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Confused & Hurt

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  • #305073
    Kylee
    Participant

    Hi Everyone!

    I really need some advice.

    For the last 4 months I have been seeing a guy. We usually talk on a daily basis and hangout every weekend. He would text me every morning and night. Ask me about my day and take me out. I met his family and he met mine. He is so nice to me and I love being around him.

    But yesterday I made the choice to leave him. I am hurt and sad because part of me didn’t really want to do that but another part of me had to stand up for my beliefs and boundaries. I have been so so hurt before in relationships ( I know most people have too!) but it unfortunately still sucks and sticks with us. I feel at the beginning of this relationship I noticed some red flags for example: When he was with me hanging out he always was on his cell phone, now I get its part of the generation and I don’t mind it a little bit but I really appreciate when someone is focused on me or what we are doing in the moment, he also on the very first date brought up his ex girlfriends. I didn’t ask he just told me everything! I was kind of shocked because I didnt really expect anyone on the first date to blurt it all out. But i accepted it and thought maybe he is just trying to express himself and be open. But with time going on randomly I felt compared to his exes or that he brought them up randomly which was starting to make me feel insecure and hurt. Like he wasn’t really letting that part of himself go and being present with me. I also new he still had some contact with him based on a situation that happened and before my feelings really grew I told him listen I get you want to talk about it but you have to understand that me or any girl in the right frame of mind will not be able to commit to you if you constantly talking about your ex girlfriends. I said it takes a level of trust away because it seems that you and this person have not truly moved on. So I continued to date him anyway because he was great to me and thought maybe I was overthinking ( Which I do a lot but sometimes I think why do I second guess myself! I have this gut feeling and I always go against it because I just assume I’m over thinking , I really struggle with this.) Anyway time went on and I noticed he got a text on his phone from his ex! I was so annoyed so I just had to speak up. I asked if he had contact and he said no and i said please dont lie to me and then he explained that his ex reaches out to him to prove shes doing good in hopes he will want to be with her. And he reassured me and I felt that he was genuine. But then I saw he liked his ex photo on Instagram and I got so frustrated because Id like to think its not a big deal but why the heck would he give her that attention, when he is claiming its all on her. So in that moment I really felt in my heart as much as I like him I just really dont want to be betrayed in this way.

    Aside from this ex girlfriend thing, he always said Im gonna make you my girl you wait and see! And he made me feel special a lot of the time. So after sometime he always introduced me as his girlfriend but he never asked me and I asked him why he hasn’t asked me if he feels this way and he said it takes time but i felt like I could understand that but i felt enough time went by to know if you want to be with this person or not… So it made me think about how he might still be in contact with his ex..But then he just started to slack a little and it made me feel like oh wow like of course this is happening it always does. But I usually never speak up! Finally I said if this is someone I want to be with I need to be open about my feelings.  I expressed myself as clearly and nicely as I could. I told him it hurts me when he speaks of them and makes me feel that he is not ready for a relationship and that I work really hard on myself and the life I live and I want someone to match that. I said I feel like your not as consistent with me as before and Its hard for me to express this because I struggle with it. and he basically told me that again relationships take time to build and that he feels he does show he cares for me but he trys not to get to attached because he wants to focus on future..( ALL THE WHILE HE WAS SAYING HOW HE WANTS ME TO BE HIS GF) He said we need to go with the flow and i shouldnt overthink so much. So i tried to let it go becuase I feel like oh wow maybe i Am over thinking! But like despite that like it made me feel his pushed my feelings aside and used overthinking as an excuse. I felt I had a reason to over think or express myself.

    Next day he hardly talked to me and told me he felt off. He wouldnt tell me why! I new why in my heart. Then next day same thing again but he admited it to being from what I said other day but he wouldnt talk to me or call me even after he said he would. So i got pretty upset because I feel if the person your dating is expressing there feelings and you are choosing to ignore it or whatever then its like why am I even in this relationship!? So I told him this feels like some reall bullshit and I said I dont want to see you anymore. Then today he said okay have a great day

    This is so hurtful! I can’t belive he switched just like that. I dont really know how to feel or what to think. It makes me feel regretful or like I was in the wrong or like I need to second guess myself even though he didnt even try to truly talk to me or come see me. So this leads me to belive he doesnt want to actually be with me. Which it is what it is but I have a hard time accepting the situation. I just hate that the time I truly tried to set boundries and be open it back fired…

    Any advice or thoughts?

    Thank you so much!

    Kylee

    #305075
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Kylee:

    Reads to me that the issue in this failed relationship is not your anxiety and overthinking, but his ambiguity, what you referred to as “some real buls*^*” on his part.

    Your efforts to communicate with him honestly and clearly are quite impressive, you did well on that front.

    I will be away from the computer for a while, if you want to share more, please do. I hope other members reply to  you as well.

    anita

    #305077
    Valora
    Participant

    Hi Kylee!

    Do you know how long he and his last girlfriend had been broken up before you started seeing each other? Does he jump from relationship/hanging out to relationship?  It IS pretty weird to bring up exes on the first date, and it does suggest that he isn’t yet over those relationships or at the very least hasn’t yet processed his feelings from them and has been trying to distract himself. Maybe that’s why he was stalling on asking you to be his girlfriend?

    However, if he has been broken up with these exes for a long time and is just friends with them all, I think that’s okay. I’m friends with most of my exes, but we definitely took a long time apart to heal and detach before we could form just a friendship with no romantic feelings. So in those cases, liking a picture or an occasional message to catch up should be fine.

    I also think you were doing very well with your communication, and I would definitely keep that up with guys you date in the future. Dating can be a lot of trial and error, though, so don’t let this deter you.  It’s also possible he may come back in a few days, and I would just stay strong with your needs and boundaries.

    #305083
    Kylee
    Participant

    Thanks Anita and Valora for responding!

    Well the last girlfriend he was with he said he was with her for about 6-7 months. He told me he didn’t really feel that emotional connection with her like he does with me. He said that she was immature and not on a good path and that he doesn’t even like her! Mean while he is out here liking her photos and texting her.  Which just makes me so frustrated like why go out of your way to tell me this information if you are going to continue talking to her. Sometimes I feel like guys hold on to the ex girlfriends because of a ego related thing. Its just so upsetting because he did seem interested but as soon as I tell him how I feel he can’t take the time to listen to me. I feel like in his mind he wanted to like do all these nice things together and be there for me but then like his actions wouldn’t fully match his words. I just feel like this is so ridiculous and everything could be fine but communication is a two way street and I guess I just need to accept that he isn’t wanting more or whatever. I hate that I feel insecure about this. I should be proud that I stood up for myself.

    Thank you

    Kylee

    #305099
    Inky
    Participant

    Hi Kylee,

    It sounds like you set a boundary and he was surprised that you dumped him. You are probably the first girl that didn’t let him get away with his nonsense. So of course he’s not going to be cool about it.

    Don’t overthink your decision.

    Best,

    Inky

    #305111
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Kylee:

    You are welcome. Let’s look at his behavior and what he told you: “When he was with me hanging out he always was on his cell phone…he also on the very first date brought up his ex girlfriends. I didn’t ask he just told me… he wasn’t .. present with me… he explained that his ex reaches out to him.. in hopes he will want to be with her… But then I saw he liked his ex photo on Instagram.. He always introduced me as his girlfriend but he never asked me (to be his girlfriend)… he told me.. he tries not to get attached because he wants to focus on future”.

    I don’t think you made a mistake ending the relationship. Here are two good reasons:

    1. He told you that an ex girlfriend wants to get back together with him and then he liked his photo. So… he is encouraging an ex girlfriend to get back together with him .. while having an intimate relationship with you.

    2. He told yo that “he tries not to get attached because he wants to focus on future”, meaning he doesn’t see you in his future, so he doesn’t want to get attached to someone he figures will be in his past.

    I understand that you feel hurt and I do hope you feel better soon. You did the right thing ending this relationship because you did want an honest man, a loyal man, and one who sees you in his future.

    anita

     

    #305141
    Peggy
    Participant

    Hi Kylee,

    If the person you are with is permanently on his cellphone then he is not really with you.  His relationship with his cell phone is far more important than the one he is supposed to be having with you.   I, personally, think this behavior is extremely rude.  Always trust your gut instinct even if it means that a relationship ends.  He is not ready for a relationship with you.  After 4 months you are already his girlfriend and he is already attached to you, he just hasn’t committed to you.  He hasn’t switched off his feelings, they were just never there in the first place.

    As long as he is clinging to his past relationships he isn’t free to move on with anyone.  This pattern will keep repeating itself and the majority of girlfriends he has in the future will feel exactly as you feel now.

    You have only been with him for 4 months – hardly any time at all.  Let this one go, trust your instincts, have other relationships and one day you will find someone who is worthy of you.

    Best Wishes

    Peggy

    #305159
    Kylee
    Participant

    Thank you all again for your responses.

    I am trying to just push forward and keep doing what I always do. I just want to trust my judgment and know that even if the relationship has ended I will heal and find someone else. I guess my mind wonders wow what if I meet someone else and I have this same type of anxiety where i express myself and then they dont accept what I have to say.

    That was my deep fear and he did ignore me basically after that. Which my fear became reality. I do feel I am learning something from this because I have never been the one to truly end a relationship. I usually  would stick around until the other person ended it. I have always been so nervous or scared to let go in fear of being alone. But after my last relationship I promised myself I would not settle for less than I deserve. So i think this is why I second guess myself because I am afraid that I will be less whole without love in my life. But something told me this time that I just need to do it because if I dont the same patterns will keep repeating and I truly want to move on from old patterns!

    But its true, if someone wants to be with you, they will try. I feel slight guilt from ending relationship because I think wow maybe I didnt see his side of things…but thats when that old pattern of behavior comes in and makes me settle for less!! So I am trying really hard to let go of those thoughts.

    I was talking to my mother and a friend and they said guys don’t like when we express ourselves in that way or put it on them. They can’t handle it or it can be a turn off.

    This makes me so upset because, I just cant be in a relationship where I cant freely ask or say what I want with obviously consideration of the other persons feelings.

    Anyway these are my thoughts!!!

    Thank you again-Kylee 🙂

     

    #305163
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Kylee:

    You are welcome. “I just want to trust my judgment and know that even if the relationship has ended I will heal and find someone else”- but don’t just find someone else, learn who each someone else is before getting intimately involved with him, that way you make your evaluation, or judgment of him, before you get hurt.

    “what if I meet someone else and I .. express myself and then they don’t accept what I have to say”- that will not hurt much if it happens before getting intimately involved, it will feel less personal. You will simply learn if a particular man is a good idea to be in a relationship with, or not.

    Good thing you did something you never did before, “truly end a relationship”, this is assertive and healthy, unlike to “stick around until the other person ended it”. Good thing you “truly want to move on from old patterns!” You learned and made a change. Keep learning, keep changing so to make your life better and better.

    “I feel slight guilt from ending relationship because I think wow maybe I didn’t see his side of things”- it feels uncomfortable to change behavior, but if you endure the discomfort, the new behavior will feel comfortable over time. (And it is good that you considered first your side of things).

    “guys don’t like when we express ourselves in that way or put it on them”- guys don’t like it when they are nagged, or talked to on and on and on. Or when they are blamed for what they are not responsible for. Women don’t like it either. But effective communication is different from nagging and false blaming.

    anita

    #305191
    Peggy
    Participant

    Hi Kylee,

    Everyone who has posted has said in one way or another that your judgement was fine and they agreed with your decision.  You were dissatisfied with this relationship and you ended it.  There is no need whatsoever to see his side of things if he was not willing to commit to you.  You weren’t getting what you wanted from him because he hadn’t let go of his past relationships and, therefore, he was not free to be with you.  Why do you need to feel guilty for saying as much?

    Every successful relationship relies on open and honest communication.  Just because one man can’t deal with your honesty doesn’t mean that the next one won’t be able to.

    Face your fear and embrace being alone.  Spend time on your hobbies and your friends, learn a new skill, discover some interesting facts about your local environment etc.  There are endless possibilities.  Learn to love your own company.

    You will heal, you will have other relationships, but the most important relationship of all is the one that you have with yourself.  Think about this.  Overthinking comes from doubting yourself.  Learn to trust your instincts – it’s what they are there for.  For the most part, they do a fine job of keeping us safe.

    Peggy

    #312175
    Kylee
    Participant

    Hello All,

    I am back and still stuck on this situation. I was going to start a new thread but figured I would come back to this one as it is related. Also I do appreciate all your responses from before.

    Basically after this situation occurred, I struggled a few days with deciding to reach back out to him or not. I did eventually decide to do so and he said he missed me and that the situation does bother him. I basically told him I felt he was unclear in how he expressed his emotions towards me and that he seemed unclear in what he wanted with me. He then told me that he has been hurt in past relationship and feels like he would be unreliable in a relationship. He said he would not be a good boyfriend. I responded with why would he say all this time he wanted me to be his be his girlfriend and then all of the sudden when things actually come up you dont want to commit? He said that its not that he doesnt want to be my boyfriend he said he could give me a million reasons why he wants too its just he said why would he let himself get attached like that again. Theres a little more to it but I just said if thats what you want then ok. (This was over texts) He then called me and was talked a little. Not much was resolved based on that convo more catching up and what not. We began texted as normal again and he said he missed me so much and our time together and wants to have a talk! I was happy this is what I wanted! Right? He said we would talk and then go out for the night. So then the time comes around and I said want me to head over? He said not yet my cousin isnt here yet, i said perfect we can talk first like you mentioned. He said oh we will talk through the night! I said well I feel its more appropriate to talk together before we go out because I dont want to be drinking when having this conversation. He said well we havent seen each other in a bit I feel we should go out have some fun, then we can talk. I was pretty upset over this, because I think that i deserved the time to talk! after he said we would. I totally got his point of view but at the same time, why would i wanna go out and have fun to fulfill his needs if he cant fulfill this one conversation he new i really wanted to have! But anyway i went over, i was pretty sad and it was hard to be happy and enjoy myself. I tried to explain we need to talk when i saw him face to face and he kept complimenting me and saying we will talk later but i was just like why cant we just talk now! Like you said we would. So we went out anyway and we tried to talk while we were out but wouldn’t give me his full undivided attention. I was soo friken upset the whole night. I tried to enjoy my time the best i could though. So we get back to his house (we had some drinks, this is of course not the situation i wanted at all.) But i brought things up of course and I felt like i had to make him talk to me and he told me that we are together and he wants to be with me and I brought up my concerns and he told me i overthink so much and its not healthy and i said to him, even if i am doing that ( Which based off what I told you all previously, I didnt feel I was just over thinking, I had true reasons to why i felt the way I felt.) I should be able to express myself to you and have you listen to me without it being such a struggle. anyway that was that. Next day I felt soooo regretful in how the situation played out, I felt so sad and confused even more. I didnt talk to him much that day and he asked me next day why I didnt. I said because i really didnt want to have that conversation drunk. and its upsetting me. He said dam I feel like you just want to point out the bad things in me. I said thats not true, I wanted to have a one conversation with you based off some events. Not because I ever want to make you feel bad at all! We also had plans that day and he said we would follow through and he compeltely ignored me and blew me off on them. And then I didnt answer him when he responsed wayyyyy later at night. Because to me it was such bs! Then a few days later he is like what are not talking anymore?? …. After that I felt so fed up! I was like omg I have given this person every opportunity to talk to me and communicate with me and he avoided or just didnt even try that hard to even do that, while knowing how much it would mean to me. So to make things more final and to come to some resolution of some sort I said along the lines of this: I have given you every opportunity to talk with me and you chose not too. I know in my heart that i deserve my time and feelings to be respected. If this is not a reltionship you want to build then I wish you the best. ( I said more but I cant fully remember details because I erased it all) He responded to that like two days later and said I wish you the best too. THis hurt me so deeply. I was a wreck! I know our relationship wasnt long in time wise but it meant something to me and I felt connected to him in some way and it stuck with me. But i procceeded to try and move forward by deleting him from social media, I deleted his number, blocked him off some social media. Then 3 weeks go by and i get a message on Facebook that he tried to add me back as friends and then he messaged me sayinf “Kylee!!!!” thats it!!!! Which just messes with my head so much. I didnt respond. I didnt add him back or deny I just left i be. He deleted his request from me about a week later probably becuase I didnt respond im assuming. I have been so tempted to reach out to him but Im trying to remain strong in my choice. I really miss him and im so so conflicted within my heart.

    Being conflicted in my heart really interferes with other parts of my life, and affects my happiness or feeling of self worth. I try to not let it but ultimately it does. I really struggle here because my mind and others around me who care for me tell me to forget about him and move on but my heart is like well what if you just follow your heart and try. Its such a conflict and i hate it. every day im so sad over this and im so tired of feeling this way. I do things to occupy my time, I am still trying to accomplish all that I need to. I am always busy doing things so its not like I dont have distractions. Its just a deep loving connection is something that means so much to me that its so difficult to let go when i feel I have or am close to that.  I also struggle with my spirituality when it comes to love, because I try to think like well if I want to reach out or if he messages me why cant i respond? Why do i feel like its wrong or that im not allowed or that it is wrong to do so?? I feel like I should just be open with my heart and spread love and what not. But then part of me is like well kylee do u want to get hurt, do you want to try again??? When the person seems to be putting minimal effort. ( I tend to make excuses for other peoples actions becuase i think well maube they have a hard time being open and honest or confrontation or whatever it may be.)

    I know that this is A Lot to read and I appreciate anyone who decided too lol. Its just so hard to get all my feelings out or my ideas out typing I suppose. Heart break is so confusing, I feel so tempted to reach back out but I am trying to really hold myself back because I already tried to be as clear as possible before. So what else is there for me to say unless he were to truly intiate a conversation that would be worthy of my energy or time.  I feel so consumed by this and I just dont even know how to let go fully.

    Thank you

    Kylee

    #312251
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Kylee:

    You tried yet again to communicate with him but he doesn’t want to. As a result, you feel hurt again. But I hope you feel less confused (I am referring to the title of this thread: “Confused & Hurt”)-

    – are you less confused now?

    anita

    #312979
    Kylee
    Participant

    Hi Anita,

    He came back again even after this last post i made. I hadnt spoken to him in weeks. But i gave in to it. We talked but something in me still senses his lack of effort or understanding. I told him what I need in order to feel secure in a reltionship and he agreed but its almost like I have to pry out of him his true feelings. I feel like he wont just talk about them with me unless I am asking question after question. He says he wants to be with me but my heart still aches so deeply? I feel like his effort is the bare minimum and i feel guilty for feeling that way because I dont mean to ever make someone appear belittled.

    So yes I am still confused? His emotions towards me seem so wishy washy. Its like only at his convenience i feel. He says its not but actions show that it is. I am trying to be patient but idk how much more my heart can take. This feels so consuming of my energy but when I am not with him all i do is think about him and how much i miss him and why this or why that.

    I guess I don’t know how I should move forward?

    Thank you

    Kylee

    #312993
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Kylee:

    There is only one way to go forward giving him another chance and not getting hurt:

    1. Tell him the truth of how you feel which you shared here in your most recent post: “when I am not with him all I do  is think about him and how much I miss him”.

    2. Tell him that you are very interested in seeing him but for the rest of the year (till Dec 31) you will not spend alone-time with him, not in your place, not in his place, not in any room or place where sex is possible. Instead you will be more than happy to go to the movies with him, to restaurants, to walks in the park, to coffee in a coffee shops, so to spend time with him, because you like him so much.

    Again: no sex for the rest of the year.

    3. Tell him that you are looking forward to the two of you getting to know each other and that you are very much hoping for the two  of you to become girlfriend/ boyfriend in 2020. If the two of you like each want to be in a committed relationship by then.

    — If he agrees, make sure you follow through with the no sex this year. If he agrees and you meet, don’t ask him many questions so to try to “pry out of him his true feelings… asking question after question”. Don’t do that. Let the conversation- or non-conversation- be. Do not be in a hurry. Relax and get to know him.

    — If he agrees and then pressures you to have sex with you, end all contact with him (you can give him one warning if you want).

    — If he disagrees, end all contact with him.

    Does this plan make sense  to you?

    anita

     

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