Have you ever asked your wife what makes her feel special?  I did recently.  Just point blank: "Dawn - what makes you feel special?"  I expected to hear about things I could do or get her or say to her.  But her answer surprised me.  It was about the things I do every day for her that I have made part of my routine.  She loves that I make her coffee every day and that I run my fingers through her hair when we watch a show at night.  Of course it is not the same for every woman, but after talking with some married friends about it, I found a common thread: consistency.

If making coffee for your wife makes her feel special, then do it for her consistently.  If you make a cup one day and then stop, how special is that?  If she loves  to have fresh flowers in the house: make sure they never die - get her flowers every 7 days and put them in a vase for her.  If she loves that you take care of things when you say you will: do it every time.

But start by simply asking.  It may seem awkward, but if you are sincere and honest when you ask her, she will open up.  Make certain that you listen intently.  And ask for clarifications if you need to.  Then follow up without saying you will - just start doing those things - or being that way.  And do it or be it consistently.

You might be surprised - In my case, we also got into what annoys her about me - some crude things I do.  There wasn't much, thankfully.  But what she did say made sense (if I put myself in her shoes) - so I am working on it.  And that in itself makes her feel special - because I listened.