10 Things to Say More Often to Your Person Starting Today

Look, you’re probably terrible at saying what actually matters to your person. You mumble “love you” while scrolling Instagram, you grunt acknowledgment when they nail something big, you assume they just *know* how you feel. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: they don’t. Your silence isn’t mysterious or cool, it’s lazy, and it’s slowly creating distance you’ll regret later. Words aren’t weakness, they’re maintenance. So let’s fix what you’re avoiding.

Im Proud of You

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When’s the last time you actually told your person you’re proud of them—not for landing some massive promotion or finishing a marathon, but for the small, grinding, everyday stuff that nobody else notices?

Stop waiting for the big wins. Tell them you’re proud of the small, invisible battles they’re fighting daily.

You know what? They got up today.

They showed up, worked through anxiety, didn’t snap when life got ridiculous. That deserves recognition, not silence.

Say it out loud: “You’re amazing, keep it up.”

Not performative Instagram caption proud. Real proud.

Because here’s the truth—they’re drowning in self-doubt while you’re sitting there thinking it’s obvious. It’s not obvious. Your silence reads like indifference, like disappointment.

When you celebrate their wins and acknowledge their growth, you’re showing them that their personal growth matters to you—and that kind of support creates deeper satisfaction in your relationship.

Tell them. Today.

Thank You For..

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You’re celebrating them for existing, for trying, for not giving up—but here’s what you’re probably skipping: the actual things they do that make your life work.

Say “thank you for” with specifics attached.

Thank you for recollecting my coffee order, for texting back, for not making me feel ridiculous when I’m spiraling. You’re amazing at the small stuff, the invisible labor, the things nobody else notices.

“I appreciate you” means nothing without the receipts.

Thank you for staying when it got messy, for laughing at my terrible jokes, for existing loudly in my corner.

Genuine appreciation for specific efforts—looking him in the eyes when he takes out the trash or picks up your favorite snacks—transforms ordinary moments into relationship-building opportunities.

Name it. Count it. Say it out loud.

I See How Hard Youre Working

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Nobody’s tracking their effort like a performance review.

Your partner isn’t clocking overtime hours, waiting for someone to notice they’re running on empty while keeping everything afloat.

They need to hear it.

“I see how hard you’re working.” That’s it. Five words that acknowledge they’re not invisible, that their effort registers somewhere beyond their own exhausted brain.

Your dedication amazes me, especially when you’re doing everything right and nobody’s handing out participation trophies.

You inspire me when you keep showing up.

When you celebrate small wins and acknowledge their progress toward goals, you’re telling them their efforts have meaning beyond just checking boxes.

Say it before resentment builds a fortress. Say it because pretending effort doesn’t matter is how relationships die quietly.

You Make Me Want to Be Better

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Recognition’s great, but here’s the thing that actually changes people: being around someone who makes you want to level up.

Tell them they’ve got that effect on you.

Not because they’re perfect, because they’re not, but because watching them handle their mess makes you reconsider your own. You inspire me to actually try instead of just complaining about it.

You challenge me without even meaning to.

That’s rare. That’s what separates a real relationship from just having someone around who tolerates your nonsense.

When you share this kind of genuine vulnerability with your partner, it creates the foundation for deeper emotional connection and reminds them of the magnetic qualities that first drew you together.

Im Sorry, I Was Wrong

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Look, most people would rather eat glass than admit they screwed up.

Admitting fault feels impossible for most people—they’ll do anything to avoid those three words: I was wrong.

But here’s the thing: “I’m sorry, I was wrong” isn’t surrender, it’s strength. It’s choosing connection over your ego’s desperate need to be right about everything, all the time, forever.

Say “it’s my fault” without the “but” that follows. Without the justification, without the excuse, without turning your apology into a dissertation on why you’re actually still correct.

Then say, “let’s talk.”

Those two words matter. They’re the bridge between acknowledging you messed up and actually fixing it.

In healthy relationships, partners take responsibility quickly and focus on solutions rather than deflecting blame or making excuses.

That’s accountability. That’s respect. That’s grown-up love.

Tell Me More About That

When’s the last time you actually asked your person to keep talking instead of waiting for your turn to speak?

Right. That’s what I thought.

You say “that’s interesting” like you’re on autopilot, already formulating your response while they’re mid-sentence. You nod, you smile, you interrupt.

Here’s the revolutionary concept: actually be curious.

“Tell me more about that” isn’t just polite filler, it’s an invitation. It says, I want your thoughts, your perspective, your whole story.

Try adding, “how are you feeling about it?”

When you notice their energy shift or something weighing on them, diving into meaningful conversations creates the kind of connection that makes relationships unbreakable.

Watch what happens when you stop performing interest and start practicing it.

I Choose You Every Day

Most people think love’s a fixed state, something you land in and coast through until death or divorce does its thing.

Wrong.

Love’s a daily decision, not a participation trophy. You don’t just say “you are my person” once and consider the job done, expecting your relationship to autopilot itself into eternity.

Say it out loud: “I choose you every day.”

Not just on anniversaries, not just when things are good. Especially when they’re not.

Because “I adore you” means nothing if you’re not actively choosing them over scrolling, sleeping in separate rooms, or emotional unavailability.

Choose them. Daily. Deliberately.

This choice shows up in the smallest moments—when you give undivided attention instead of half-listening while mentally planning your grocery run.

You Were Right

If admitting someone else was right feels like swallowing glass, congratulations, you’ve got an ego problem masquerading as self-respect.

Saying “you were right” isn’t surrender, it’s growth. It tells your person their insight matters, that you actually listen, that you’re secure enough to admit you were wrong without your identity crumbling into dust.

Three reasons this phrase strengthens relationships:

1. It validates that your opinion matters to them
2. It models vulnerability instead of stubborn pride
3. It creates safety for future honesty

Stop treating correctness like a competition. Your relationship isn’t a courtroom where someone wins. Happy couples never bring up past mistakes during arguments because they understand that keeping mental scorecards destroys the foundation of partnership.

I Need You

Somewhere between rugged individualism and rom-com fantasy, we’ve created this bizarre myth that needing someone makes you weak, broken, less than.

That’s garbage.

Saying “I need you” isn’t codependency, it’s honesty. It means you’re important to me, that I appreciate your presence in ways I can’t replicate solo.

You need backup sometimes. You need someone who gets your weird references, holds your hair, talks you off ledges.

Stop pretending self-sufficiency is the gold standard of adulthood.

Needing people isn’t failure. It’s being human, beautifully interconnected, refusing to white-knuckle through life alone. When you openly communicate your emotional intimacy needs, you’re not showing weakness—you’re building a stronger foundation for your relationship.

Im Here for You, No Matter What

The flip side of “I need you” is promising you’ll show up when they need you back.

Here’s what unconditional support actually looks like:

1. You answer the 2 AM call – because crisis doesn’t schedule appointments, and you matter enough to lose sleep over.
2. You skip the lecture – they already know they messed up, they don’t need your TED Talk on consequences.
3. You say “I love you” when they’re unlovable – when they’re messy, irrational, spiraling.

Stop treating support like it’s conditional, like they’ve to earn your presence. That’s not love, that’s a transaction.

When you consistently show up this way, you’re making daily deposits in your intimacy bank account – proving through actions that your partner truly matters.

Conclusion

you’ll read this, nod along, maybe even screenshot it for later. But when you’re standing face-to-face with your person, scrolling through your phone instead of saying these words, you’ll wonder why things feel hollow. These phrases aren’t revolutionary, they’re basic maintenance. The real question is, why does saying them out loud feel harder than fighting a bear? Start today. Or don’t, and watch what happens.