What to Do When The Relationship’s Slipping Away

Hey Evan,

Wondering if you could share some of your wisdom with me. Things are still going okay, but there has been a bit of a change in Mr. Wonderful. James has been a bit distant and distracted. I have tried to give him as much space as possible but he mentioned last night that he does not feel “free” due to the fact he is not yet divorced.

The challenge I am having is that he is pulling back. He still calls everyday… just not as often. Usually when he has been out of town he says he has missed me… but he just came back from a 10 day trip and said nothing. And this usually throws me into a bit of a panic because my past experience indicates either a breakup is coming or they are cheating on me. I don’t think he’s cheating, but my question is how to handle it in my own head. The fact is we are only 3 months into this, so it is still new, but I have to admit I was hoping he’d do something special for Valentine’s Day! LOL.

I want to be “the Cool Girl” that Christian Carter talks about, but I feel I’m not doing a very good job. I am letting him call me… trying to stay light and humorous in our conversations…acting like everything is fine on my end. Although this past week I did ask a few times “Hey what’s up? Is everything ok?” because he kinda shut down. I have let him know if he wants to talk I am willing to listen, etc.

Ready for Lasting Love?
Ready for Lasting Love?

One of thing things I have fought is whether I should be with him. My goal is finding someone to get married. Obviously he is not in that position and will not be for a while. I am feeling the “clock ticking” a bit and have wondered would I go find someone else who is more on the same page. Then I say “Well, Sarah, start with anyone else and you will still be investing a year+ before you get to marriage and there is no guarantee with a new man either.” So I come back to taking that risk with James because he really is a great guy. Plus it was a lot of hard work finding him and I think if I walked away, I would wonder “Hmmm, what if?”

Sorry for being so long… it has been a frustrating week for me as I usually don’t handle it when I feel like I am going to ruin the relationship.

Thanks,
Sarah

Dear Sarah,

Thanks for sharing all that with me. You are definitely in a tough predicament — a relatively predictable one, alas, because of his marriage status. Another client had the same thing happen and she dated her guy for 8 months before he called it quits. He needed time alone before transitioning to a new relationship. It’s normal for men to do this, unfortunately. It’s also normal for them to be selfish — to tell you that they want to be with you long term if it means they can have you in the short term. I’m not saying that’s what’s happening; I’m saying that self preservation is one of the most powerful forces on earth. People take care of themselves and hope that they don’t hurt you in the process.

People take care of themselves and hope that they don’t hurt you in the process.

I would agree that Christian Carter’s advice on this arena is pretty sound. The more you make a big deal of stuff, the more likely it is to go awry. That said, you have other considerations — you’re 40 and want kids, and do not want to invest in someone who won’t pay off. And I understand that your guy is a rare catch who’s worth investing in. The best I can tell you is to try to let go and have him sort his things out at his own pace. And if you feel that you’re not getting what you need, it may be wise to take some sort of action.

DO YOU WANT TO FIX YOUR BROKEN MAN-PICKER?

Action, in this instance, isn’t an ultimatum, per se, but rather an open acknowledgement that you’re not feeling the security you need to feel about your future. If James is in no position to give you that kind of security, politely let him know that you’re going to have to move on. If he fights for you, he’s into you. If he lets you go, he’s done you a favor. Just don’t make your conversation accusatory as if he’s doing anything wrong — frame it that you don’t want to pressure him, but you do have to take care of yourself.

Action, in this instance, isn’t an ultimatum, per se, but rather an open acknowledgement that you’re not feeling the security you need to feel about your future.

Keep in mind that there’s no rush on having this conversation. Wait until things seem good, like an employee waiting for the optimal day to request a raise. If you bring things up when he’s still feeling distant, he’ll be more likely to give up on the whole thing without thinking it through.

Either way, you need to take care of yourself first. It’s one thing to play it “cool” so as not to scare him off. It’s another thing to fear breaking up so much that you never gauge the long term viability of your relationship. I hope you find peace and clarity on this issue.

Please keep me posted.

DO YOU WANT TO FIX YOUR BROKEN MAN-PICKER?