Quote:
Originally Posted by bpfighter250
Hi everyone. My boyfriend really struggles with communication. He tells me he loves me but he does not seem sensitive to my feelings. When I am sad or upset I would like to talk about it with him. But he seems incapable of discussing these things or really any matter of my life that’s important to me. He doesn’t seem interested in talking about the things I am passionate about such as my career. When I brought up to him that I’d like to be asked more questions to see that he is interested in me and my life, I feel like he got very defensive. When I asked him to read a book on active listening, he seemed to get offended like I was asking him to change who he was. I told him this skill would serve him in other areas of his life including his job and he merely shrugged it off. I feel like my needs aren’t getting met and I feel very invisible and unheard. I don’t know what I should do at this point but I have some serious doubt as to whether this person can love me like I need for the rest of my life.
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Lately, I have noticed that focusing on things that make me sad or upset (unless I have a solution that I am ready to implement)--may have been what made me depressed, anxious, etc. If you are not discussing a possible solution, perhaps find a positive distraction. If your bf is not making you feel good at that moment then go do your own thing for a while and feel good about doing what makes you feel good. Spend time with your bf when it feels right. Some days our relationships just click better than other days and we need to just let it go and not fret about it (I know this is hard--I have been diagnosed with GAD but have a better handle on it now because of this new attitude). Also, sometimes when we focus on what we don't want others to do, it can make them want to do those things we don't like even more--even if it would have been really good for them. If your bf is not who you want him to be then keep your options open. Be with him when it is enjoyable and do your own thing for a while when it is not. The person we commit to needs to enjoy doing some of the same things we do but there will always be some things that we like but our significant other doesn't like. We have to accept differences or find a better match. Take it one day at a time.

Sometimes when we focus on what we don't want instead of what we want, we get more of what we don't want. I learned this the hard way.