Unenthusiastic reaction to everything

[leostardust]

I’m on holiday with my partner and have just noticed how everything to him is just “alright”. Never “amazing!” Or “really good”.

We go out somewhere nice for the day. “Yeah it was alright”

We go out somewhere nice to eat “yeah it’s alright”

We meet up with friends of family and again, the reaction is an unenthusiastic “alright” reaction.

He never seems impressed with anything, and while I’ve only just noticed this now, it’s definitely a daily occurrence at home too. I’ll make a special effort to do something nice or cook his favourite meal and the reaction is always so underwhelming I wonder if he actually enjoys anything.

When I press him on this, he says I’m overreacting and he is happy and does take joy in the things we do together. When I ask for suggestions of things to do that he might enjoy he just shrugs and says he doesn’t mind. It’s so annoying and disheartening at the same time.

AIBU or overly sensitive?

Sounds like my teenage daughter …..it’s thoroughly joy sapping and utterly irritating. I’m hoping she’ll grow out if it….poss a bit late for your bloke to do the same…

Yanbu, unless you want a lifetime of being the entertainments committee for someone who doesn't appreciate it and wouldn't do the same for you.
A lacklustre companion is a drag.

He’s understated like my DP by the sound of it. I tended to take it personally until I observed him at a Leonard Cohen (who he absolutely worshipped) concert, and his reaction to Leonard was as understated and quiet as his reaction to all the things I wanted him to rhapsodise about.
It might be just who he is, OP, and the question is can you accept this, cos otherwise you could wear yourself out trying to wring a reaction out of him.

Some people just aren’t super demonstrative about things. Maybe he’s really pleased inside but bad at communicating it. I’m a very over the top enthusiastic person, but my other half is the opposite, and that’s ok, we just express things completely differently.
Maybe he thinks you’re over the top sometimes, who knows!