There’s no way around it – breakups are absolutely brutal. There literally feels like there’s a hole in your chest that only he can fill. You feel empty and lost. The world has suddenly lost its color and everything is gloomy and grey and you don’t think you’ll ever be able to see beyond the fog.
It feels like a death, and it kind of is. It’s the death of the potential of what could have been. And you mourn and you grieve and you cry and you try to just make it through the day.
MORE: How to Make Your Ex Miss You After a Breakup
As much as you want him back right now — and this is a possibility for sure, take it from the girl who married her ex! — that shouldn’t be your focus. Right now your focus should be on moving on and dealing with those intense feelings of missing him. And believe me, I know how intense they can be!
Right now you need time, space, clarity, and perspective. And that’s what I’m here for!
Here are 16 ways to stop missing your ex-boyfriend so you can free yourself and start moving on: [continue reading…]
People underestimate the importance of fundamental compatibility in a relationship. Chemistry can only take you so far … if you’re not compatible, it isn’t going to last. And if it does last, it won’t be a happy relationship.
People place way more value on chemistry because it feels good. Who wants to think about practicalities and logistics? Who wants to listen to their head, aren’t we supposed to follow our hearts?
MORE: 225 Amazing Questions to Ask a Guy
Sure, follow your heart … as long as it’s leading you in a good direction! I know so many couples who broke up after many years together because of fundamental differences that should have been discussed way at the beginning.
Maybe it’s not romantic to be practical, but it’s essential if you want to have a lasting love that grows and flourishes over time. To help you get there, I’ve compiled a list of the best questions to ask to see how compatible you and your partner are.
You can bring these up subtly, or sit down one day and just go through the entire list. You’ll learn a lot about him, and also quite a bit about yourself!
It’s the worst possible feeling.
You try to ignore it. You try to justify. But you know what’s going on … he’s pulling away from you. This on its own isn’t so terrifying. It’s your perceived reason for why he’s doing it that fuels the pit in your stomach. You’re terrified it means that he’s losing interest and he’s going to leave.
MORE: How to Stop a Man From Withdrawing
It’s not always easy to put your finger on what’s happening. He may be there physically, but emotionally he seems to be somewhere else. He seems withdrawn and emotionally closed off and the worst part is he won’t talk to you about it. You ask him, but he just brushes you off and makes you feel like a nuisance … which only adds fuel to your panicked heart.
You can’t help but think of the worst case scenario and beat yourself up over what you possibly could have done to push him away.
Well, relax! I promise you it’s not as bad as you think and getting things back on track isn’t that difficult.
Asking the right questions is what opens the gates for a deeper, more meaningful connection. It can deepen a bond with someone you’re romantically involved with, or help you break past those walls we all keep up with a guy you’ve just started dating. The right questions can also help you connect even further with friends and family not to mention, yourself!
MORE: The Ultimate List of Questions to Ask a Guy
You may not even immediately know the answers to some of these questions so you can use them to get to know yourself even more.
Below is my ultimate list of good questions to ask which can be used to start a conversation, pass the time, or make a date more interesting by giving you something more interesting to talk about aside from where you’re from and what you do for a living.
I’ve divided them up to cover a bunch of ground: fun questions, funny questions, creative questions, and interesting questions.
When I tell people I write about relationships for a living, their first question is always: “So, what’s the most common relationship question you get?” The clear winner to that is: “Why do guys take so long to text back?” or why they don’t text back at all or what their texts mean… always something in the realm of texting.
And I totally get it because I asked myself those very same questions in my single days … and it drove me crazy!
Why is he taking so long to write back?… Why haven’t I heard from him today, isn’t he thinking about me?… Why are his answers so short and vague, is he not into me anymore?…. Why did he initiate a conversation and then just disappear?
MORE: Ask a Guy – Why Didn’t He Text Back?
Trust me, I’ve asked all the questions and have experienced the roller coaster of emotions that they produce. But why? Why do we get so wound up and stressed and anxious about texting?
There is a lot of bad texting advice out there. You’ll find plenty of scripts on what to say and when to say it, but what happens after? They don’t give you any real insight into how men feel about texting and what inspires (and de-inspires, if that’s a word!) a man to text back.
So here is the truth about why men don’t text back … and what you can do about it!
Liking a guy can be scary, especially if you don’t know where he stands. You think he’s interested but you aren’t totally sure. The only way to find out for certain is to ask him, but that would just be weird …what if you’re wrong and then can never face him again due to sheer embarrassment?
So how do you know if he likes you? The bottom line is, if you have to ask you already have your answer. When a guy is into you it’s obvious. You won’t question it and neither will anyone else around you. Guys don’t hide it when they like someone.
MORE: How to Know if a Guy Likes You FOR SURE
But maybe you’re insecure, have been wrong about a guy’s signals before, or are just terrible at getting even the most obvious hints. If that’s the case, here are some clear and proven indications for how to tell if a guy really likes you that should put your mind at ease.
We are saturated with ideas about love everywhere we look, but what does love really look like?
We learn what love is supposed to be first from our families, and if they’re dysfunctional that’s not much help. Then we learn from young relationships with other kids who don’t know what they’re doing, either. Then we learn from movies, which spread a romanticized and unrealistic version of love … and it goes on and on.
MORE: Undeniable Signs He’s In Love With You
Most of what we see is surface love, not the real deal. So many of us have our guards up high because of bad experiences and we can’t see past our walls. We focus on the bad signs instead of enjoying all the good we have.
At the same time, no one wants to be blindsided or taken advantage of or stay with someone who doesn’t actually love us, so the question is…
How do you know when a man loves you?
[continue reading…]
You like a guy, but he doesn’t feel the same …ouch. It hurts, and you can’t help but take it personally. What’s wrong with you? Are you not pretty enough? Not smart enough? Not charming enough? What’s his deal? Why doesn’t he like me back?!
A guy isn’t usually going to come out and give you a reason why he doesn’t like you. He may not have thought about it much to begin with, or he may just not be able to put it into words. But even if he can give a concrete reason, he most likely won’t because he doesn’t want to hurt your feelings. Instead, he’ll give you some vague excuse and you’ll be left more confused than ever.
MORE: Definite Signs He Doesn’t Like You
It really doesn’t matter why … it’s more important to just accept what is. However, sometimes you just need to know why. If he doesn’t like you back, then it’s most likely for one of the following reasons:
What is love? It’s a concept people have been trying to articulate for centuries through various channels- words, songs, poems, letters, sonnets, etc.
Love is vast. It can bring you to the height of euphoria, making you feel happier and more alive than ever … or to the pit of despair, making you feel empty and broken. Some love is surface-level, other love runs deep.
Love can be expressed through actions, and of course through words, but it has to be the right words.
MORE: Undeniable Signs He’s In Love With You
I have been collecting quotes about love for most of my life. There’s nothing like finding one of those perfect love phrases that just capture everything and say so much, so succinctly. Truth be told, I get a warm and fuzzy feeling every time I find one of those perfect love sayings that just capture the essence of a thought, idea, or feeling. And the list of “I love you” quotes that I’ve collected over my lifetime is quite bountiful, so I decided to share a few by selecting my absolute best love quotes that perfectly express love and define what love is and how it feels and what it can do to a person.
One of the biggest phobias women have when it comes to dating and relationships is dating a commitment-phobic man (see what I did there?). The fear is real and is what keeps our guard up and our eyes wide open for anything that looks like a bad sign.
Well here’s the good news. Most men are not commitment-phobes. I would say that term only applies to a teeny tiny portion of the male population and when a guy truly has that phobia, it will be obvious.
So what about the rest? What about the guy you were dating for a while who seemed super into you but just didn’t want to be “official?” What about the guy who is so sweet and attentive and always there for you, but immediately clams up and emotionally withdraws anytime you mention meeting his family or taking the next step in the relationship? What about the guy who always has a reason for not committing … he’s stressed at work … he wants to wait until he’s more financially stable … he’s having family issues … as soon as the busy season is over … as soon as summer is over … etc. etc.
MORE: 5 Major Signs He’ll Never Commit
Well look, some people do have real fears when it comes to commitment. Fears aren’t the same a phobias, fears can be abated with time. A phobia runs much deeper and can’t always be reasoned with.
Almost anyone who has been dating for a while has some level of fear when it comes to relationships. Maybe it’s because we’ve been hurt before, maybe it’s because we’re afraid of going through another breakup because we all know how brutal those can be, or maybe our trust has been battered too many times and we just can’t let our guards all the way down.
This is how to know if your guy truly is a commitment-phobe, or if he just has commitment fears.
The signs of physical abuse are pretty cut and dried because they always involve unwanted bodily contact or physical force of some kind that’s meant to harm or intimidate.
If he touches you physically in any way that harms or traumatizes you, it’s physical abuse. The most obvious example of physical abuse is hitting, but other forms of unwanted contact also apply, such as pushing, grabbing, kicking, pinching, restraining, and even unwanted sexual contact when you’ve said no or are being coerced into doing things with your body that you don’t want to. Physical abuse often starts with the use of less immediate violence meant to intimidate, such as reckless driving, throwing things, and hitting walls, but this is usually a prelude to more direct violence against you like hitting.
MORE: 5 Warning Signs You’re In a Toxic Relationship (And It’s Killing You)
Emotional abuse takes a much more subtle form and isn’t so easy to detect. Since there isn’t physical evidence, we can rationalize and reframe experiences to fit the reality we want instead of the reality we have, keeping ourselves in a state of denial.
There is no weaker or more vulnerable time in our lives than that following a breakup. Staying strong after a breakup can feel impossible. You see other people who do it and think they must be the types of people who wake up at 5 am every day to work out and never touch a carbohydrate, they have super-strength willpower that mere mortals can’t hope to achieve!
It’s hard no matter what the circumstances, although some circumstances make it significantly harder than others, like being cheated on or left for another woman. It doesn’t always matter who broke up with who or if it was a mutual decision, it’s painful and it’s far too easy to get sucked back into a situation that you know isn’t right. This is why breakups rarely stick after the first attempt. You usually need to hurt each other several times before it finally becomes permanent. It’s torture, and the sad thing is … we do it to ourselves.
MORE: How to Get Over Even the Worst Breakup
So what are the secrets? How can you stay strong after a breakup so you can move on to better things?
Here’s how:
Let’s talk about how to make a man happy and how to have a happy relationship.
If you do a quick Google search, you’ll find countless lists telling you what to do in order to please your man.
They will tell you the following:
I’m not knocking any of these suggestions. In fact, they all work and will make your man happy, at least in the moment. But none of these tips give you insight into what it takes to have a genuinely happy relationship, one where both parties are fulfilled and deeply happy, and isn’t that the real goal?
MORE: 5 Things Every Man Wants in a Woman
Small gestures of love will definitely enhance happiness. And love is a verb, it requires continuous actions. But there is a core foundation that needs to be in place first, and that’s the part no one really talks about. So let’s talk about it!
There are a lot of jaded women out there. They come to our site every day. The reason they feel so jaded is they feel as though they gave and gave to their man and it wasn’t enough. And the reason is a lot of women don’t know what it is that men really need from a woman.
We make assumptions based on our own needs and what we hear, but very few actually know. And it doesn’t help that so many men have a hard time articulating their needs. A lot of men don’t even know what they are, they just know when something is “missing” in the relationship.
The fact is, relationships aren’t that complicated. If it’s the right match, it will usually work out pretty effortlessly. If you feel perpetually stressed and it feels like you need to force things along, or if it feels like everything is a struggle and you take one step forward and two steps back, then it probably isn’t the right relationship. Or maybe you aren’t in the right place emotionally to be in a relationship.
MORE: 5 Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Men
All you can control is yourself. If you’ve worked on yourself and addressed your issues and it doesn’t work out, at least you know there is nothing more you could have done.
However, it’s also very important to understand the male psyche and understand what men need from women in a relationship. If you don’t know, how can you ever do it right?
Relationships can be scary places. You sometimes don’t even want to know the truth about what’s going on even if you really want to know the truth. Did that make any sense?
Let’s take being exclusive with him. You’ve been spending tons of time together, you’ve met each other’s friends and families, you enjoy each other, you have great chemistry… but you haven’t had the infamous “talk” yet to find out if you’re exclusive.
You really want to know where you stand but you’re afraid to ask for fear of rocking the boat. You’ve also heard that doing so would mean giving your power away and you certainly don’t want that! So you keep going along for the ride, but the question eats away at you.
MORE: The Top Signs He Is Never Going to Commit
You pay attention to his social media with the precision of a surgeon — you’re on the lookout for signs that he’s possibly seeing other girls, for signs that he isn’t as invested as you are. It feels like you’re a couple, but you don’t want to be blindsided as you’ve been so many times in the past, so you’re dying to know exactly where you stand.
So what are the ways to tell if you’re exclusive with him? [continue reading…]
[noinsert]ANM was essentially built on one epiphany: women are desperate to understand men!
This site started out as a fashion and beauty blog, but quickly evolved once Eric and I saw the widespread, voracious demand for quality relationship content that focused on explaining male behavior.[/noinsert]
And I fully get it because I was once the classic girl who was left confused time and time again by the way men behaved. I was perpetually trying to piece my broken heart back together and trying to understand where it all went wrong and what I missed and how I didn’t see it coming.
It’s exhausting and painful and has caused so many of us to become closed off and jaded. But men really aren’t that complicated (as the title of our first book so bluntly puts it!). Once you understand a few key things about male behavior, it all will make a whole lot go sense and then you will have the gift of clarity, and clarity is empowering!
MORE: 5 Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Men
Maybe you want to know what men want in a relationship, what they want in a girlfriend or wife, what makes men fall in love, or why they do the hurtful things they do. I understand that burning need to know. And while there are universals to explain male behavior, there are of course always exceptions. I just want to throw that out there because I know everyone knows someone who defies the norm.
But generally, there are universal differences between men and woman that can apply to most men and most women. And here they are:
It’s easy to know what makes a man fall in lust. It’s also not hard to know what makes a guy like a girl. But what makes a man fall in love?
That seems to be the elusive million dollar question. But … it’s not so elusive.
Love doesn’t grow from a checklist for most men. In fact, it’s not always something he can explain or describe. Most men don’t go out seeking love or commitment, it just kind of happens and envelopes them and all of a sudden he realizes he’s in love with an amazing woman, a woman he wants to commit himself to for the long haul.
MORE: These Are the Undeniable Signs He’s In Love With You
Studies have found that men often fall in love faster than women. Men usually know right away. Women are the ones who get stuck in their own heads analyzing endlessly … until she finally figures out where she stands.
Women can’t always see it clearly because women typically have a goal from the start, the goal being to get a commitment and have that rare, once in a lifetime, loving relationship.
But what causes men to fall in love with a woman? What makes one woman special and unique? Read on to find out.
One of the most important relationship skills is knowing when it’s time to move on and let go.
Most people don’t have this skill and can waste years of their life trapped in a relationship that makes them miserable. You almost forget that you have a say in the matter and that you’re choosing to stay in this relationship.
Being stuck in something that is not right for you is a miserable feeling. It stifles your growth as a person and crushes who you are. You may not even recognize the person this relationship has turned you into.
MORE: 5 Warning Signs You’re in a Toxic Relationship (And It’s Killing You)
The trouble is, it all happens so slowly. There isn’t a switch that flips one day turning a great relationship into a terrible one. It happens slowly over time, and this is why it can be so hard to see the situation for what it is.
To help you get some clarity, I’m going to share the biggest signs that it’s time to let go and move on from a relationship.
“It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.” – Oscar Wilde
Everybody wants to be charming. When you see someone who seems to easily captivate the attention of anyone in a room, it’s natural to want to emulate that. While it can seem like something that you either have or you don’t, the reality is you can become that person if you want to.
People who are magnetic don’t just roll out of bed and attract others like moths to a flame. It takes effort, and the better you get at it, the more effortless it will look. This doesn’t mean manipulating anyone – in fact, forcing false qualities or playing mind games will repel others.
MORE: How to Seduce a Guy
If you want to become one of those people who seem to be able to talk to anyone, and charm any man you meet with ease, you can. Some people are effortlessly charming, others need a little help, and that’s where this article will come in.
You’re seeing a new guy and everything is going great, but then something shifts and he seems to start pulling away.
This happens to a lot of women and it can be incredibly frustrating. You have no idea what could have caused him to behave this way or how to fix it.
Your first instinct is probably to pore over every detail of your last few interactions, looking for clues. You consider all the possibilities: is he losing interest? Did I say something to turn him off? Does he think I’m not interested in him? Is he just testing me to see what I’ll do?
[noinsert]
MORE: Exactly What to Do to Stop a Man From Withdrawing
That last question really gets you spinning. You don’t want to pretend like nothing’s wrong and just accept him pulling away as the new status quo, but you don’t want to bring it up and make a big deal out of something that could end up being nothing.
Basically, you don’t know what to do or how to react—you’re terrified of making it all worse.
I’m going to cover what to do, but here is one thing to always remember before anything else: the more you chase, the faster he’ll run.
[/noinsert]
[continue reading…]
Let’s talk about when a man pulls away just when things seem to be getting serious.
Everything seemed to be going great. You felt positive he was going to say those three not so little words at any moment, or maybe he has said them … but now things just seem off.
Something is different. He’s more withdrawn and seems to be pulling away.
And it all happened so suddenly. One day you were ecstatic over the relationship, you were bubbling with excitement over all the possibilities … and the next, you’re panicked at the prospect of losing him, which seems like a real possibility.
MORE These Are The Best Ways To Stop Him From Withdrawing If He’s Pulling Away
First things first, women tend to preemptively panic when things seem like a bad sign … even when nothing is actually wrong! So before you try to figure out why he’s pulling away, make sure he’s actually pulling away. Give yourself a few days to see what happens. You might be surprised when things just go right back to normal.
If not, these could be the reasons why…
Why do men pull away after getting close?
Is it something I did? Something I said? Is he losing interest? Is he going to break up with me? What’s doing on?!
Any of those questions sound familiar? You’re not alone. I’ve asked them many a time and so have countless others!
The fact is, men pull away sometimes. It can happen early in a relationship, it can happen further down the line. And it isn’t necessarily a bad thing! Relationships have ebbs and flows, just like everything in life.
MORE: These Are The Best Ways To Stop Him From Withdrawing If He’s Pulling Away
Most men deal with things by retreating, that is just the nature of a man and something about men that completely baffles and frustrates women. The big mistake here is making is all about you when really, it’s about him. But we all do this!
Women tend to take way too much responsibility in a relationship and we blame ourselves whenever anything goes wrong. If a guy is pulling away, it must mean we did something to cause it. And then we become little detectives trying to piece together clues as to what we did to cause his sudden shift and we participate in this whole drama that is fully fictional and self-generated!
Rather than torturing ourselves, let’s take a close look at what’s really going on and how we can handle it the right way.
[continue reading…]Let’s talk about an issue almost every woman will face in her relationship: He pulls away and then comes back.
What’s the deal?
It could be a guy you’re casually seeing, or maybe it’s your long-term partner. No matter what the case, it’s disconcerting and you can’t help but feel panicked and on edge.
Did you do something to upset him? Is he losing interest in you? Does he want to break up with you?
These are all terrifying questions to ask … especially when it’s a man you really care about.
MORE: How to Stop a Man From Withdrawing
The fact is, men do pull away and come back in relationships. It’s a naturally occurring cycle and happens for important reasons. Men and women are different and as such, the way they deal with emotions and stress can be different.
I know it feels confusing, but it’s actually pretty simple when you understand it, and that’s where I come in.
That inevitable moment when a guy takes space in a relationship can be terrifying.
You thought everything was going great. The chemistry is strong, you guys get along, you like each other, you connect … so why is he suddenly pulling away? What happened? Is it something you said? Something you did? You replay every moment of your last few interactions in your mind trying to figure out what went wrong, and how you can get things back on track.
More: Why Do Men Pull Away?
You’d be more OK with him pulling away if you knew for certain he would come back … but there are no guarantees and that’s what’s worrying you. You’re worried that his pulling away is a precursor to him leaving you completely. And the thought of that is terrifying and you can’t help but feel a little panicked.
You really don’t want to lose him, but you don’t know how to keep him. The real question is, what should you do now?
And I’m here to help with that!
You landed here because you want to know what it takes to keep a man in love.
Maybe you’re single and want to know what it takes to get and keep lasting love. Or maybe you finally have the love you’ve always wanted and you’re terrified of losing it.
Either way, there are key things you need to be aware of to create and keep an amazing, fulfilling relationship.
One of the most important things to bear in mind is that love is a verb. It’s less about feelings and more about actions.
MORE: Exactly How to Stop a Man From Withdrawing
How is your love conveyed? Not through your thoughts or feelings, but through what you do when it comes to the person you love. An equally important thing to remember is that love isn’t about crossing some finish line; it’s a journey and a process. Love grows and flows and evolves and it can be lasting, but only if it’s nurtured.
Knowing how to create the right environment for love to flourish will help you better cope when times get tough, as they inevitably will. It will strengthen you as a couple so you can weather any storm and tackle whatever obstacles come your way. They say love conquers all, but that’s only true if you take the right steps to have a strong sort of love that is capable of conquering.
[noinsert]To help you get there, I’m going to share some specific actions you can take to nurture your love and make sure it lasts. Once you’ve found love, these secrets will keep him in love with you forever. But don’t wait until you’ve found love to start using them. Knowing them and making them a part of your lifestyle and mindset now will actually make you more emotionally ready for a good relationship and help you find the right person, too.
Something with your guy feels off. You don’t want to admit it but you know it’s there. He’s pulling away and you don’t know what to do. You know that you should probably give him space, but you feel afraid that with a little bit of space, he will completely slip away and forget all about you.
It may feel like you need to close the gap, like you need to bring him closer. You think maybe if you’re more supportive, maybe if you do really sweet things for him, maybe if you dial back the neediness (and yes, this is definitely always a good idea!), maybe if you just show him how wonderful you are, then he’ll come back and everything will be great.
That’s not how it works. When a guy pulls away, give him space. That is all you can do … unless you want to push him further away until he vanishes completely.
MORE: This Is How To Stop Him From Withdrawing When He’s Pulling Away
I know it’s scary. I know you don’t want to. I know you just want to keep him as close as possible, but doing that will not get you the results you want. You want to bring him back. You want to get the relationship back on track. The only way to do that is to give him space when he pulls away. That is the only way you’ll get him back.
And I’m going to explain exactly why that is and how to give space the right way, so keep reading.
You’re here because you want your ex back and you want to know if he feels the same.
Considering that most people you know have experienced a breakup, you’d think we’d all have figured out how to cope perfectly with them by now. Humans have been falling in and out of love more consistently than anything else – for a very long time. Yet everyone will tell you a different story, offer opposing advice, and generally add to your confusion!
Some paths are clear in life. Becoming a doctor, for example, is a reasonably well-defined journey. Going through a break-up? Brutal. Navigating a break-up when the possibility of getting back together is in the air? Well, here be dragons.
MORE: These Are the Hidden Signs Your Ex Still Loves You (Even if He Denies It)
Here are some signs that your ex wants you back, as well as some thoughts on what you can do about it:
“When it comes to men, deal with them as they are, not how you’d like them to be.” – Greg Behrendt
Many a confused girl has passed her phone to a friend and exclaimed: “What does it mean?”
Thanks to its prominence, the decoding of the text has become a popular pastime. Sometimes talking on the phone can be punctuated with awkward pauses or the pressure of responding immediately. It’s a lot easier to come up with a clever response when you have a minute to think about it, or even to ask your friend(s) for advice.
Unfortunately, this habit of closely examining a text message can be a huge waste of time. When you’re nervous to impress a guy and figure out how much he likes you, it can be tempting to read too far into a text.
MORE: Find Out the Top 11 Signs A Guy Doesn’t Like You
Instead of searching every word for clues, take a step back and simplify. If he likes you, he’ll make sure you know it. Sure, some guys may play games through texts, but those aren’t the kind of guys you want to pursue anyway.
Let’s look at the signs that will likely pop up when you’re texting a guy in three different scenarios. Whether he’s straight-up not into you, he thinks of you as a friend, or he’s just looking to hook up, you can find evidence of this in the way he communicates.
Why do men pull away in the early stages?
It’s an all too common question. Most women are familiar with that gut-wrenching feeling, the one that happens when you’ve been seeing a guy, a guy you really like, and all seemed to be going well until suddenly it wasn’t.
Suddenly he seems to be pulling away. He’s not as excited by you, he’s not as responsive, he disappears for hours or days, he’s just not there anymore, not in the way he was in the beginning. So what’s going on? Is it something you said? Something you did? Something you didn’t do?
MORE: Here’s The Real Truth On Why Men Pull Away And How To Stop Him
Your mind spins and spins looking for an answer and in the end, you just feel exhausted and defeated, and also really sad that all the potential of the magical relationship that could have been is slowly going up in smoke.
The worst is if this is a pattern for you, if you’ve experienced this sort of thing multiple times. How are you not to take it personally? Maybe it means that you’re the problem.
Don’t worry. Chances are it’s not you and you aren’t doomed. Let’s break it down and look at exactly why guys pull away in the early stages, and what you should do to bring him back.
You’ve been seeing a guy for a while, all seemed to be going well, but now he seems to be acting distant all of a sudden and you have no idea why.
It may not be obvious. He’s still there, he’s still around, but there has been a definite and subtle shift. Maybe he doesn’t seem as excited by your existence, maybe he isn’t as attentive, maybe he seems distracted, maybe he’s a lot more quiet, sullen, and moody.
You might feel like you’re annoying him every time you try to talk to him. He may brush you off or be quick to dismiss you. You can feel him pulling away and with every tug, your level of panic increases.
It’s a gut-twisting feeling. You desperately want to get the relationship back on track but you don’t know how. Every time you try things seem to get worse.
