r/dating_advice • • 1d ago

Weekly Vents and Successes Thread - October 26, 2026

0 Upvotes

Welcome to /r/dating_advice. Please use this weekly venting/celebration thread to get something off your chest, good or bad, without asking for or offering concrete advice. All individual venting or ranting threads will be removed and directed here.

Remember our rules, be sure to include ages and genders if you need help with a specific situation.

Please report any rule violations using the report button.


r/dating_advice • • 2h ago

I (25M) finally opened up about something personal on a date, and she used it against me during our first argument.

290 Upvotes

So this happend and im genuinely wondering if I'm overreacting or if this is something I should walk away from. I (25M) been seeing this girl (24F) for about two months and things were going really well like more than well and the thing is that I'm pretty guarded emotionally because of how I grew up, but with her, I felt comfortable opening up. A couple of weeks ago we had a really deep conversation after dinner. I told her about my relationship with my dad and how growing up, he constantly made me feel weak for showing emotions. It's something I've struggled with for years. She held my hand and told me I could always be vulnerable around her. And that MEANT A LOT.

Fast forward to Friday. While getting ready to go out with her we got into our first argument because she canceled our plans last minute to go out with friends. I told her I wasn't upset about her going just that I wished she respected my time. That's when she snapped and said: Maybe your dad was right about you being too sensitive. Not everything is a personal attack. I genuinely didn't know what to say. She immediately tried to apologize but I just didnt say anything because I needed space. so later while i was overthinking this whole situation and trying to distract myself, she texted me saying she was frustrated, didn't mean it and that I shouldn't throw away something good over one comment. But that's what's bothering me. She took something I trusted her with and used it against me during our very first disagreement. I really liked this girl and now I don't even know if I can trust her with anything personal again but the worst part is that i dont know if im making this too big of a deal out of one awful comment. And now im questioning if i can really move further with her after this like can i trust her that it really was a smth out of frustration but how can i trust that she wont do this in every argument that we might have in the future.


r/dating_advice • • 7h ago

What’s the most petty reason you stopped dating someone and why?

84 Upvotes

Maybe I’m too picky now, but I’ve found some pretty petty reasons to either stop dating someone or never really give them a chance. Number 1 on my petty reason list: I didnt like the way she breathed. Like I noticed in the first 20 minuets a sniffle or something (not sick just the way she breathed) but it continued. I was immediately put off and it was non-romantic from the start.


r/dating_advice • • 12h ago

I thought becoming an adult... involved a lot more sex. Was i wrong?

211 Upvotes

This is gonna sound a bit funny but when i was a kid (and hit puberty), i remember looking at adults in public and seeing so many people walking about: men, women, tall, short, attractive, not so attractive, and thinking to myself..

"Wow they all must be having so much sex, I can't wait to become an adult!"

I honestly thought becoming an adult would involve just a bit more work (vs being in school), but a LOT more sex. Like sex was just a regular part of an adult's daily routine or something.

Then i became an adult. And the reality (after a decade+) is that it's the exact opposite. Being an adult involves a LOT more work, yet much less sex than i imagined.

I see people giving others advice: Go hit the gym! Go join a club! Go to bars! Work on yourself and everything will work out! We have to dress well, make X amount of money, be the correct age/maturity, be in the right place, learn "game"/seduction techniques, spend $15/drink at bars, etc.

I'm out here participating in bouldering, skiing for years, have an active photography hobby, traveled to 20+ countries, regularly go to bars/nightclubs, have a wide friend group in multiple continents. Yet if all just feels so.. exhausting.

I even ask my friends (some of whom are REALLY attractive) how often they're getting regular sex, and i swear almost every one of them these days are basically going months also without it.

And to be clear, I'm not sex obsessed. But when you're starved for physical intimacy, it just drains the energy from everything else that you do, you know what i mean? I've been in 2 longterm relationships, so it's not like I've gotten zero either.

I feel like there naturally should've been a place in society where people could go find like-minded people and say to each other in an honest way: "Hey, sex feels great. Let's agree to do it safely". I believe the closest we came to that was Tinder, but as with most things, it got ruined by capitalism.

Yeah the universe doesn't owe us anything, but it's pretty grim out there ngl


r/dating_advice • • 16h ago

How to cancel a $$$$ dinner date?

221 Upvotes

Here's the thing. I met this girl at a bar about 5 months ago while I was traveling and thought we really clicked hard, connected over food/music/art and exchanged numbers/IG and kept in touch. Pretty casual and not super frequent obviously but still kinda flirty/building up what seemed like mutual interest in connecting again. We both are foodies too and have a particular restaurant on our bucket lists and even though it's a pretty $$$$pendy spot, I surprised her with a private dinner reservation for her birthday that's coming up and plans to come see her in her city. We met up for a quick drink last night when I got to town and the vibe felt totally off... I had just gotten off work so felt pretty loose and relaxed, but I couldn't shake this standoffish/anxious vibe I felt from her and it made me feel like 1) she wasn't actually all that into me or 2) maybe I'm just doing a little too much too soon and I need to pump the brakes.

How do I either 1) reassess the situation with her to see if she's a right fit or I'm just in my head or 2) politely cancel and find someone else to do dinner with so I don't waste $1500 and 4 hours of my time on an awkward date later this week?


r/dating_advice • • 4h ago

Laughed during sex, don’t know how to repair

20 Upvotes

My partner and I have been together for a couple months. I’m really comfortable with him and he makes me feel really safe. Last night we were intimate and he hit a spot no one usually hits. My initial reaction was to giggle. This caught him off guard because it’s never happened for him, nor I. It ruined his confidence. Now he’s deciding if he still wants to be with me and I have no idea how to fix it. Any advice would be appreciate.


r/dating_advice • • 4h ago

Checking out others

25 Upvotes

Do men always checkout girls irrespective of their marital or relationship status? How do women feel when they see their partner doing this?


r/dating_advice • • 12h ago

How do you meet people organically in your late 20s?

113 Upvotes

I’m 27F and recently got out of a four-year relationship. I’m definitely not ready to jump into another relationship anytime soon, as I want to take some time to focus on myself, make new friends, and enjoy being single.

However, when I eventually do feel ready to start dating again, I honestly have no idea how to meet people organically anymore.

I’m not particularly interested in dating apps. I would much rather meet someone naturally, develop a genuine connection, and let things progress without the pressure of immediately dating.

For those of you who are in your late 20s or older, how have you met potential romantic partners outside of dating apps? Where do you go to meet new people? Do you approach people you’re interested in, or do you wait for them to approach you?

I’d especially love to hear from women who have been in a similar situation and successfully put themselves back out there after a long-term relationship.

Any advice or personal experiences would be appreciated! :)


r/dating_advice • • 2h ago

Bad hygiene + lack of initiative

13 Upvotes

It’s been 5-6 dates now. He’s decent looking, employed, and respectful. The issue is he doesn’t have the best hygiene, and it seems one-sided

The first time I brought him over, his feet smelled bad. He admitted he didn’t shower before the date. The second time I noticed he had dirty fingernails that weren’t trimmed.

He also does not initiate any physical contact or conversation. He just waits for me to do something and lead the topics. He will look at my hands and hope I reach over. He will look at me and hope I kiss him. I’d like it if he could just ask if he feels so unsure and nervous. I am the one making the first move every time and leading everything.

I’m thinking of ending it because of these 2 issues. It’s only been a month. Is it okay to just move on or am I throwing in the towel too fast?

I get that part of dating is communicating what I dislike or what I want. But needing to tell a man to wash himself, clean himself, be more direct with simply asking if he can kiss me/do xyz, initiate conversation on dates, etc seems a bit much. I view it as an incompatibility that it doesn’t naturally occur to him to do these things. It feels a bit entitled to expect someone to change all this for me, but at the same time the advice I’ve been getting is that I need to put in work if I want a good relationship (i.e. talk it out, list out all the things I don’t like, try to make it work.)

I am looking for my effort to be matched. I go out of my way to dress nice, smell good, be clean, help plan the date, be easy to chat with, show up on time, flirt, explain what I like, ask to kiss, etc. I just want the same in return. It feels so one-sided.

For reference, he’s 22M I’m 25F.


r/dating_advice • • 1d ago

UPDATE: Still dating other people after 5 dates

2.2k Upvotes

Because quite a few people asked for an update to my previous post, here's an update for those who are still invested.

I talked to her about this on our date yesterday and explained that I have not been seeing other people and that I would like to pursue an exclusive relationship with her. I said that I'd been thinking about it for a while and that her message about the date she had was what motivated me to have this talk asap.

She was quite touched by what I said, and told me that the reason why she'd gone on that date a few days ago was because it was a stand-up comedy gig that she'd agreed to a month ago and had already got tickets for. We then spent an hour discussing us, what we mean for each other, and other personal matters - I won't get into detail to preserve our privacy. Anyway, we have agreed to be exclusive from this point on :-) I am very happy with the outcome, and can see that having the talk was the only right thing to do.

As a side note, the volume and diversity of responses to my original post was very interesting and pretty wild to read. People were saying all kinds of things. 5 dates is way too early. 5 dates is way too late. Exclusivity should always be assumed. Exclusivity should never be assumed. She's simply being weird. She's only being honest. Etc etc...

My takeaway from that is that everyone's situation is vastly different, and there is no one 'correct' way to date. Also, dating advice from strangers online always needs to be taken with a grain of salt, as one post can't possibly translate the full context of any relationship, and only the OP will know best.


r/dating_advice • • 2h ago

how long to wait before planning a 2nd date?

13 Upvotes

I (27F) had an amazing date Saturday night with a guy I met on bumble. It was the first genuine spark I have felt since I started dating again. We were in a bar and chatted all night, it felt like time flew so fast. We had so much in common and he was extremely attractive. I honestly felt my heart beating the entire date.

At the end of the date, he walked me to my train station and waited for my train with me. He was very complimentary and we kissed. It felt amazing. My train arrived and we agreed on a 2nd date, going to bowling or some activity.

I texted him when I got home and gave him my instagram which he immediately followed. Once he followed me, I sent an Instagram message also which he did reply to, and then I replied to him.

Since its now Tuesday it's been almost 48 hours of silence. I'm not sure if I'm just being too invested, but I was hoping that he would message me or get a solid plan for the 2nd date locked down.

I understand people don't normally text a lot just after a 2nd date, but 48 hours with no word has left me a bit deflated. I want to reach out again, and try planning the date, but since I was the one who reached out twice after the date I don't want to seem too desperate.

If it goes another 24 hours with no word from him, would you assume that a 2nd date isn't going to happen? Should I message him and ask if he wants to go out again?

Really not sure what to do.


r/dating_advice • • 9h ago

Too good to be true / moving too fast ?

41 Upvotes

I (34F) met a guy (35M) recently. He is super amazing, and I’m falling for him hard and fast. Here’s the timeline:

We went on our first date about 5 weeks ago. Then for 2 weeks, we texted a little bit and went on our 2nd date 3 weeks ago. Since our 2nd date, we are texting all day every day, and have been seeing each other 3-5 times a week. We have at least 2 sleepovers a week.

I’ve never felt this way about a person before. Like… everything just feels… right. I almost feel like I found my person? He makes me smile several times a day by saying / doing cute things. We are so compatible in every way… right down to the same kinks/wants in bed, many shared favorite hobbies, similar sense of humor… I just always want to talk to him. He even motivates/inspires me to be a better version of myself.

We’re already exclusive as of today. We’ve both mentioned being kind of scared of how much we like each other and wanting to pump the brakes on our feelings so we don’t get hurt.

Is this too fast? Is this what it feels like when you meet your person? Or am I just in a hormonal rush?


r/dating_advice • • 22h ago

My date made a reel about us without asking. She apologized, but I'm still not comfortable.

375 Upvotes

I'm 30M, she's 28F. We've been on three dates and I genuinely like her.

She's funny, easy to talk to, has her own life and interests. One of those interests is running an Instagram account about restaurants and things to do around our city. Around 12k followers, so not exactly a celebrity, but she puts real effort into it.

On our third date, we went to a small Thai restaurant she'd been wanting to try.

She asked if she could take a quick video of the food. Obviously I said sure. I thought she meant the food.

The next morning, a friend sent me a reel from her page. It was a little compilation of the restaurant, and halfway through there was a clip of me laughing across the table. My face was clearly visible.

The caption was something along the lines of "When your Hinge date actually passes the conversation test."

It was complimentary. I get that. But I had absolutely no idea I was being filmed, much less that thousands of strangers would see it.

I messaged her and said it made me uncomfortable. To her credit, she apologized immediately and took it down. She said she was excited about how well the date went and genuinely hadn't considered that I'd mind.

I believe her.

The awkward part is that she now seems nervous about even taking pictures of her coffee around me. And I'm starting to feel like the guy who made someone feel bad about a hobby they love.

I don't want her to stop making content. I just don't want to be part of that content, at least not without a conversation first.

I'm trying to figure out whether this was one thoughtless mistake that we can move past or a sign that we have fundamentally different ideas about privacy.

Would you give this another chance? And how would you explain the boundary without making it sound like you're asking someone to choose between dating you and doing something they enjoy?


r/dating_advice • • 5h ago

Communication issues

15 Upvotes

I’ve been on and off dating for the past year and I’ll include my previous ex of 2 years in this.

As 38m I’ve grown up with the understanding that no matter how trivial or important something is, you always communicate.

I’m surprised in the past year I’ve dated woman from 32-44 who often blow hot and cold with communication with what their actions show.

It’s literally got to the point where I’ve severed ties because I’m not about to tell a 44 year old woman the basics in communication.

It’s really at a level where I’m starting to question whether I’m being to firm on this and it’s a standard that’s probably too high.

Is anyone else surprised at the styles of communication with people in dating?


r/dating_advice • • 11h ago

Women how many of you very physically attracted to your boyfriend or ex?

40 Upvotes

I’m going on a date with guy who I’m like extremely attracted to physically. i never had this because I heard that when you’re very attracted to them physically it won’t work… so I’m wondering how many ended up or had an ex you really wanted physically (only)


r/dating_advice • • 4h ago

What does it mean when a guy says you boost their ego?

12 Upvotes

F24 M22, A guy l've been seeing from work who friendzoned me recently told me that I boost his ego cause I'm pretty and likes that I chase him?

I'm confused cause he friendzoned me? But makes comments like this which confuses me. I don't barely chase him since he cut things off romantically between us a few weeks ago and been trying to act like his friend even tho I do still like him. I really don't know how to act with him. His quite nerdy but hot kinda like Evan Peter's vibes and I've been compared to Megan Fox. I don't want to toot my own horn but I have never been friendzoned before so it's really quite unusual and uncomfortable experience to navigate especially when I still have feelings for him and have to see him at work everyday and he drops me home.

What do I do? Is he playing games?


r/dating_advice • • 2h ago

[ Removed by Reddit ]

6 Upvotes

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]


r/dating_advice • • 4h ago

I got over my ex, but I never really got back to being myself. (33M)

9 Upvotes

I’m 33 years old, and three years ago, I was in what I would describe as a toxic relationship.
When I met my ex, I was in my late twenties, and she was in her mid-thirties. I was in my prime. I was making a lot of money, partying a lot, traveling to different countries, and had a lot of success in my life.

At first, everything was perfect between us. But after about a year, things started going downhill.
I’m not saying I was completely innocent or that I didn’t make mistakes. I know I was partly responsible for some of our problems, but I genuinely tried my best to make the relationship work.

I was constantly being gaslighted. She treated me like crap, complained about everything, and picked fights all the time.
She would tell me to open up to her emotionally, which I eventually did, only for her to use it against me.
Nothing I did was ever good enough, and the worse things got, the harder I tried to fix them.
And don’t even get me started on intimacy. It was great at first but after a year I practically had to beg for a kiss, while she had no problem constantly complimenting other guys.
She would go through my phone, which I didn’t mind because I had nothing to hide. But whenever I asked to see hers, suddenly I was insecure, controlling, and she’d start gaslighting me again.
I’m pretty sure she cheated on me but anyway.

After another six months of this, I finally realized that she was doing everything she could to push me away so that I’d be the one to end the relationship.
we broke up.

2 months later, we met up again and had a conversation about our relationship. We both acknowledged the mistakes we’d made. She admitted that she had treated me badly and even started confessing something else, but I interrupted her because I wasn’t ready to hear what she was about to say.

We never saw each other again after that, as we’d both moved back to our hometowns.

Fast forward to today.

I don’t have any feelings for her anymore.
If anything, I’m grateful for what that relationship taught me.
It taught me that I should have trusted my gut, that self-respect should always come first, and that actions speak louder than words.
I also learned that when someone loses respect for you, sometimes the best thing you can do is walk away instead of desperately trying to fix something that the other person no longer wants to fix.

But it took me almost two years to rebuild myself.
And I mean really rebuild myself.
At first, I was so emotionally damaged that I couldn’t even look a woman in the eyes.

Then, slowly, that insecurity turned into anger.
I became someone who looked at women with resentment. Every time I met someone new, I’d immediately start looking for flaws, red flags, or reasons not to trust her.
I started treating them as if they were all bad ( to be polite), and the worst part is that this attitude seemed to work incredibly well when it came to attracting them.
And the more it worked, the more disgusted I became

The irony is that I was raised by my mother and my sister, two women I deeply respect, and it genuinely makes me sad to realize how negatively I’ve come to see women in general.

Over time, I became colder and more distant, not just toward women but toward people in general.
I lost interest in meeting new people. I mostly keep to myself, focus on my own things, and spend time with the friends I’ve known for years.

Recently, I’ve started softening my attitude and trying to find a healthier balance.
I’ve stopped having one-night stands, and I’ve been focusing on myself.
I’m genuinely okay with being single.
Apart from one woman, I haven’t met anyone I’ve been truly interested in over the past two years.
But here’s the thing.
I believe life is meant to be shared.

And more than anything, I miss the person I used to be before that relationship.

I used to be an incredibly social person.
I loved traveling, meeting new people, discovering different cultures, and having conversations with complete strangers.
I genuinely believed that everyone had something to teach you and that you always had something to learn from others.
I was almost always in a good mood with good energy.
I felt comfortable in my own skin.
I genuinely enjoyed talking to women without having any hidden intentions or expectations.
I’m not particularly handsome. I’m fit, and I’d say I’m a pretty average-looking guy. But I always believed that when you’re happy, confident, and comfortable with yourself, people naturally gravitate toward you.
And that’s exactly how I used to feel.
I’ve slept with a lot++ women in my life. I’ve explored pretty much everything I wanted sexually, and I’ve had my fair share of fun.
But none of that really interests me anymore.

What I miss is genuine human connection.

I miss meeting interesting people who are passionate about something, who have values, who are curious about the world, and who actually have something meaningful to share.
I know there are plenty of good women out there. Rationally, I know that.
But emotionally, it’s like something inside me has changed, and I don’t know how to reverse it.
I don’t want to carry this resentment around anymore.
I don’t want to automatically assume the worst about women or constantly look for reasons to distrust people.
And I certainly don’t want one bad relationship to define how I see half the population for the rest of my life.

So my question is:

How do I break out of this cycle of negativity?
How do I let go of the resentment and become the person I used to be?

The guy who genuinely enjoyed meeting people, socializing, traveling, and connecting with others without constantly being on guard?
And most importantly, how do I learn to trust again, open myself up to a genuine connection, and eventually find someone who shares my values?

I don’t want to become naive again, and I don’t want to forget the lessons I’ve learned.
I just want to find a way to keep the self-respect and boundaries I’ve developed without losing the warmth, curiosity, and happiness that used to define me.

Because right now, I feel like I’ve learned how to protect myself from getting hurt, but somewhere along the way, I’ve also forgotten how to let people in.

I’d especially appreciate perspectives from both men and women. I’m not looking to blame anyone or start a gender debate. I’m genuinely trying to understand how to move forward.


r/dating_advice • • 23m ago

Do you regret your firsts?

• Upvotes

I've gotten to the point where I'm 21f, and have never experienced anything romantic. Like not even held hands. I've been on 2 dates but they weren't romantic by any means.

Part of me wishes I could just get my firsts (even if it is just something like holding hands cause that terrifies me cause I've never done it before lmao) out of the way.

But the other part of me thinks I should be waiting until I find someone I'm wholly comfortable with to do anything (yes, even silly things like hand holding) for the first time.

One guy wanted to kiss me but I panicked and hugged him instead and then never saw him again.

Other than that, I've not not done anything by choice, just nobody has been interested in me enough.

I feel like firsts are built up to be such a big thing when you're younger but as you get older it changes. I can't decide whether they should still be something I put emphasis on or whether to just get them out the way.

People that waited, do you regret it? And people that didn't wait, do you regret?


r/dating_advice • • 3h ago

Why don't men just say they want casual?

6 Upvotes

Men or people in general ofc.

Why do they string you along, saying they want to date you? Then not really date? I was pretty clear, I told him that I am okay with casual. I really was. I liked him but I can just manage my own feelings. He said he wants more and wants to see where things go. All he does is send reels and flirt. Lot of sexting.

Like I said. I didn't mind this. I would have enjoyed this a lot more if he just said he wants casual. The chemistry was great. Clearly, there is no future. I got caught caught up in the cycle, chasing some great "chemistry".

I have stopped talking to him obviously.

How do I deal with this in the future? It's soo hard to tell. I think am very clear but people confuse me soo much. I feel like something is wrong with me?


r/dating_advice • • 13h ago

I give up

41 Upvotes

(27m)
Trying to date anymore is just so exhausting.
You meet/match with someone.
You text/talk to them.
You either wait 7 business days for a reply or one of you decides out of the blue that you just don’t wanna talk anymore.
If you were love bombed then that’s tough, get over it.
You meet someone else and the cycle repeats.

Idk, maybe it’s just me, maybe I’m meant to be alone. I always try but to no avail, nobody seems to wanna take legitimate interest in me. I understand that I’m probably better off just doing my own thing than constantly obsessing over meeting someone but I literally just can’t help it.

Why can’t it finally be my turn, why do I have to watch all my friend and colleagues meet people, and never get to experience that myself? Why am I in this never ending cycle of despair and disappointment when it comes to trying to date? Should I really just give up? I want to, if I could get rid of the longing, the yearning, the desire in itself to meet someone I would have done it by now.

It’s just so lonely and I hate this feeling, all I’ve ever wanted was to finally meet my person, I just want my happy ending that’s all. Why do I have to suffer, what so wrong with me that women won’t want anything to do with me? I don’t get it, can someone please help me understand.


r/dating_advice • • 4h ago

are you supposed to love the person you're dating or can i just like them?

7 Upvotes

for context me and this guy were talking for maybe a month and a half and he asked me to be his gf recently but i cant shake the feeling that i dont have it in me to love him. i mean sure i like the guy but i dont know if that is going to develop into love. i know im extremely avoidant and ive realised that through experiences ive had with guys in the past because each time it starts getting more real or we get closer all i do is pull away but i dont want to do that to this guy. ever since we started dating i just dont know what to do anymore i feel like im stuck in the constructs of being a gf and i dont even know how relationships are supposed to work. i dont even know what to do anymore i cant sleep when i think about this at night. and another weird point i have which i dont really understand is the fact that when im with him irl its so nice i really like him and i feel so happy but like when its on text it just feels so off and weird and i dont get it it sometimes feels like im js grasping at things to say but in person its so easy.


r/dating_advice • • 11h ago

Chemistry never lasts the night and I can't figure out why

24 Upvotes

This last month I started actually hanging out with people when I go partying instead of just dancing doing my own thing. It's gone alright and as an unexpected benefit there's usually 1 or 2 women I have solid chemistry with every night. What sucks is it doesn't matter if they tried to drag me into her apartment while kissing me or just politely trades numbers and says they want to meet the following week the chemistry never lasts.

Seriously, of the 4 women I've really hit it off with so far this month all of them did not reply to texts the morning after or stick to plans made. Shoot, one of them blocked me the very next morning after I reached out to check on how they were feeling. It was chill at first because I am not really interested in a relationship but it's getting to me.

I know this may sound like cope but given 2 of these women picked me up I don't think it's a looks issue. I also don't believe it's what I'm saying during the night as if that was the case I feel like the contact info would be wrong/ blocks would be more consistent and they would unfollow me on social media and everything else. I don't think I have a reputation or anything as I've checked. My profiles are just pictures of me with my friends doing normal hobbies. No criminal record either or like judgements against me.

Is this normal or am I doing something weird? Is there anywhere I should start turning a critical eye towards with this?


r/dating_advice • • 10h ago

6 months and no intimacy

24 Upvotes

For context I’m 35 and the guy I’m dating is 31. We’ve been dating for 6 months and exclusively for about 2. We decided to take things slow from the very beginning but I’m starting to feel like he moves so much slower than I do. I mean it’s been 6 months with no intimacy at all. He stayed over for the first time last week and while cuddling was nice sex would have been nicer. He swears he just wants to do things the right way and take his time with me but at what point should I just accept that if I feel like my needs aren’t being met? He’s started calling me baby and talking about meeting each other’s kids, and he does show up in all the right ways but I’m starting to feel disconnected. And the chemistry is undeniable to the point we struggle not to touch each other but he’s keeps holding back…

Don’t get me wrong he is genuinely the first guy that has actually dated me and not love bombed me from the beginning. Which has been very refreshing. He’s also said he’s nervous because he likes what we’ve built and doesn’t wants things to change once we introduce sex but at this point he’s starting to feel like my friend vs a man I’m trying to build with. He says I need to learn patience and allow him to lead.

Men is this normal? And ladies have you dealt with this before? Is he stringing me along?

EDIT: yes we talk about sex frequently but I am divorced after a 14 year relationship/ marriage and he’d be only the 3rd man I’ve been with and he believes this experience gap may be an issue. And he’s very well endowed so it’s not a size issue. I have at least verified that much.


r/dating_advice • • 6m ago

First date went well but she kept talking about her ex

• Upvotes

I (26M) went on a date last night with a girl (29F) from Hinge, she’s really nice and seems keen, even invited me to stay the night and said some things that suggested she open to seeing me again (like telling me I’m going to have to get used to her sarcasm, although that is the only thing I can think of rn) This morning, I asked her about meeting for dinner next week and she agreed, suggesting a day that works for her, so it felt like she was actually trying to get something concrete in the calendar. Overall the night was great and I think there’s real attraction and chemistry here.

One potential red flag is the fact she talked about ex’s and past relationships SO much, like talking fondly about an ex that she had to split with and expressing fustration over the way that a separate ex ended things with her. Even conversations about other things like travel and work kept coming back to her sharing a story about an ex or a past fling/situationship.

She also asked me about my ex; how long it’s been since I’d last been in a relationship, why my last relationship ended, how many relationships I’d been in. I was actually a bit nervous answering the question about how long it’s been, because I’m only 1 month out of my last relationship, but I genuinely like this girl and last night was the most over my ex I’ve felt since the breakup, I told a lie and said a couple of months because I didn’t want to scare her off. The way she reacted to me saying a couple of months makes me think the truth would’ve really been an issue, although she did say she doesn’t care about it at all as I was telling her that I’m fully recovered.

It caught me off guard because usually in early dating I’d avoid this topic, I can think of 2 unsuccessful first dates I’d been on in the past and on both of them, the girl talked about her ex. I also know that I’m guilty of this too; on the first date I went on a couple of weeks ago following the break up, I wasn’t feeling much chemistry — I kept feeling tempted to talk about me ex, I stopped myself and at one point told a story about a holiday I’d been on with a “friend” who’s actually my ex. So I’m not criticising this girl or saying she’s rude, but I can’t shake the feeling it’s a bad sign.

Maybe she wants something casual? Although I actually had some performance issues in the bedroom last night so I definitely don’t think she’ll be keeping me around purely for sex if that is the case. She did seem quite horny, like despite the fact she’s beautiful and probably out my league she seemed more up for sex than I did, I couldn’t go 2 rounds last night (idk if it was performance anxiety, alcohol, tiredness) but she was persistent, like really keen to make it work. She has a stressful, unsociable job so maybe just wants someone to keep her company and sleep with. Maybe that could be good for me too given the fact I’m not long out of a relationship, but if it is something casual she wants I’m confident I’ll scare her off quickly by making it feel too serious. I also know I’ll fall hard for this girl, the only reason I haven’t already is because I’m so emotionally exhausted from the break up and I think I’m protecting myself, telling myself she’s not interested.

I guess ex’s can be interesting topics of conversation in relationships, I can recall a time in my last relationship where we spoke about our past experiences and it never felt awkward or uncomfortable.