Being a good girlfriend often requires wearing a lot of different hats. One such hat is the job of cheering your boyfriend up when he’s upset about something. Obviously, you’ll want to know the reason why he’s feeling down in the first place because that might change your approach. Still, the most important thing is just that you help lift his spirits. After all, he would do the same thing for you, right? Here are some ways to cheer up your boyfriend when he’s upset.
- Give him a hug. It sounds simple, but never discount the power of a hug. The trick is to put some feeling into it so that the hug conveys the message that you care about him. It may not solve all of his problems, but letting him know you’re there for him will make him feel better.
- Write him a love note. You can tell a guy you care about him aloud, but sometimes writing those words down can be even more effective. It’ll be something he can read over and over again when he needs a pick-me-up. I mean, who wouldn’t want to receive a good, old-fashioned love note?
- Give him a thoughtful gift. This seems easy and obvious, but it’s worth mentioning anyway. Everybody enjoys receiving presents, and on most occasions, it’s the perfect thing to put someone in a good mood. It doesn’t have to be something big or expensive and you don’t have to pull out all the stops. However, a thoughtful little token of your love for him will never go awry.
- Share a great memory. If a guy is feeling down about the state of things in his life, remind him of better days. Share a memory about something great he did or just a great moment in your relationship. It sounds simple but it can make a huge difference if you’re trying to cheer someone up.
- Get takeout from his favorite place. Sometimes a good meal is all that’s needed to change someone’s mood. If a long day or a hard few days is getting a guy down, cooking his favorite dish or ordering takeout from his favorite restaurant can be just the thing he needs. It might be only a temporary boost to his endorphins, but it’s worth a try and it will let him know you’re there for him.
- Give him a compliment. I should mention that this can’t be just any old compliment. If a guy is feeling upset, you need to give him a long, drawn-out explanation about something that you like about him. You need to put in some extra effort to flatter him. Just make sure it’s genuine – no one likes a faker.
- Take him someplace exciting. There are some occasions where you just need to get a guy’s mind on something other than what’s bothering him. Take him hiking or to a sporting event or just somewhere that can distract him and get his mind off of whatever is bothering him. Just getting him out of the house could shake up his mental state and help him feel a bit better.
- Act goofy. Let’s make it clear that this won’t work on every occasion, but there are times when he’ll respond positively to you acting silly and goofy just for the sake of it. If he’s being too serious or sullen, sometimes it’s up to his girlfriend to balance that out by lightening the mood.
- Drive someplace nice. Another good way to distract a guy is to get him out of the house and take a long drive somewhere. Get him away from everything with a long drive that has a nice destination. It doesn’t have to be somewhere overly exciting, just somewhere that will lift his spirits.
- Make vacation plans. When a guy is feeling down, sometimes having something to look forward to is the cure. If you two have talked about going on a vacation together in the past, now might be the time to start making plans. This way, he has a reason to be excited. Everyone likes having something to look forward to, after all.
- Encourage a guys’ night out. There are times when a good girlfriend has to admit that she can’t solve her guy’s problems. When this happens, encourage him to have a night out with his friends. It’s kind of amazing, not to mention slightly embarrassing, how a night of acting silly and carefree with friends can lift a man’s spirits.
- Send a sexy selfie. If you can’t physically be there to help a guy through a hard time, this might be the next best thing. It might not solve whatever is bothering him but any guy is going to be in a good mood after his girlfriend sends a sexy pic of herself. Just make sure you only do this on special occasions.
- Let him pick the movie. If you have a good boyfriend, he probably lets you pick out the movie you want to see more times than not. There’s no reason why you can’t return the favor, especially when he needs cheering up. It’s a small gesture, but one that means a lot. Plus, there’s no reason why you can’t pick a chick flick you’ll both enjoy.
- Give him a massage. Is anyone in their right mind going to turn down a massage if it’s offered? Even if you’re not a professional, surely you can give your boyfriend a nice massage when he’s having a bad day. Much like giving your boyfriend a hug when he’s feeling down, it’s a great way to convey with your actions that you care about him.
- Offer sexual favors. The break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option for cheering up a guy is usually something sexual. This may not be the best option in every situation, but there are definitely times when it will work like a charm if you want to make your boyfriend feel better.