My H needed to hear these things but he never let me know that. I was raised in a family where there were no compliments so it really never occurred to me to give them regularly. While going to counseling it became apparent that is what he needed from me so now I do. I always felt these things but never voiced them. Try talking to your wife about how great they would make you feel.

If my H didn't need to hear these things there never would've been an OW. Now that she's gone and we're better than ever I do tell him these things every day. I don't ever want there to be a need for him to stray ever again. I agree with anguished. Tell your wife what you need from her and be sure to reciprocate. My H and I spent the better part of 10 years ignoring each other until he had an A and our marriage hit bottom. Now we communicate our feelings/wants/needs and it goes along way to keeping us both happy and satisfied.

I tell my H. I always have. But the OW was better at it apparently. She was willing to spend hours of her nights and days doing this.

My H doesn't give them very often, but loves receiving.

My W very seldom gave me compliments, but then on th other hand I didn't either. I guess its because I assumed she knew how much I admired her. I assumed she knew how much I appreciated what she did. Then after Dday is when we realized each of us needed to hear it. The one time I am really ashamed of is when my W decided to lose some weight and tone up, she was looking really good. One Christmas we were having dinner at her brothers house and my FIL told her she was looking pretty sexy. I should have been the one telling her that, not her dad, I still regret not being the one to tell her. At that time I felt she knew I liked what she had done, but she needed to hear it from me.

I give my H compliments on his appearance all the time, I always have. I am finding that he likes hearing it but he really needs to hear that I appreciate everything he does for me and that I am proud of him. I need encouragement more than compliments. I'm about to start dieting again ( I did the opposite of everyone else and gained weight since dday, but I also quit smoking so maybe that had something to do with it.) I told him I wanted him to be my support system and he said ok. Later I asked him if he knew what I needed him to do and he admitted not really, so I told him the biggest thing he could do is tell me when he notices I've lost some weight instead of waiting until I ask if he can tell. He just assumes I know he can tell but he is getting a lot better about saying hey you did something different with your hair, I really like that. Instead of waiting for me to ask do you like my hair. It's small things but they do matter.