Men show you how they feel — are you watching?

A friend of yours gets flowers and you begin focusing on the fact that your partner never sends you flowers. Does that mean he doesn’t love you? Although it doesn’t apply to all men, generally men don’t verbalize their feelings as easily as women. This causes problems in intimate relationships because women rely on their verbal skills to communicate feelings, and men rely on actions. He may not say “I love you,” but if you watch him, you can tell how he feels. While they don’t share a lot of detail or how they feel, they show affection by mowing the lawn, fixing your faucet, or changing a flat tire. Appreciating these gestures will encourage a man. Then, if he is invested in the relationship, he will begin doing more things out of his comfort zone, like buying flowers, to please you.

Men need to feel appreciated for what they do, or they feel defeated and used and eventually withdraw. If you’re in a new relationship and unsure of how your guy feels, below are early signs they really care. Appreciating these actions will open a deeper and more intimate connection.

1. He chooses to be with you and gives you his time. He prefers your company to anyone else’s and enjoys being with you.

2. He stands up for you during difficult times and situations. When a man cares about you, he is there. During difficult times, he protects and shields you from difficult people in your life.

3. He does little jobs and chores for you. Men show love by fixing things and getting jobs done.

4. He attends functions that are important to you. When a man loves you, he’ll sacrifice his time to make you happy.

5. He announces your presence of social media and to friends. When a man is committed to you, he wants the world to know. He is proud of you and announces you to friends and family, whether it’s just by changing his relationship status or making a post about you.

6. He shows love physically. When a man cares about you, he shows you with the way he touches you, holds you, and loves you physically. He wants to please you, and appreciation for this love is particularly important for increased intimacy emotionally and physically.

Some men may rarely say they love you verbally, but when you notice and appreciate what they do for you, it helps you both communicate love more deeply.