My girlfriend (23F) thinks my interest in hobbies or alone time means I don't want to be with her. (27M)
I don't even know where to begin, I just need an outside perspective. My girlfriend and I fight frequently about how I make her feel unwanted. She is very physically affectionate where I am not, so sometimes we clash about stuff like how I don't kiss her enough. I get that, it's something that she needs. I'm more of a verbal person. I'm also fairly introverted, which means I get burnt out easily and really thrive on my alone time once and a while. Which is where our biggest fights have been.
She is very extroverted and thrives off constantly being surrounded by people. To add to that, she also has no hobbies or interests, so she needs that constant human contact or she feels unwanted and very bored. I, on the other hand, can get very overwhelmed by too much contact and need some time to myself. I love her very much and push myself outside of my comfort zone to give her what she needs.
Lately we have been seeing each other 5 to 6 days a week ( which is a lot to me since we don't live with each other). On the days we see each other, she likes to talk on the phone in the morning. On days we don't see each other, she wants to talk on the phone in the morning, during her lunch and right before bed, totaling up to around 2 hours a day on the phone. I find myself not having time to myself and always feeling burnt out, and there's also things I enjoy doing like reading, watching movies, shows, games, working out. So some days when she asks to hang out I say I'd like time to myself that day, which she takes as me not wanting to be with her.
Our latest fight: we were going to hang Tuesday night and she asked to hang during the day. I responded with well we are already seeing each other at night, so let's just do that instead of going back and forth throughout the day. Which blew up to me not wanting to be with her. Whenever I want a day to myself, to her it means I'd rather be with myself than her, or I'd rather watch tv shows than be with her, but I'm already seeing her every day of the week and just want some time to myself.
It feels like my happiness is taking away from hers. I've tried to tell her, me pursuing hobbies does not affect how I feel about her. That sometimes I just need time to myself, it's not like we aren't seeing each other. We always do and have constant contact. She has initiated more of the hangouts, but the more we hangout or spend time on the phone, the more I recoil cause I need to more time to myself. I've explained this, but to her all of this means is I'd rather be with myself. Am I in the wrong? Should my interests or alone time be sacrificed? Am I just incompatible with what relationships require? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
TLDR: My girlfriend thinks my hobbies or alone time means I would rather do that than be with her. We see each other almost every day and when we do not, we are on the phone a couple hours a day - but she needs more. I've tried explaining it's as simple as I like my space sometimes, but that doesn't make sense to her.
Update: Thank you all for your responses. I could definitely be more tact with my words and how I approach scenarios. We talked again today about the scenario and tried to explain it's just something I need sometimes, just as there are some things she needs from me. Her position was that I'm just making excuses and am lazy - that I should want to be with her 24/7 and everyone else she went to for advice feels the same. I tried to explain that's just the way I am, and that it is not alone time from her, it's just something I need for myself. The conclusion is that she asked for a break from our relationship to think over everything and what will make her happy. I appreciate all your perspectives and it really helps to hear it - it's conflicting because I love her and want to be able to give her what she needs, but sometimes I just need my space.
Submitted August 28, 2018 at 10:07AM by FlavioSD https://ift.tt/2BU1Ka8
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