As an old saying goes, “To make a difference in someone’s life, you don’t have to be brilliant or rich. You just have to care.” Yes, it’s that easy. Yet, you may find yourself at a loss when figuring out how to show someone you care. It could be because you’re uncomfortable expressing your care and concern for another person, fearing that it will leave you vulnerable and exposed. Or your love language may be so different from the person at the other end that all your thoughtful gestures fall flat.
Or it could simply be a case of life getting in the way. As we become so engrossed in our lives trying to navigate the many stressors and challenges, we tend to take those who were there for us every step of the way for granted. It’s time you make them feel loved. The answer to how to show someone you care about them doesn’t have to be grand or complicated.
It could be just a phone call from your side or a bowl of hot soup when they’re nursing a cold. It may seem small and inconsequential but it can be the kindest gesture in the eyes of the person at the receiving end. Your thoughtfulness could move them, melt their heart, and forever strengthen your bond with them. Perhaps it may even change their outlook on life.
As they say, actions speak louder than words. Whether it’s your family member, a long-lost friend, or even a distant relative you haven’t spoken to in a long time, you must never stop showing your concern for them. This becomes even more imperative in the context of your romantic partner/interest. Let’s look at some ways you can make your SO feel loved and cared for and weed out the risk of complacency and “you just don’t care about me anymore” arguments.
25 Ways To Show Someone You Care
Let me start with a confession. I am not a very affectionate person. I didn’t know how important it was to show care until I met my husband. He made me realize that I was taking my loved ones for granted even though I always meant well. But I struggled with my hesitation in showing love and care toward him and others.
I gradually learned the importance of simple things like caring for your partner at different stages of life. I pass on my learnings in this piece to those who don’t know how to show someone you care about them and love them irrespective of the affliction they are facing at the moment.
How To Show Your Crush You Care About Them
Having a crush on someone can be exhilarating and nerve-racking at the same time. It is still one-sided love and you don’t know if your romantic interest will reciprocate your feelings or if opening up to them will drive them away forever. Here are some ways to tell someone you love them without actually having to say it and let your actions speak louder than words:
1. Send them a care package
How to show someone you care? Finding an answer to this question can get a lot trickier when that someone is your crush and you don’t want them to push you away because of your feelings. In this situation, sending them a care package with a handwritten note is a great way to show them how much they mean to you.
Tell them you are here for them as a friend. The care package can contain anything from a journal for them to jot their thoughts down to scented candles, flavored teas to comfort their evenings, or some wine to help them unwind at the end of a long day.
2. Lend a sympathetic ear
There is nothing more comforting than having someone to talk to. Listening to your crush talk about their sorrows, joys, and all their crazy stories can make them feel more validated. Listen to them if they want to share their deepest secrets with you. This is genuinely one of the best ways to show love and care.
3. Send them music recommendations
You know, there are five types of love languages:
- Words of affirmation
- Quality time
- Physical touch
- Acts of service
- Sending and receiving gifts
I believe we need to add one more to this list — sharing music. I am sure we’ve all seen The Perks Of Being A Wallflower. Charlie makes a playlist for his friend Patrick. That’s when I realized the art of sharing music with someone is not just thoughtful but also a unique love language. You can make a playlist of your favorite songs and send it to them. This is one of the subtle ways of showing you care about them and want them in your life.
Even studies back this up. It is suggested that one of the delicate functions of music amongst human populations is its capacity to create and strengthen social bonds amongst interacting group members. If you are crazy about your crush and don’t know how to confess your feelings, make a playlist for them and let the songs do the job for you.
4. Send them memes
To show someone you care over text is not that difficult anymore. The sea of memes and funny reels at your disposal has simplified the task. A funny Instagram reel can tickle their bones and make them forget about their woes for a moment. This is one of the best ways to let someone know you are thinking about them.
5. Plan a surprise getaway
It can be mentally exhausting to work all day and come back home to just Netflix and chill. Help your crush blow off some steam by planning a quick getaway to a nearby location for the weekend, and give them the pampering they deserve. This is one of the simple ways to spend time with your crush and one of the ways to show love. If you have been wondering, “Why is it important to show someone you care?”, then the smile on their face when you surprise them with your plan will answer your question.
How To Care For Your Partner Who Is Sick
Serious or chronic illness can literally change someone’s life. There could be a thousand things going through their mind that they might not be comfortable sharing with anyone. The physical and mental pain can get extremely distressing. During such times, you must find out how to help a sick person feel better by showing care and love.
6. Spend quality time with them
Quality time is a love language preferred by many. When a person is sick, it’s good to just be by their side and not make their sickness the focal point of your conversation. Enjoy their company and talk about other things. This little effort of spending time with them will make them forget about their illness momentarily.
7. Cook for them
A person who is sick will obviously find it hard to cook. Instead of ordering takeout for them, drop by their house and spend time cooking together. Share a few laughs while making soup for them. It is one of the simple ways to show someone you care but can make a big difference in their life.
8. Help them with their chores
Sick people may find it difficult to do basic chores. This is when sharing the load – or taking the load off your partner’s hands completely – counts the most. Help them do laundry or even vacuum the house. Or maybe, spend a Sunday morning helping them rearrange their closet. Always remember that little acts of thoughtfulness go a long way. They will forever remember you with fondness.
9. Accompany them to the hospital
Instead of letting them go alone to the hospital, go along with them. This is one of the best ways to show someone you care about them. Even studies prove that accompanying a sick person to the hospital can benefit them as it provides psychological support and care to the patients.
10. Keep checking in on them
Irrespective of whether you both live together or not, make it a point to check in on them. Even if you live with them, make it a point to call/text a few times throughout the day (when you’re at work or away from home) to make sure your partner is doing okay. If you don’t live with them, make it a point to check in even if you can’t go see them every day. Just a phone call is enough to remind them that you are here for them. This is one of the simple things to show you care about them.
How To Show You Care For Someone After Breaking With Them
Breakups, right? Hurt like hell. You have lost the special someone you imagined spending your life with. Just because you broke up with them doesn’t mean you stopped caring about them. Letting them know that can be one way to blunt the hurt of the breakup. Here are some ways to show care in a relationship after it has ended.
11. Respect their decision
What to do when you hurt someone you love? Respect their decision about the breakup. Don’t beg them to come back or plead with them to keep loving you. That’s not how relationships work. If their heart is no longer in it, no amount of persuasion is going to change the outcome. Remember this whenever you’re tempted to inundate them with displays of love and remorse in a bid to win over your ex again.
12. No trash-talk
Many people go around badmouthing their ex after a breakup. However, what they fail to realize is that it reflects more poorly on them than on the person they’re trashing. So, make it a point to always speak of your ex respectfully and with dignity no matter how much you’re hurting on the inside.
If you’re struggling to deal with the pain of heartbreak, lean on someone you trust, who you know to be a good listener, and share your feelings with them. Or better still, talk to a counselor to work through the complex emotions in the wake of a breakup. Do whatever it is you need to, to cope with your pain, but never use it as an excuse to put down a former partner.
13. Be vocal about your concern for them
Just because they outgrew their love for you doesn’t mean they are a bad person and you need to cut them out of your life. Maybe they wanted to focus entirely on their career and this decision has nothing to do with you. Or maybe they are dealing with the loss of a loved one and don’t have the time to be in a relationship.
Help them manage their emotions and don’t think about them as a cruel person for breaking your heart. You don’t have to be their best friend right after the breakup but you can still express your concern and show them you still care about them. If your ex ended the relationship because of some pressing circumstances in their life, this touch of warmth from you can make it easier for them to cope and move on as well.
14. Give them a big hug
This is one of the little things you can do to show them you still love them. This might even make your ex rethink their decision about the breakup. It will help you get rid of the negative feelings you have at the moment. Even science shows that hugging doesn’t just show someone you care about them but it also boosts overall health.
15. Don’t be jealous if they move on before you
It stinks, we get it. But it’s meant to happen. Someone has to take the first step toward moving on. Don’t be jealous if that someone isn’t you. They are just looking out for themselves. They are not selfish for moving on before you. They might have genuinely found a nice person and they may want to see if things could work between them. Congratulate them and keep your head held high. Don’t be a bitter person.
How To Care For Your Long-Term Partner
When you have been together for a long time, you sometimes begin to take your partner for granted. Here is how you can keep the foundation of love stronger by showing your partner you still care about them and want nothing but the best for them in their personal and professional life.
16. Provide emotional support
How to show care in a relationship that has survived for more than 5 years? Always lend a sympathetic ear when they come up to you with their problems. Don’t judge or hastily make decisions for them. Become their support system. One of the fundamentals of support in a relationship is letting your partner know that you are here for them if they need to talk or cry it out.
17. Never pressure them
How to show your partner you care when they feel stuck at some juncture in life? Avoid pressuring them to take the next step. Let’s say they’ve lost their job. Don’t berate them about finding something else to do. Even if you’re coming from a place of love and concern for their well-being, this can make them feel cornered. They need to adjust to being unemployed before they start looking for another job. Let your partner take their time to figure out what they really want to do. This is one of the gentle ways to show love.
18. Remind them that you will catch them if they fall
Reminding someone you love them is one of the best ways to let them know that you will be there for them despite any hardships and troubles. Buy them flowers and take them out on romantic dinner dates every once in a while to keep the romance intact. Words of affirmation is another love language that holds magical powers, which you can use every day to keep the love alive.
19. Offer assistance but don’t insist on it
Offer them your help. If they want to start a new business, support them by offering your advice and input wherever relevant. If they’re in need and you’re in a position to help, offer financial assistance. However, it’s also equally important to know where to draw a line. In offering assistance or help, don’t inadvertently end up making your partner feel like you don’t think they can make it on their own or that they need you to get by.
20. Be supportive at every step of the way
Your partner needs to know that you have got their back. Assure them that you will support and encourage every decision they make. You can even share your thoughts with them without being judgmental about their life decisions. This is one of the kindest ways of showing you care about them.
How To Care For Your Partner Who Is Dealing With The Death Of A Loved One
The death of a loved one can put someone in a deep state of shock and grief. It doesn’t just interrupt their life for a few months. It changes their lives completely. At a time like this, your partner’s emotions are all over the place. They may be feeling lost, angry, and miserable, all at once. This is the time when they need your care, love, and support the most. Below are some of the best ways to show someone you care who is grieving the loss of a loved one.
21. Attend the funeral
If your partner has lost a loved one, attending the funeral or going to the memorial is one of the simple ways to show them you care. You being around your partner and paying respects to their family can be comforting to them. It’s a way of helping them say goodbye.
22. Say things that matter
There are a few things that one should and shouldn’t say when they are meeting someone who is grieving. You can’t fill the void with platitudes like “Everything happens for a reason” or “I understand what you are going through” even if you have experienced a loss of this magnitude. Instead, just let your partner know how sorry you’re for their loss and that you’re there to hold them, comfort them, or just sit with them in silence for as long as they need.
23. Offer hope and remind them you are here for them
Offer hope to the grieving person by telling them to preserve and cherish the good memories they have with their loved one. Let them know that grief is a gradual process and it won’t heal overnight. Send them flowers, cake, and care packages, and just be genuine in your communication. Offering hope will let them know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
24. Read them poems
People have used poetry as a means to overcome grief for centuries. It serves as an outlet for those seeking hope. Reading poetry will act as a reminder that they are not alone in this world and is a great way to let someone know you care about them. Here are some poems you can read to that person who is grieving to make them feel cared for:
- W.H. Auden’s Funeral Blues
- Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee
- Henry Van Dyke’s Gone From My Sight
25. Give them a good book to read
Along with giving them a hug, giving them fresh flowers, and sending them a heartfelt note, make sure you add a book to help the mourner understand that they are loved and cared for. This will divert their mind as well. Here are a couple of books you can add to your care package:
- Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief by David Kessler
- It’s OK That You’re Not OK by Megan Devine
Key Pointers
- Showing someone you care about them is one of the ways to strengthen your bond with them
- To show care, you need not invest in grand gestures or expensive gifts, just offering support, listening, and being empathetic can get the message across
- Be more affectionate, vocal about your care for them, and celebrate your bond as you go along
Life is short and we all have our fair share of distractions and problems to deal with. But holding the hands of those we love through it all is what makes the ride bearable and worthwhile. This is why it’s important to show these people your appreciation every once in a while.
This article has been updated in November 2022.
