“Do you remember the last time your partner took out the trash? More importantly, do you remember how you reacted to that small act of kindness?

Couples who take a moment to express gratitude when their partners do something nice — whether it’s taking out the trash, mowing the lawn or picking up their favorite coffee drink on the way home — not only get a temporary boost of happiness, but feel better about the relationship overall.

Those feelings can last for days, weeks, and even months, according to recent research.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill psychologist Sara Algoe was one of the first to demonstrate this affect. In one of her studies, she had each member of a couple keep a weekly journal. In it they listed everything their partner had done for them in the previous seven days that made them feel grateful, along with how each act of kindness made them feel and how connected they had felt to their partner.” *

Cenk Uygur (http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur) and Ana Kasparian (http://www.twitter.com/AnaKasparian) discuss.

*Read more here from http://finance.yahoo.com/news/psychologists-one-habit-break-relationship-190800503.html