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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

So confused - leave or stay

15 replies

IamThis · 21/11/2018 10:45

Hello, everyone. I feel I am going cray. I always think about my relationship and it is very difficult to concentrate on anything else and I do not know what to do about it. Basically I think about whether we should be together, ehther he is the one, whether we have a future together, should I keep going or should I break up. It's killing me inside. We met a year and three months ago, been dating since and been living together in a tiny (no separate bedroom) apartment for three months. I haven't had many relationships previously (we are 28/29), he has basically been in different relationships (lasting around 2-5 years) during the past 10 years. I have used to being alone all the time (i.e apart from work, hobby and meeting with friends 1-2 times per month). I live and need being alone. I alos love and need my hobby (2 times per week, sometimes more). I am rather independent. He, on the other hand, has no friends or hobbies (well he likes watching youtube and sometimes programming in computer and stuff), and he wants do spend all the time with me together and he never goes out alone.
I did not have exactly this big lovely feeling in the beginning as there were things I did not exactly fancy about him (i.e. he does not ask much questions to get to know me; he is not as assertive as I would like; he does not laugh or be like funny silly as I am so I keep holding myself back a bit etc). But at one point I really fell in love. But this feeling is gone now for several moths. Especially because I feel suffocated. We have had a few long talks/discussions about his need to be together all the time and my need to have my own time. He has agreed to give me (in addition to my hobbues) the time to recharge my batteries every day by not talking, keeping silence, while we are still in the same room. I just feel so pressured all the time. This started rather at the beginning of our relationship and I tried to minimize my own activities, but then I burned out and asked for these "silent" times and said I will do more my own things again. We almost broke up during this discussions, because at first he was certain it is something he cannot do (be at home with me and not talk, for example). He always says he fears that as the time goes by I keep wanting to do more and more and more stuff on my own and as a result we annot spend time together. I keep telling him that I want to do different things, including spending time with him. And the more I have choice, the more I choose him - if I constantly feel pressured to be with him, I do not want to do it.
My worrie is that he has very positive traits, too. And I guess his traits would be especially beneficial for family life, if we had children. - i.e. likes to be at home, cleans and cooks, likes to hike and spend time outside, he is caring etc. However, at this point I am not sure whether I would like to have children with him in the future. Firstly, we would have to find a bigger living place, but he is more like "let's see what the future holds" type and very unable to make decisions, so already the idea of talking about such serious thing makes me go crazy. Recently I asked about his thoughts about future, and these were vary vague (he wants to someday live in some bigger place and he someday wants to have children, because everyone has children and it would be fun, but he has not thought about any additional details).
I am overall just so confused and I keep thinking and thinking and cannot enjoy life anymore. After the last talk, things have improved, I can have my space more etc. However, still, one day we have very great day, good activities and and talks, but on everyday basis I feel tired and worried. He is good on paper mostly, but I just do not feel he is the one, or the right person, my person. But then again I am worried that maybe these are just my fears holding me back, maybe if I try to see the positives, try to desire to do less my own thing and more with him, be vulnerable etc, give myself entirely to him, plan our future together etc - then maybe I would have a great family life one day.

OP posts:
AtrociousCircumstance · 21/11/2018 10:48

It sounds like you’re both nice people but are not suited. You’re young - let him go and find the person for whom he is perfect. And you can find someone to fall in love with too.

Trinity66 · 21/11/2018 10:51

at a year and 3 months you should still be in the honeymoon period, the fact that you don't have the same sense of humour and you feel like holding yourself back would be a big turn off for me. I was like this with my ex, we just weren't compatible at all. It sounds like you're not happy and should probably break up tbh

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 21/11/2018 10:57

You're not compatible.

After just a year and 3 months it shouldn't be this much hard work. Why did you move in with him into a tiny apartment when you know you need your alone time?

I think you'd both be happier if you broke up.

IamThis · 21/11/2018 11:08

I guess it was mistake moving in, but I felt pressured to do it. We lived in different parts of town and he always said I do not spend enough time with him (yes, at one point I had busier times with my hobby) and at one point he said he cannot continue like this, and that if we keep spending so little time together (I do not think that spending whole weekends plus one-two stay overs per week usually being too little though) and we keep pendling between different parts of city, he cannot take it anymore. But he did not offer any solutions. At that thime I was actually in love with him and did not want to break up. So I finally suggested moving in together. He was hesitant at first, that maybe I do not like him when we move in together. But I figured let's give it a try as otherwise we would break up anyway according to him. And I figured if we could spend all evenings and mornings together, he would not pressure me and I can do my solo activities in peace (hobby and friends). I also told him I would need some alone time and talked about my fears, and it seemed it would work out. But it went pretty bad..

OP posts:
IamThis · 21/11/2018 11:10

Oh, and we decided long whether we live on my tiny apartment or his bigger rental apartment. But we decided my apartment, because it is cheaper, more closer to our jobs and then I would not have to rent my apartment out etc.

OP posts:
GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 21/11/2018 11:19

He sounds very needy/demanding

You sound quite independent.

This is why I just don't think you're compatible. Sorry.

AtrociousCircumstance · 21/11/2018 11:23

All the details - which you could rehash forever - are irrelevant. You’re not compatible, you aren’t in love with him. Time to move on.

BundyLancroft · 21/11/2018 11:28

stop overthinking. You aren't happy. That's all the reason you need to end it. Don't waste any more of your life on this relationship.

Musti · 21/11/2018 11:45

You're not compatible or you don't love him enough. It shouldn't be all this drama when you're young and still in a fairly new relationship.

Butterymuffin · 21/11/2018 11:50

At your age you don't have to settle. Move on and look for someone you're more suited to.

IamThis · 21/11/2018 14:35

I fear that if I leave him, I leave a good man with good qualities that I really appreciate. And I fear that I sabotage a good thing just because I cannot get my s*it together.
I know that my hobby takes a lot of time to be good at it and to enjoy it. Doing it just a little is not enough. So I would have to choose - him or my hobby. I am afraid to let go my hobby and find new things to do - alone and/or with him, because as I said he is not very assertive, but starting something new needs this kind of trait. I know that if I start something new, I have to motivate myself. It is easier when I am alone. But if I have distractions, it is difficult. and my boyfriend is a distraction - it is easy to sit on the couch and watch some TV together instead of pursuing the new thing, and he is not that kind of guy who kicks me in the ass (in a good way) to go and pursue my thing as he would lose this precious "being together" time.. Also, I have suggested taking some hobbys together (i.e. swimming), but as soon as I feel unmotivated, he stops this thing too. He does not keep the thing up. So I have to do all the work. So I fear that eventually I will gain weight again (not doing anything active regularly, as I am doing now) and am unhappy (been there years ago). I guess if I could lose this fear and be the strong assertive one, maybe it could work out and I could enjoy all his positive traits. But quitting my current hobby, which I have been practicing 5 years and which I looked for so long (I never had a hobby before) and discovered I am rather good at it, is so difficult if I am not sure that something equally good would fill in the gap.
Secondly, I have issue with him not going out anywhere - he has no hobbies outside and he has like only one friend, who he sees maybe twice a year. It drives me insane - he is always home, always waiting for me or always wanting me to entertain him or he wanting to talk and talk and talk. I would love to have some private home-alone hours occasionally, but how would I kick him out of the apartment? I have suggested him hobbies, doing something on his own, meeting new people etc. Several times, I started it rather early in the beginning. Nothing has changed. So I guess if I just could get over it, let him be, maybe finding a bigger apartment so I could go and close the door and be by myself would help. or not? I guess he would again be unhappy.. you know, being home together, but not being able to talk to me or so.
I am also afraid that maybe if I break up and maybe find a new man in my life and he is what I want - has friends, hobbys - then maybe it would be an issue when we have children - maybe I would then love a husband who would be available and help at home and would want to spend his time with his family.

OP posts:
Closetbeanmuncher · 21/11/2018 15:47

People can still have hobbies and be fully involved in family life so don't fret on that aspect with potential future partners. You need a balance

You sound as if you can't be yourself with this person which isn't a good sign and also sound quite suffocated by the relationship.

Neither of you are right or wrong, the two of you just aren't compatible.

SuperSuperSuper · 22/11/2018 21:05

I "settled" with an incompatible man at 28 despite my instincts telling me it wasn't right. It was - of course - a serious mistake.

End it quickly and amicably, for the sake of both of you. He's becoming more and more reliant on you which is bad news.

NotTheFordType · 22/11/2018 21:43

I fear that if I leave him, I leave a good man with good qualities that I really appreciate.

There are lots of good men (and women) in the world with admirable qualities. It doesn't mean that you or I would be compatible with them.

Just thinking about friends of mine:
One who is very intelligent, politically on my wavelength and can be very funny - but also is completely a "dog person", his life revolves around his dogs, breeding, Crufts etc. I'm not a dog person. He's a good friend but would be a crap partner for me.

One who is again intelligent, always friendly with everyone, happy to talk to the CEO of a bank or the checkout staff in Aldi. But our politics are diametrically opposed. We wouldn't be compatible as a couple.

And one who is incredibly funny, never seems to have a bad day, has a huge heart, always generous with time and support. But he needs constantly to be out socialising - he feels an evening at home watching TV is a waste. I need time on my own. It would never work between us.

(Just to be clear I don't fancy any of these!)

As all the PPs have said - you're not compatible. It doesn't mean either of you is a bad person. You're just very different people.

Lozzerbmc · 23/11/2018 07:32

A relationship shouldnt be so hard esp after such a short time. He may be a nice man with good qualities but it doesnt mean you are suited. It doesnt sound like hes the one for you. You’re young with no commitment to each other so best to move on i think and find someone you are more compatible with.

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