Saying “thank you” can go a long way when it comes to maintaining a healthy relationship.
In her book, The Gratitude Diaries, released last summer, journalist Janice Kaplan sets out to express more gratitude in all aspects of her life during a yearlong experiment, ultimately transforming her work life, family life, health and marriage.
According to Business Insider, before writing the book, Kaplan helped conduct a survey about Americans’ gratitude habits. The results? While 97 percent of respondents said they regularly thanked servers, only 48 percent of women responded that they regularly thanked their husbands.
Of course, the conclusion isn’t that women who don’t regularly say “thank you” to their partners are bad people, but rather that the longer we’re in a relationship, the more likely we are to take our partner for granted.
Of course, it’s not totally shocking that showing just a little bit of kindness and generosity can have a big effect. Research has shown that people who feel grateful for interactions with their significant others have a stronger connection and feeling of satisfaction in the relationships, while other studies have shown that the more grateful a couple reports being, the more likely they are to stay together over time.
So, the next time your significant other does something you appreciate, even if it’s a mundane, everyday task like carrying the dishes to the sink, say thank you. It definitely can’t hurt.