for good.
1. Be attentive
First, pay attention to him. Make sure you’re present in his life and not just a bystander he calls his girlfriend.
Watch how his likes and dislikes change and pay attention to them. You’ll be able to better understand him and provide him with things he likes. [Read: 15 what-if questions to ask your boyfriend to grow closer]
2. Be nice to his friends
Even if you don’t like them, be nice to them. A man’s friends are extremely important to him, and the bond between them is something most women don’t get.
So get along with them. He’ll love you that much more for the effort.
3. Don’t nag him
There is an art form to getting your boyfriend to do something you want. Nagging is NOT the way to go.
A good girlfriend avoids nagging; otherwise, her boyfriend gets annoyed real fast. If you nag him, you will feel like his mother. And is that what you really want? [Read: How to stop nagging your partner and let go of the partner-pestering]
4. Understand his man time
Guys need time to themselves without the presence of their girlfriend. If you really want to know how to be the best girlfriend, leave him alone sometimes. [Read: How to love your man without smothering him with too much love]
5. Be confident
Surprisingly enough, a woman’s confidence impacts a man’s happiness in the relationship.
If your boyfriend has an insecure girlfriend, he deals with your jealousy, body insecurity, and the extra pressure to make you feel good about yourself. [Read: How to be more confident about yourself and fall in love with YOU]
6. Don’t make him jealous for fun
Some girlfriends think it’s funny or a confidence boost when their boyfriend feels jealous and mad because of another guy.
However, this seriously annoys your boyfriend and will not make him happy. Be a good girlfriend and make him stay by not making him jealous on purpose.
7. Cook for him often
And preferably cook his favorite meal. Even if you can’t cook, learn. Take a few classes, look up simple recipes, and make him food, because the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right?
8. Be a sex machine
Sex isn’t the most important part of a relationship by any means, but for a man, it’s up there.
Being sexually active with him and doing your best to please him is a crucial ingredient to keeping him happy and making him want to stay. [Read: Why is sex so important in a relationship?]
9. Feed his ego
Make him feel manly. Compliment his big muscles, tell him his beard makes him look extra manly, and just feed that ego of his.
Men live off their ego, so make sure to boost it whenever you get the chance.
10. Compliment him often
Girls are not the only ones who like compliments. Guys need it too! So, complimenting your guy keeps him happy.
Men are more insecure than their girlfriends realize. So, making sure he knows you think he’s sexy is key to making him want to stay. Point out all the things that you love about him – on a regular basis. [Read: 30 unique compliments for guys they’ll never forget]
11. Listen to him
It can be really easy to slip into a routine of the, “Hey honey, how was your day?” Then ignoring everything he says thereafter because it’s more of a habit than you actually caring about how his day went.
Listen to his problems and triumphs at work. He’ll realize the difference, making you the best girlfriend.
12. Appreciate what he does for you
Your boyfriend doesn’t clean the kitchen or buy you flowers for no reason. Don’t just take those as everyday things he’s doing. Appreciate what he does for you and make sure he knows how much they mean to you. [Read: 25 ways to say “I appreciate you” without words]
This is really key to having a happy relationship. People take each other for granted way too often, so make sure you keep telling him how much you appreciate him in your life.
13. Be your own person
If you really want to be the best girlfriend, then just have your own life. Don’t be one of those girlfriends who has to be attached to their boyfriend at the hip.
Do your own thing and have your own friends and hobbies. This makes you an incredible girlfriend, and it’ll give him the opportunity to miss you. [Read: How to be a strong, independent woman that men love]
14. Don’t constantly ask where he’s been or what he’s doing
AKA: let him be his own person. Don’t continuously track his every move.
It makes you one of those annoying girlfriends, and it makes your man want to flee your relationship. He’ll update you on his whereabouts, and he’ll appreciate you not asking. [Read: 21 clingy girlfriend signs and how to avoid turning into one]
15. Don’t bring up his past mistakes if you told him you forgive him
It’s normal for two people to fight when they are in a romantic relationship. And he’s probably done a lot of things in the past that have upset you, but you have forgiven him.
So, if you say something is forgiven, then it must be forgiven. That’s what the best girlfriend does.
It’s counterproductive to keep bringing up the past and throwing it in his face. If you haven’t forgiven him, then don’t say that you have. And if you have, then leave it alone.
16. Have a sense of humor with him
Don’t take everything he says to or about you so seriously. Have a sense of humor and laugh off the silly things. He’ll enjoy himself more with you.
Laughter is so important in life – and in relationships. Find anything and everything to laugh about with him. You want to be happy around him. If you come across as a Debbie Downer or an energy vampire, then he won’t enjoy your company. He wants you to be a positive influence in his life. [Read: 12 types of humor and how it affects relationships]
17. Smell amazing
No man wants to run around with a girlfriend who has bad hygiene. Shower regularly, wear his favorite perfume when you can, and always make him happy to grab you in his arms.
You can even put candles around his place *or yours* so that they are some wonderful scents when he is around. Good smells can really make someone horny too… so that’s a plus, right?
18. Look great in front of his friends
Men take pride in their girlfriends. If you look smokin’ hot in front of his friends, he’ll hear about it and take it as a direct compliment. He’ll definitely want to keep you around if his friends are jealous of him.
Let’s face it – guys still kind of want to be the “leader of the pack.” They want to be someone that their friends admire. So, when you look good in front of them, he will be very proud of you. [Read: 14 surefire signs your boyfriend thinks you’re smoking hot already!]
19. Be a sweetheart to his family—no matter how they treat you
One thing that will make you the best girlfriend is showing him how nice you can be to his family—even if they’re not always so nice. Be a sweetheart, and he’ll want to stay for sure.
No one wants to be with someone that their family doesn’t like, and that includes guys. So, make sure you make every effort to get along with his parents and siblings. [Read: How to get along with your man’s family and create a lifelong bond]
20. Make an effort to involve yourself in his hobbies—but not too much
Being a good girlfriend means you involve yourself in his hobbies so you can truly understand him. Go see his favorite band, join him on game day. Basically, just be there.
But you don’t want to be so involved that you smother him. You want to give him the space to be his own person and do his own thing.
So, show an interest in his hobbies, but don’t be attached at the hip wanting to do everything with him.
21. Be active so you stay fit
Go to the darn gym! Be in the best shape you can be. A good girlfriend wants to take care of herself not only to be healthy, but to stay fit and sexy for her man. [Read: 12 benefits of exercise on your mind, body, and libido]
Let’s face it – if he gained a bunch of weight and let himself go, you wouldn’t like it, would you? Well, neither does he. So, stay in shape – not only for him, but for yourself too.
22. Surprise him often
Show up to his work with a hot lunch, grab an awesome t-shirt you think he’d like, and just do anything to surprise him.
Bonus points for getting some sexy lingerie and surprising him the second he comes home. [Read: 31 cute, flirty, and sexy ways to surprise your boyfriend]
23. Communicate with him bluntly—don’t yell
A good girlfriend tells her boyfriend when she’s mad and upset without yelling and blowing stuff out of proportion. A man wants to stay with a woman who communicates regularly without the drama and yelling.
24. Tell him how he makes you happy
Describe to him all the things he does that make you happy. Don’t let him forget why you’re with him and how much you like him making you happy. Men love hearing they’re successful. [Read: 25 easy ways you can make your boyfriend incredibly happy every day]
25. Show empathy
When you are self-centered and only see situations from your point of view, then he will resent that. So, make every effort to see his point of view.
Try “walking in his shoes” so that you can convey that you really understand him.
26. Don’t be a drama queen
Guys hate drama! They are much more logical about everything. So, don’t call him up and complain about every little thing your friends did to you. He probably doesn’t really care.
And don’t make a mountain out of a molehill when you are fighting. Put everything into perspective. [Read: Drama diva – All the signs of a drama queen]
27. Don’t be jealous
Many girls have low self-esteem, and that leads to jealousy. So, don’t ask him about other girls. Don’t drill him on if he still thinks you’re pretty.
Being around someone who is jealous all the time gets draining. He doesn’t want to always be propping up your self-esteem. [Read: 20 sexy things guys like in bed but won’t ask for and why they don’t]
28. Use your logical side
Girls are much more emotional than guys. But you probably already knew that!
Try not to be overly emotional. If you need to cry because you had a bad day, go cry by yourself. Dust yourself off and try to use your logical side more often. If you don’t, you’ll seem like a drama queen to him.
29. Do things that make him proud
Go to school and get your degree. Excel in your job and climb the corporate ladder. You need to accomplish things in your life.
The more do, the more proud he will be of you. And he will want to brag about you to his friends. [Read: What should I do with my life? 16 steps to design your perfect life]
30. Be his best friend
Believe it or not, he wants you to be his best friend. Isn’t that the whole point of being in a romantic relationship?
Being friends and lovers is the best. So, be that person he can tell anything. Be the kind of person who he can’t live without.
31. Love him
It’s just that simple. Being the best girlfriend really boils down to loving him and loving him well. He should never go a day without feeling your love.
[Read: 25 awesome secrets to keep your guy hooked and happy in love]
Being a good girlfriend is not rocket science, ladies. Following these guidelines on how to be the best girlfriend would definitely show you the way, and leave your man addicted to you!