Attention, Please.

So, in response to someone that’s left a comment on a posting a few days ago who’s interested in what women are looking for, I’ll make my attempt at this subject. Obviously I can’t speak for all women, but I think I do have some pretty good insight. I don’t think that women are really all that difficult. Guys, what it really all boils down to is attention. Now, I’m by no means any sort of Dr. Love personality, but let me break it down for you from my own tiny little perspective from my life and observations. I’m telling you, a little bit of effort goes a very long way.

Listen attentively to what she has to say. Pay attention when she’s talking because she’s telling you what you need to know to make her happy if you’re listening for it. Now I know you guys are going to say, ‘well why doesn’t she just come out with it’, and what I’m telling you is that she does, you just have to know what to listen for. Hear her say that she’s stressed out and could use a break, and then do something about it. If you can swing it, take her away for the weekend. If not, bring home Italian takeout one night and surprise her with a picnic dinner on a blanket on the living room floor but pretend you’re in some garden in Rome instead. She’ll be thrilled that you heard her and acted on it.

Pay her attention in public. This could be as simple as opening the door for her, grabbing her hand to hold, or making eye contact from across the room. It could also be as much as grabbing her for a slow dance in the middle of the faucet aisle at The Home Depot, or stealing a kiss from her while standing in line for the movie tickets. You know how much public affection she’s comfortable with, so you can make your judgments accordingly. The point is, let her know that you even notice that she’s with you. Girls want to feel like the men that we’re with are proud and excited to be with us. Sometimes you just get so comfortable being together, that this gets overlooked.

Pay her attention in private. Every once in a while, turn the TV/computer/video game/cell phone off and ask her how her day was, or spend time with her in the kitchen cooking dinner, or help her fold the laundry without her asking for your help. Playfully grab her butt on her way past you in on the couch. Kiss her neck while she’s on the phone. Fix her a drink when you go to get one for yourself.

I’m telling you right now, that even some of the smallest attempts at taking an interest in how she’s doing, who she is, and what she’s doing, can earn you some major rewards. And in most cases, it really doesn’t take that much time or effort. Some of the most romantic things that have ever happened in my life weren’t flower petals on the bed or candlelit dinners (although both are very romantic, yet stereotypical). They were smaller things that showed me some attention, like turning up a song on the radio that reminded him of me, or calling my home answering machine from his cell phone at a party to leave me a message to get when I returned home saying how beautiful I looked that night. You get the idea. Believe me, you’ll be happier for it and pleasantly surprised at what little effort it takes.

Let me know how it goes. I’d be interested to hear. Of course, I don’t want to hear ALL of the details about how well you were rewarded, but you know what I mean.