Hate is such a strong word, don’t you think? Well, it might just fall short in describing how much your husband truly cares for you. Yes, you read that last part correctly. Curious? Keep reading to uncover the mystery.

He may not always show it, but here are 10 things your husband absolutely hates:

He Hates When You’re in Pain

When you’re in pain, your husband feels it too – maybe even more so, because he can’t bear to see you hurt. He’d switch places with you in a heartbeat if he could. All he can do is try to help you through whatever storm you’re facing. Don’t fight it alone. Let him be there for you.

He Hates to See You Cry

Nothing stabs deeper than seeing his wife cry. He’s heard you silently sobbing in the bathroom when you thought he was asleep. Spoiler alert: he wasn’t. He knows how much you have on your plate and he wants to help, but he doesn’t always know how. Tell him what he can do to lighten your load. If anything, cry together — not alone.

He Hates When You’re Away from Him

Your husband misses you like a kid misses his blanket when you’re not around. He may not admit it, but it’s the truth. You’re always on his mind when either of you has to leave town. His favorite part of the day? Coming home to you.

After all, he married you for one simple reason: he wants to spend as much time with you as possible.

He Hates When You Don’t Believe in Yourself

Your husband isn’t with you because he thinks you’re perfect; he’s with you because he sees the incredible potential you possess. While you may focus on your insecurities, he’s laser-focused on your strengths. It breaks his heart when you lose confidence in yourself.

He Hates When Someone Doesn’t Treat You Right

Husbands are inherently protective. That’s why it makes their blood boil to see someone take advantage of you or treat you poorly. Sometimes, it might seem like a bigger deal to him than it does to you. Understand that he reacts this way because he loves you and can’t fathom why anyone would disrespect the most important person in his life.

He Hates When You Feel You Have to Change to Make Him Happy

Society feeds us endless lies about what the ideal wife or woman should be like. But if you married the right guy, he won’t expect you to live up to those fake standards. He loves you for who you are. He doesn’t want you to morph into who you think he likes — into a completely different person. Just be you.

He Hates to See You Fail

Your husband wants you to succeed and hates it when things don’t go your way. Unlike anyone else, he sees the extraordinary effort you put into your endeavors. He knows how hard you work. Failure is part of life, but remember, your husband is always there to help you pick yourself up and try again.

He Hates When You Are Ashamed of Your Body or Don’t Feel Pretty Enough

Women’s bodies go through changes that men can hardly comprehend — especially after having children. But believe it or not, your husband didn’t just marry you for your looks. He fell in love with your sense of humor, your kind heart, and the way you make him feel.

Sure, he appreciates your efforts to look and feel your best, but that’s not everything to him. He hates to see you compare yourself to other women or feel down about your appearance.

He Hates When He Causes Your Heart to Break

You might be wondering, “If he hates it so much, why does he do it?” The truth is, most of the time, he doesn’t mean to. Like every human being, he doesn’t always think before he speaks. If he does say or do something hurtful in the heat of the moment, he undoubtedly regrets it later. He knows he has your heart, and the last thing he wants to do is break it.

He Hates When You Aren’t Happy

This entire list boils down to the one true thing your husband hates: when you’re unhappy. End of story. As the central source of his happiness, he craves this same joy for you. So, give him a break the next time he messes up or does something dumb. All these things he hates show just how much he really loves you.