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Difficulty "Moving On"

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  • #51020
    Jan
    Participant

    I will try not to be long winded, but sometimes you get going and it’s difficult to be concise… 🙂

    I am currently trying to move on and get over the end of my almost three year extra marital affair. He was a crappy boyfriend,constantly lied to me, cheated on me with two other women, is a functional alcoholic, etc, etc, etc. I am still trying to figure out what I exactly got out of the relationship, and I believe it was mostly for the intimacy, the human touch, etc. I have no physical relationship with my husband even though we are good friends. I have asked myself the question: “would I be better off with him, or without him?” and I’m not so sure I would be better without him. We are convenient for each other,especially financially. So I stay.

    Since the end of my affair, I have been trying to read everything I can on breakups, etc, so I can try and learn to get on with my life because I still think about my ex all the time. I am trying my hardest to have no contact but I am so weak. I only last a couple of days and then I am sending him a one or two line innocuous email. I know he is with someone else (two, actually) and he doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore.

    The one theme that runs throughout my research (besides no contact) is the theory that once you can move on from your breakup, there is a great chance you will love again. This is the part that I am struggling with. I don’t feel I will find love again unless I leave my marriage. My friends that knew about my affair keep saying I need to find someone else to “take the place” of my ex, but I cannot go through this heartache again. I can’t have another affair with a married man, it hurt way too many people (besides me), and I don’t think a single man would want any sort of relationship with a married woman.

    I know I need to learn to love myself and that will be a huge step in moving forward, but how do I do that? I have horrible self esteem; I lost over 150 pounds a few years ago and have put half of it back on. I can’t get it together to lose the weight, so I feel like a failure. I have a dysfunctional marriage, and I can’t stop crying over someone who probably never really cared about me that much at all.

    I have been in and out of counseling, and I think I need to be more in than out. I am going to Europe on a solo vacation next week to try and get some clarity and when I return I will be back in counseling. But any advice anyone can give would be appreciated.

    #51029
    Lilbuddha
    Participant

    Europe will be great for you. New sites and sounds to reinvigorate you, and get your engine excited again about new opportunities. I disagree with the rush out and find “new” love thing. This is one thing that drives me nuts in today’s society of convenience. We can rush out and get a new man, like we’re grabbing a burger. :0)

    I know you’re friends are well-meaning, but that’s a trap we like to rush into. It’s a quick and easy fix, which means it’s no fix at all.

    You sound so down about the idea of loving yourself, as if it’s such a depressing thought and futile effort. How great would it be for you to realize how amazing you are and what all you can offer yourself?!?! How great would it be to not need anyone else to make you feel fulfilled?!?! How great would it be to offer those you love -most especially yourself – something more than insecurity and the unhealthy behaviors that result from it?!?! :0)

    You only have to change your ideas of what’s important to you, and make you the priority. You’re worth it!

    You’re going through the dark phase that happens after break-ups, but “this too shall pass”. He is the past, and that’s the bed you need to let him RIP in. You have a whole new future ahead of you, and he’s chosen to not be apart of it. So be it. Can you do anything to change the situation by falling into a trap of self pity and insecurity? No. Can you do anything to change it by showing how you desperately miss him? No. If you did get him back, would you be happy? No, because he’s cheated. If you hang onto him, you hang onto a ghost – a relationship that doesn’t exist anymore. And it sounds to me like that’s a very good thing for you! A broken heart can’t heal, if it keeps jabbing itself with painful “what ifs” and replays of times gone by. Don’t beat yourself up.

    Give yourself a brief period to grieve, and then move-on. Focus on right now – not the future or the past. Don’t worry about healing, just give yourself new motivations and new interests with each new minute that passes by. Set goals for yourself, in regards to things you’re passionate about. Find things you love to do, and focus on doing them. Let yourself get to a place where you’re happy – even if it’s only for a moment, which gives your brain endorphins and other chemicals to change it’s way of thinking. Healing will come with time.

    As far as the guy goes, it’s going to be tough maintaining long-term relationships with anyone when you’re already married. I get that your best friends, and it’s financially feasible, but is that what you want to be locked into for a lifetime? If it is, then expect a lot of turnover in the boyfriend department, or guys who’ll feel okay about dabbling elsewhere , because you’re married. That marriage is a deprivation of growth for yourself and in relationships with other people. Ask yourself, “what kind of guy is fogging to happily date a married woman?” I think you’ve discovered the answer to that. You are effectively tied down by law, even if not by emotion.

    I know it’s tough, but you’ll get through this. Trust that belief and trust yourself. You’re capable of far more than you know right now, don’t let the slump get you down…it’s just a slump. And life’s a coaster…everything from here is high riding! ;0)

    #51030
    Lilbuddha
    Participant

    I tried to say “going”, not “fogging” … Lol . I’m on the ipad, gotta love spellcheck.

    #51048
    Anyone
    Participant

    Hi Lilbuddha,

    What you wrote is something I needed to read at this moment. Although, I’m in the phase of ‘moving on’; today specifically, as it is a Saturday I was down with low moments, and I have noted it is happening quite often on Saturdays….Mon to Fri there isn’t much time to ponder over past as I see and meet lot of people in office. Just when Saturday hits…Oh My God…It’s just so difficult; I started the morning very well, all pepped up, did many stuffs, then I started missing my ex. She is lesbian and I don’t share the same feelings; which is why I’m breaking this relationship; also it started because I was low with my previous relation. As my ex gave me all the emotional support I needed, I had become dependent on her and 15 days ago I was saying to my psychologist ‘I don’t have the courage to leave her’ . She asked why and I said ‘Because she has been there for me and I just don’t know how to take off this base of support suddenly and stand on my own. What if I fall?’. I was so weak. God!

    Today after more than 15 days of no contact; I was (am) missing her badly. Everything that we shared together in 2 years. All the happy and togetherness moments we had. It’s just so difficult to forget and not think about it.

    I think I need to be super occupied to make myself less vulnerable. It’s again a very delicate phase; where I can fall again, so I’m being very careful to what I speak and whom and how much I speak in office; as I won’t realize when someone notices my down phase and tries to take advantage of it, (This is how my ex had hit on me; although she was dating many other girls from office). I don’t wanna fall for any kind of support anymore and be on my own. Somewhere I’m strong; but the times I’m emotional, it leaves a great impact on my strong mind ! Phew!

    So I have decided to go for a movie tomorrow. I gotta move out of the bed and do something different!

    My heart says so much….’I miss her…:-( I don’t want to hold this emotion inside for it to suddenly pop up if and when she comes to see me. I wanna feel it and let it go. For me to be strong; strong enough to tell her, I appreciate what we had, but it’s not going to work. (Inside I would be saying…I love you too..hehehehe). God! So difficult to breakup!

    Think I wrote a lot…:-)
    Thanks Lilbuddha!
    Cheers!

    #51056
    Jan
    Participant

    Thanks Lilbuddha. I appreciate your kind words and great advice. I know it is time to focus on me, especially my health. I wish I knew why I am so sad over someone who treated me poorly…but I do know in time I will feel better.

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