How to Avoid Taking Someone for Granted in a Relationship

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Are you taking your relationship for granted? Don’t sabotage a good thing with bad behavior – learn how to avoid taking someone for granted in a relationship with small, meaningful acts that build strong foundations for lasting happiness.

Often, the longer we’ve been in a relationship, the more we start to take our partner for granted. We get so used to the things they do for us that we start to overlook them or forget to express our gratitude for them

This can be disastrous for relationships. In fact, “lack of appreciation” is frequently cited as one of the most common reasons for divorce. The good news is – it’s easy to intentionally start expressing more gratitude for your partner and in the process build a stronger, happier relationship.

 

How to Avoid Taking Someone for Granted in a Relationship

So, maybe you’re wondering “What does it mean to take someone for granted in a relationship, anyway?” It simply means we stop noticing and expressing our thanks for the things they do. We stop showing our appreciation.

Maybe it’s cleaning the house, or buying groceries, making dinner, or recording our favorite show, little things our partner does that we used to be so grateful for, we just stop acknowledging.

avoid taking your partner for granted in a relationship

Here are some signs you’re taking someone for granted in your relationship:

  • You don’t remember the last time you said a heartfelt “thank you” to your partner
  • It’s been a long time since you and your partner have done anything ‘just for the fun of it’
  • You haven’t given your partner a gift for no obvious reason in a long time
  • You aren’t in the habit of complimenting your partner or reminding them of how amazing you think they are

 

how to avoid taking someone for granted in a relationship

You can stop taking your partner for granted in a relationship by following some key tips to a healthy relationship.

 

When we’ve been with someone for a long time, the newness of the relationship eventually wears off. Things that once came so naturally, like planning fun date nights, or surprising our partner with a gift, or giving them loving compliments, these things start to slip away from us.

Often, it’s the result of our attention shifting to other areas of our lives – like work and financial obligations. We don’t mean to make our partner feel unappreciated. We’re just overwhelmed with responsibilities and unaware of the way our actions are affecting our partner.

So, here are some key ways to help you avoid taking your partner for granted:

  • Make it a point to give sincere thanks for the things your partner does for you.
  • Change up your routine. Swap chores and make it fun.
  • Give your partner compliments – both publicly and privately.
  • Plan ways to celebrate your relationship regularly. Here are some ideas –
    • Stay in and enjoy a romantic candlelit dinner
    • Go out and paint the town red
    • Plan a picnic
    • Go dancing
  • Find opportunities to surprise your partner with small gifts. These can be something you’ve made or even a note of appreciation left in a pocket. These spontaneous surprise reminders of gratitude will help you and your partner have a deeper connection.

With a little intentional effort, we can stop taking someone for granted in relationship situations – even if we suddenly realize we’ve been failing to express gratitude for our partner for quite some time.

Acknowledging the problem is the first step. A good second step is having an open, loving conversation with your partner. Express thanks for all they do and apologize for not having shown more gratitude in the past.

avoid taking your significant other for granted in a relationship

Taking Someone for Granted in a Relationship: How to Say Sorry

Here’s what happens when you take someone for granted in a relationship: they start loving you a little less. It’s not their fault. We have a basic human need to feel appreciated. When we don’t get that from our partner, we risk feeling resentful and angry, two things that will ruin the potential of any relationship right from the start

The way you fix taking things for granted in a relationship is to have a real heart-to-heart conversation with your partner and let them know that you realize you’ve acted badly. Apologize for not openly and regularly expressing gratitude for all they do. Then, together, commit to improving your relationship with intentional gratitude and appreciation for each other

Taking someone for granted and losing them is a hard lesson to live with, and one that happens all too often. If you know you have been taking someone for granted, take immediate steps to fix the situation before it’s too late.

 

Don’t Take Someone You Love For Granted Quotes

If you need some inspiration to motivate you to show your partner more gratitude, here are a collection of quotes about taking someone for granted in a relationship. Read them with open eyes!

 

“Every time you take them for granted you’re teaching them to live without you” – Unknown

 

“If we don’t feel appreciated, we don’t feel loved.”  – Jonathan Lockwood Huie

 

 “Even the most caring people can get tired of being taken for granted.”  – Nishan Panwar

 

Stop Taking Your Partner for Granted in a Relationship

When we take our partner for granted we risk ruining our relationship. Yet, it’s not an uncommon theme. So many breakups are the result of one or both partners feeling unappreciated. Once the feeling of being unappreciated sets in, it’s easy to start forming resentment and feelings of anger and sadness.
Recognizing when this is happening is the first step to correcting it. With conscious effort, you can learn how to stop taking your partner for granted in a relationship. If you want a lasting, loving relationship, gratitude and appreciation are essential ingredients.

 

Stay Connected With Dhar Mann
Having experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows along his journey to success, Dhar Mann has been able to help others push through the barriers and address the challenges that hold them back.

On social media, his videos have been shared millions of times and viewed tens of millions of times.

You can stay connected to and up to date on new weekly content aimed at helping you live your best life by subscribing to his YouTube channel or following him on Facebook.


17 Comments for "How to Avoid Taking Someone for Granted in a Relationship"


  • Debra Esco

    It would be an absolute blessing to be chosen for this giveaway. There is so many people on here who this would bless greatly as well. I pray it’s me, but I wish everyone luck. In all truth this gift would help my family so much at this moment, and I thank you both for just giving us the opportunity.
    Dhar & Laura, please pick me. This Valentines Day giveaway i’d ise the money to buy my husband son and myself a nice dinner and Dessert, the rest of the money I would use it towards my little Valentine growing in my tummy. Yes! My husband and I just found out on Monday that we are pregnant and due in October. Happy Valentines Day 🙂

    Posted Feb 13th
  • Natasha Ward

    This one hit me hard, at times I feel unappreciated but then I think of all the things my husband does that I also take for granted. Communication is key.

    Posted Feb 13th
  • Grezuana Wright

    I feel like the most important thing is the little things, the beauty in your significant other. Compliment them on there smile, how beautiful they look, there make up or wow your outfit looks gorgeous. It goes such a long way

    Posted Feb 13th
  • Alejandra Cano

    This was one of the first birdies I watched of yours and I absolutely loved it!
    Velntines day contest answer:
    Like I said in the other post I would treat my boyfriend to a nice dinner and buy some affordable things for his apartment. I watched this video again and it made me want this prize even more because I agree with your so much. Sometimes we get caught up in our work problems or other things that we forget to show our S/O how much we love and appreciate them. I try my best to show not only my boyfriend but my family as well. We have to treat others how we like to be treated!

    Posted Feb 13th
  • Kelly Barry

    Love all your posts, videos, blogs! Such reality.

    Valentine’s Contest Answers:
    Who: My 2 sons
    As an only parent, I’ve solely focused on them since their father left 7 years ago.

    What: An action packed weekend getaway-history, museums, trampoline park, indoor basketball, swimming, ice skating…

    Why: I couldn’t imagine a Valentine’s Day ♥️ without them… Although I know as they get older, it’s inevitable. We haven’t had a vacation in 2 years.

    I love your blog. Being true to a product or brand that you promote is key to being believable.

    Posted Feb 13th
  • Debra Esco

    Simple heartfelt gestures go a long way in a relationship.

    My husband and my 19 month old son! I would buy us a couple of pizzas and of course some chocolate cake. The rest of the money I will spend on a careseat, stroller and basic necessities for our baby one the way. We are so blessed and excited that we are pregnant we found out 2-10-19 and due 10-19-19 ♥️, the only way our valentines could get better is this amazing opportunity to win, and relieve some of the financial worries. In regards to Dhar’s article, I follow many influencers and one thing I see a lot is the endorsement of products once and never again, and like he mentioned this goes along with doing it just for the money as well, as someone who looks up to influencers for insight, it’s frustrating to place our trust in an influencer and spend our hard earned money on products that are promoted and then they never use them again. Dhar & Laura, you’re a beautiful and inspiring couple and I wish you many blessings. Thank you both for this opportunity.

    Posted Feb 13th
  • Heather Witherow

    This is my entry for the Dhar & Laura giveaway. Thankyou for the opportunity! ?
    My mom would be my date. For the past two years, I’ve been sick, and forced to undergo a lot of tests, and they only now found the problem. She’s been my number one supporter through it all: Caring for me when I was so sick I couldn’t get up, making foods that worked with the strict diets the doctors put me on, providing moral support. She deserves to be treated to a fancy dinner and shopping spree because she is a super hero to me. I’d love to be able to give her a special Valentine’s day to give a little back to her for everything she has done for me. ?

    My favorite tip from your article is about being authentic and choosing a partnership that best represents you and what you do.

    Thank you again for the giveaway opportunity!

    Posted Feb 13th
  • Heather Witherow

    This is my entry for the Dhar & Laura giveaway. Thankyou for the opportunity! ?
    My mom would be my date. For the past two years, I’ve been sick, and forced to undergo a lot of tests, and they only now found the problem. She’s been my number one supporter through it all: Caring for me when I was so sick I couldn’t get up, making foods that worked with the strict diets the doctors put me on, providing moral support. She deserves to be treated to a fancy dinner and shopping spree because she is a super hero to me. I’d love to be able to give her a special Valentine’s day to give a little back to her for everything she has done for me. ?

    My favorite tip from your article is about being authentic and choosing a partnership that best represents you and what you do.

    Posted Feb 13th
  • Alicia Bassett

    I would love to use this money to save up for a 3 day weekend trip for later this year when my boyfriend returns from deployment. By the time he returns he’ll have been gone a year. We’ve been together for about 1.5 years and I’ve never gone through a deployment with him before. Bills are tight with him being gone and we can’t save for a trip where we can reconnect after he’s been gone for so long. I just know me surprising him with a small trip would mean to the world to him once he returns.

    A good tip from the buzzfeed article is not to feel bad if you let an opportunity that doesn’t feel right go, there’s no shame in it and it’s probably what’s best at the time. Where one door closes, another one opens.

    Posted Feb 13th
  • Iris

    Hi you guys! Thankyou for doing this generous giveaway, I have so much respect for you guys for giving back, especially when you go out and prepare food for the homeless, you guys are awesome. For the vacation giveaway I would like to nominate my mom. We are here in California. Ever since i could remember, my mom has been my rock. She raised me and my brother all by herself. She would find work cleaning houses, laundrymats, selling food, finding any type of way to keep a roof over our head and keeping food on the table. She made sure we had clean and when possible new clothes, while she shopped at second hand stores for herself. Me and my brother began working at 15 in fast food to help her and now i am thankful to god that we are able to show our appreciation for everything she did for us by taking care of her. I dont know where she would like to go, but i can say this..she loves the water and is the most grateful person i know, and she would be eternally grateful to you guys for gifting her a trip. (Thanks again you two, love u)
    Ps. Dhar i think your buzzfeed article was on point. My favorite advice you gave for influencers starting out is to stick to one area of expertise. I say that because theres lots of pages out there that have too much content of different subjects and it definitely will lose a viewers interest if they came on to your page looking for one subject that caught their attention and they get a load of bunch of unrelated content. So great advice!

    Posted Nov 11th
  • Stefanie King

    I would LOVE to take my boyfriend on our dream trip to Canada. He talks about going to Canada literally every single day. My boyfriend is one of the best people on this planet. I don’t know where i would be without him. Since we were sophomores in high school I lived with him because my family was having a lot of money issues and had to move into a one bedroom hotel with my mom, step dad, brother and sister. so there was obviously no room for me. Throughout all I was going through at the time with my family’s money problems, my boyfriend was MY ROCK. I couldn’t possibly ask for someone more loving and supportive. even though we were only 15 him and his family took me in. ever since he has given me everything I could ever want. We are now 21 and are juniors in college! We are definitely broke college students. We were already saving literally every penny to try to go to canada the second week of march, but my car broke down and had to use what we saved to fix it. He supports me so much with everything I do, emotionally and financially. I would love to be able to give something to him for once. who knows where i would be without him. If i could just do ONE thing for him, I would be so greatful. I love yalls relationship, it is definitely one to look up too. y’all are literally the ultimate goals. Even if I don’t win i’m greatful for the opportunity!! Love y’all!!
    my favorite tip from Dhar is ENGAGE with your followers! y’all do so much to engage with your supporters and trust me everyone appreciates it!!
    (we are from fort worth texas!)

    Posted Nov 8th
  • Monika K.

    Hi! I’m from NY and I like to go to Cali with my bf! We’re in a long distance relationship and haven’t seen each other in months since we are both busy med students. We’ve missed spending our anniversary and birthdays together and this trip would mean a lot to us.

    Posted Nov 7th
  • Amber godinez

    Hello my name is Amber and I live in Apple Valley California. For this trip I would take my husband and we would want to go to Hawaii. We really love the beach and have never gone there. This would be important to us because we never had a honeymoon and would like to go somewhere alone to spend quality time with each other. We also work opposite schedules and a little time off together would be great.
    My favorite tip from the buzzfeed article is to commit to a consistent schedule.

    Posted Nov 4th
  • Talin

    Hello Dhar & Laura!?❤️ I live in Glendale and although my dream vacation would be Greece ?? I would have to say a reasonable destination would be Alaska. My husband and I never went on a honeymoon due to work and health related issues. He felt bad about it and told me that wen though we hadn’t gone on a honeymoon that we would go on small trips in the future and call them manymoon trips lol. We have been together 14 years and married 4 of those years. The last four have been challenging in both health and Finances and we have yet to go on a honeymoon or start our plans for the manymoon trips. With the $1000 we would be able to kickstart our manymoom trips (won’t be enough for a dream trip, but it’s more than enough for a small getaway). Also, I would favorite trip you guys went to would be Mykonos ??. Thank you to the both of you for this great giveaway. ???

    Posted Nov 4th
  • Chinnie Wong

    I would love to go to Maldives with my boyfriend!

    Posted Nov 3rd
  • Liz N.

    I think also that learning your partner’s love language is SUPER helpful! For example, I prefer quality time together – that’s my FAVORITE thing my husband can give me. But he LOVES getting small gifts (especially technology related). He will sometimes give ME tech-gifts, and while they aren’t top of my list, I know that for HIM, they are really special – so he’s trying to show his love. If you don’t know each other’s love language, you can be doing things that YOU think show your love but the person doesn’t FEEL loved/connected because they prefer a different love language.

    In any case, showing appreciation and saying “thank you” is always important – no matter how long you’ve been together!

    Posted Nov 2nd
  • Estephanie Jauregui

    This is definetely a must read, i shared it on my facebook page.

    Posted Nov 2nd

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