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Your Turn: “Is My Boyfriend Right For Me?”

In a feature I call “Your Turn,” in which you, the readers, get to answer the question, I’m presenting the following letter without commentary from me:

I have been with my boyfriend for four and a half years. We are still quite young (I am 24, he is 26) but we have been discussing marriage seriously as something that will happen in the next two to three years. Now that it’s getting more real I wonder if I am making the right choice. I was always shy in school and never dated. He is my first (and only) experience for everything; I don’t think I have even held hands with anyone else romantically. I admit that I am inexperienced and I’m not sure if this is normal, so my question is how can I know he is the one for me?

I hear everyone say you just “know,” and my heart feels it but my brain has doubts. I don’t think just because I have doubts means I should MOA though. I feel like he is the one I want to share my life with. I started to compare him to other guys I know and that makes me realize he’s more suited for me than than they are. Like, how we have compatible life philosophies. We value experiences (in contrast to the friend that looks to increase his net worth). I love him because he thinks on a similar wavelength as me and is open to trying anything. We have fun together. He supports me and talks me up when I am feeling down. Are these the right reasons to love someone?

I know that no relationship is perfect. I just wonder if certain things could be more perfect. We have a different approach to dealing with family. For example, the type of relationship I have with my family is a source of stress, but his advice is to run off and do my own thing. Also, sometimes I am embarrassed by him, and these are things he does not see an issue with: He’s usually the butt of jokes around his friends for the weird things he does and I find myself trying to defend him. He lacks some manners with regards to boundaries (to be honest I could work on my manners, too). I hate him drunk. He has a temper, but I know how to deal with it. These are things I could live with, but should I have to?

I’m afraid that, if I try to find someone better, I won’t be able to. Also, those things people say when they’re with the one they love, like “he brings out the best in me” does not fit for us. I am not encouraged to be a better me when I’m with him, though I am making an effort to be. Another thing people say is “he just gets me,” but we have trouble reading each other’s non-verbal cues. It’s like we speak different body language.

Am I expecting too much? I think we work well together. Our personalities and lifestyles are compatible. I am happy with him most the time (and often could be more proactive with my own happiness). Is this how relationships work? — Unsure if I’ve Found The One

Before I turn you over to the commenters, I want to point you to this column I wrote recently about how you know when you’ve found “The One.” I think it will help you. Ok, readers, what do you have for our LW?

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If you have a relationship/dating question I can help answer, you can send me your letters at wendy@dearwendy.com.

101 Comments

  1. I can’t say if your boyfriend is right for you or not. I will say that I get uncomfortable when anyone says, “I’m afraid that, if I try to find someone better, I won’t be able to.” That’s not the right motivator to stay in a relationship, because it is a negative motivator based on fear. I am marrying the love of my life next year. I have dated a lot of other guys before, and I can honestly say this relationship is different. Not because my fiance is perfect (far from it!), but because he is perfect for me.

    1. WDS!

      My heart goes out to you! Four-and-a-half years — half your life since you turned 15! — is a long time not to be sure, but it is also a long time for a fatal flaw to have shown up and you feel one has not.

      Part of me says you would benefit so much from broader life experience before making a life commitment, but high shyness can make being on your own frightening and even debilitating. Have you grown in these years? Has your boyfriend and your relationship supported such growth? How enthusiastic is he for marriage? You sound very monogamous, is he?

      I think it is good that you are asking these questions now, two years before marriage and not two MONTHS before.

      My advice is to not to MOA now, but to keep your questions and concerns in mind as you go forward with your boyfriend. Be wary of relationship inertia, though.

      In short, you have the right questions and they are timely. You simply have to recognize when you have found the answers, and then be ready (and perhaps strong enough) to act.

      1. That was my first WDS. Thanks!

      2. Your lead three sentences were perfect! I reacted to those words, too, but you explained it better than I could.

  2. It sounds like you are wondering if he is the “best” on vs. the “right” one, with all the comparing to others, etc.

    Deciding who will be your life partner is not about analyzing numbers and data. And no one is going to be perfect. You just have to decide if you are happy enough with that person that you WANT to make that committment to them.

    It sounds like that is something you are trying to talk yourself into, which is not a good sign.

    And the fact that after over four years together you have enough doubt that you would write into an advice column about it, I would say maybe he is not the one for you.

  3. Do not settle, LW. Just don’t. Like Desiree said, I can’t tell you if your boyfriend is right for you or not. But when I first started reading your letter, I was hoping it was a case of cold feet. The more I read, the less I thought that. You have raised a lot of concerns in your relationship. Only you know if those concerns are deal breakers. If they are, that’s ok. But honestly, nobody can tell you if you’re making the right decision but you.

    I’m not saying see a therapist, but it really helped me to talk to a third party, who didn’t know me from adam, when I was making a life changing decision. I ended up making the right decision. For me.

    1. Talking to a friend who is somewhat distant from the relationship also helped me. Someone more distant will ask the questions that you don’t want/don’t think to ask yourself.

  4. Avatar photo lemongrass says:

    I can’t tell you if you are right or wrong for each other. It sounds like you need to take some more time. Put off the “forever and ever” thoughts and just be present in your relationship. Spend the next 6 months to a year focusing on what you have now. The issues that you have said you have sound pretty normal. How does your boyfriend feel? Have you talked more deeply than “I want to marry you”? Have you asked him what his visions of marriage are like? Kids? Vacations? Illness in the family? What happens if you lose your arm? Do talk about those things, and more.

  5. I don’t think you’re ready to get married/engaged yet. It sounds to me like you need some time to go off and experience life on your own a little bit before you commit to someone for the rest of your life. It’s WAY better to do this now, then to wake up one day when you’re 34, married with 2 kids and wondering what your life would have been like if you didn’t get married.
    I know people who did both of those things. One is now happily married. She and her bf took a “break” for a year during college and then they ended up getting back together and got married. The other got married to a guy she wasn’t 100% sure of because she thought it was the right thing to do. She’s 36 and divorced with 2 kids…

  6. I really liked Wendy’s column. These kinds of decisions tend to be very personal and in a way you have to find your own standards rather than referring to those of other people. The fact alone that you feel doubt isn’t necessarily a bad sign, sometimes it just means you’re evaluating things closely because you’re getting ready to make an important decision.
    However, a few things stand out to me here. At your age, it’s definitely too early to worry that you wouldn’t find anyone else. And the fact that you mention being embarassed by him is a bit of a red flag, honestly. I don’t think you would mention this if it weren’t something that happens regularly.
    My personal experience is that my world view has changed quite a bit between ages 24 and 28. If in doubt, I would at least wait a few years to marry. It’s the safer choice. If you get married soon, you’ll have a harder time getting out of this relationship if it turns out not to work out for you.

    1. The embarrassment thing struck me as well. Sometimes I joke that my fiance embarrasses me (he is into musical theater and can be very ostentatious), but I am never actually cringing internally.

      1. I actually use the embarrassed sign as an indicator as to whether or not I want to continue dating someone. For instance, would I be embarrassed to bring this dude home to meet my family?

        If the answer is yes, I MOA. That may sound shallow. But it helps me.

        So that point of the letter struck me as well.

      2. I don’t think that’s shallow. I think being embarrassed to introduce a SO to important people in your life can be a real sign of important incompatibilities.

      3. Good. Because I often feel bad for thinking that about a person, but ultimately, it has become one of my litmus tests.

      4. I knew it was time to MOA from a guy who I was embarrassed to be out with unless I was tipsy. He’d already met my friends, but it was the ‘what do the strangers here think’ that clinched it for me.

      5. Ha. I’ve had that feeling too. About strangers. I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one.

      6. I agree. I think if you’re embarrassed to be with your SO it means you don’t have the baseline respect and appreciation of him/her that makes a good relationship tick. Doesn’t necessarily make either of you bad people, but their personality soup doesn’t mesh well with your soup. NOW YOU HAVE BAD SOUP.

  7. When you say, “I started to compare him to other guys I know and that makes me realize he’s more suited for me than than they are. Like, how we have compatible life philosophies. We value experiences (in contrast to the friend that looks to increase his net worth). I love him because he thinks on a similar wavelength as me and is open to trying anything. We have fun together. He supports me and talks me up when I am feeling down.”, it strikes me that you are comparing him to the small sub-set of guys in your life. There is a WHOLE world of men out there, many of whom will share your life philosophies, think on a similar wavelength as you, have fun with you, support you, etc. None of these traits are specific to one person. It seems to me like you are doing too much comparison to others and not really getting at the root of what you want/need in a partner.

    I think, based on your email and lack of experience, you may want to take a step back. Marriage isn’t supposed to be for the short term, and if you’re already having these doubts, I think you need to do some real soul-searching about what you want. You ask if “these are things you should live with.” Only you can answer that. You are the only one who can decide your deal-breakers. I also think you should check out some of Wendy’s posts about things to talk about before you get married. This decision shouldn’t be made lightly!

    Good luck!

  8. I don’t believe in such a thing as “The One” and I don’t believe there’s a time when “you just know.” But I do think it’s completely normal and healthy for you to question if he is the right person for you considering he has been your only boyfriend. There are thousands, probably millions, of men in the world you could be happy with. Your boyfriend may be one of those people.
    You are correct, no relationship is perfect. You could break up with him and meet a new guy, and that new guy will have a whole host of imperfections that will make you doubt the relationship. I think you need to answer two questions. 1. Do you share the same vision for the future? 2. Are you happy most of the time?
    If the answer to those two questions is yes, this relationship is probably worth continuing.
    I think much of the problem is that you’re worried about what other people say. You think you’re supposed to feel a certain way. You think he’s supposed to “bring out the best in me” and all these other cliches. But they’re just that, cliches. People often say these stupid things to make their own relationships seem better. So when a woman says, “Oh, when I met my husband, I just knew he was the one.” I think she’s saying to make other people think, “Oh, wow, what a great relationship. I wish I had that.” It’s just BS.
    The bottom line is that there’s no guarantee in any relationship. You just take a chance on someone you trust and hope to God that over the years the two of you will be able to work on the relationship enough so that it lasts.

    1. HA! Love this line: So when a woman says, “Oh, when I met my husband, I just knew he was the one.” I think she’s saying to make other people think, “Oh, wow, what a great relationship. I wish I had that.” It’s just BS.

      It makes me feel sad for people who need to announce it too. Like that to me is the biggest indicator that they’re in the fake it til you make it crowd.

      1. Avatar photo copacabananut says:

        That’s how I feel about people constantly Facebook about how much they look their SO. Like, really? Are you trying to convince me or yourself that you’re happy? Hehe.

    2. I also believe the those two questions are simply the most important ones to consider before moving forward; however, I disagree to say that it is just ‘BS’ for somone to say “they just know”. I do not think this is a ploy that women use to make other women jealous. It actually happens, and it happened to me, and it happened to my mother. The reason we say “you just know”, is because we honestly don’t know how to describe our feelings. Everything just works, and that one person is everything you have always been looking for through all the ‘fish’ you threw back. I’m not saying that you can’t make something work without that gut feeling, but I think something has to be said about true love. It’s out there…you just can’t settle. Be happy in your own skin and in your life, and that person will fall into your lap when you least expect it.

    3. Avatar photo seven7three says:

      A thousand times yes to this. This was everything I wanted to say, SPOT ON! WTS, indeed!

  9. As someone who did not have much dating experience before i met my husband (together 11 years now), I have some thoughts…

    – Please make sure you are not just thinking in terms of only “I haven’t been with anyone else” and I need that experience. You don’t need a bunch of one-night stand/ horrible dating experiences to have under your belt, just because you feel that experience is missing. You just need to know that you are happy and you align with big-ticket items, and the flaws that you S.O. has are not ‘deal breakers’ if they don’t change. This is the thing my mother (who dated very little before dating my dad) said to me when I had these thoughts.

    -However, i dont think you are just looking for the experience. If you really do think there is someone ‘better’ for you out there even after all your comparisons, then you should probably break up, as it seems like you think something is missing. You will be bitter and constantly comparing to every other guy you meet. I did do this for a brief period of time before my husband & I got serious, but quickly realized that every guy does have flaws (usually way bigger than my husband’s), and that I really did love my husband and wanted to accept his.

    It IS normal to love someone, but have certain parts of them drive you nuts. But are those things you can deal with for the rest of your life? If not, then you need to break up. If so, then you may have found one of ‘the ones’ (like Wendy said in her article). Very few people who find someone they ‘know’ is their soul mate, actually end up living happily ever after.

  10. Nope, no one can make this decision for you.

    It’s likely that you could marry this man and be happy. You could also meet another man and marry him and be happy. There are so many different people in the world and so many people who are flawed in their own particular ways.

    There is no way to know how this is going to turn out, and no guarantees. If you have similar goals, get along well, and enjoy each other’s company, then those are all good signs. You will grow and change, and hopefully do so together.

    I wish there was a magic test (for you and for me!) in order to discover if this is the “right one.” But there isn’t. There is only commitment, love, and willingness to take a risk.

  11. Painted lady says:

    No one can tell you if you should stay with him. It’s not like each potential partner has an objective numerical score, and you try to get the highest scored guy you can. It’s your choice, and you can choose however you wish.

    I will say, though, that if you need to convince yourself that someone is your best match, or you think of them as your best option or last chance, this is not a reason to spend your life with someone. It’s not like car shopping or apartment hunting, where eventually you narrow a list down to two or three options and pick the best deal, and you have to choose one or you’re homeless and car-less. You can take your time. You don’t have a deadline – this isn’t a lease. You can choose not to choose anyone, now or ever. And you should consider all of this because, unlike a car or an apartment, you can’t just sell it or move. You’re stuck, presumably for life. So don’t choose because you feel you must, and by a certain time. Choose because you love him, because you want him, and because your life would be less without him.

  12. You’re missing a question: Am I ready to be married?

    Wendy’s article that she linked to addresses that, if I remember correctly. The guy could be your perfect match, but if you’re not ready to be married, then it doesn’t matter. Stop worrying about how you feel about him and start worrying about how you feel about you. Are you interested in having any part of your adult life where you’re single? Do you want to try things on your own, even though it’s scary? Are there things you want to do that you know he’ll never want to do? If yes, then you should probably think about whether those things are more important to you than being with him the rest of your life.

    Also, I don’t think it’s necessarily fair to “take a break”, because that kind of strings the other person along. Like, they’re waiting for the break to be over so you’ll come back to them. Figure out what you want from your life, and see if he fits in at this time. If not, then even though it’s hard, you should break up with him.

  13. rangerchic says:

    You’re embarrassed by him…not a good thing. I mean are you embarrassed by him a lot? You hate him drunk…well how often is he drunk? If it is more often than you can live with then I would say no you can’t and shouldn’t have to live with it. And, he has a temper – you know how to deal with it but does it flare up all the time and are you dealing with it all the time? Marriage is a long, long time. So think about how often all of this occurs and think about how often you have to deal with it – is it something you can live with and is it something you want to live with?

  14. anonymous says:

    I liked the earlier comments about the embarrassment factor. For me, the determining issue there would be, “is he willing to grow?” For instance, when I met DH, he never said please or thank you. Sounds like a silly issue, but I found it embarrassing, particularly around my family, where those words are a must. I eventually said something along the lines of, “Hey, it’s generally considered an important thing to say please and thank you, and it makes you look like a boor if you don’t.” He was completely surprised and said that in his family, they’d just interacted in a pleasant way, but didn’t really use those specific words. End of story? He inserted them into his lexicon, and everything was fine.
    Seems trivial, but embarrassment can lead to long-term unhappiness. You want to be proud of your wonderful man! And you want everyone else to think he’s wonderful too! So, for me, it would be important to know how he’d handle your input on these issues.
    If he’s embarrassing because he’s a bit of a klutz and does stuff occasionally without thinking, that may be an issue of mindset…you can convert “that is so embarrassing!” into “he’s human just like me, and that’s part of what makes him lovable.” His friends laugh at him? I don’t take that as a bad thing…after all, they’re still around so they must see something they like — and the laughter may be more along the lines of loving his imperfections.
    I do think that good partners encourage each other, and love each other despite (or because of) their imperfections.

  15. sarolabelle says:

    My fiance is my most serious relationship to date. First really serious one.

    He doesn’t bring out the best in me because I am already the best! That’s strange that people say that and I have never once said or thought that.

    He doesn’t just get me. We have had to work (and still work) on communicating in the way the other understands. We talk non stop sometimes in circles to make our message clear. He doesn’t just get me. In fact I think the way I confuse him often intrigues him and he gains more interest in me.

    We are engaged and we have never lived together, we’ve never had sex. We are pursuing marriage because we want to share our life together. There is no one else I’d rather spend life with. Just thinking about spending life with other guys makes me sad. Because that would mean I wouldn’t be spending it with him. Do you feel like this at all? If so then you have found the one!

    Humans have a great ability that some animals lack. We don’t just live off of instinct. We CHOOSE who we spend out lives with.

    1. Avatar photo theattack says:

      You make some important points that I really think the LW needs to understand. Love is not a romantic comedy where everything “just clicks.” Sure, some things just click, like your compatibility together and your chemistry. It really scares me when people think imperfect communication is a sign of incompatibility because it’s not. It’s a sign that you need to work on communication.

      I didn’t read that the LW is doubting her relationship for legitimate reasons like it sounds like others did. I read that the LW is comparing her really good relationship to what she thinks some “perfect relationship” looks like, and obviously it’s not adding up.

  16. I think you’re being too cerebral with this– your letter reads like a pro/con list, with only a little genuine doubt and genuine love thrown in. Although it’s a good thing not to let your emotions overwhelm your decision-making skills, your feelings do matter as well.

    So what do you feel? Do you actually FEEL a deep-down restlessness, an itch to “sow your oats” & gain some more experiences before settling down? Or is that just something your brain tells you is required? Does everything *click* when you’re with your boyfriend, but you’re hearing stories & reading articles about compatibility, soulmates, internalizing sound bites like “he just gets me” & then negatively comparing all of that to your relationship?

    As for your final question (“is this how relationships work?”), I’d answer– from what you described, yes. People in good relationships often experience doubt, annoyance with one another, & even happily married couples might be able to list a few things they’d like to change about their partners. You aren’t always “your best self” around each other. Sometimes verbal, body language, or mood cues are misread. It doesn’t NECESSARILY mean you’re with the wrong person.

    Of course, all these are just things to consider… none of us can really tell you if your boyfriend is right for you. Despite everything, he may still be the wrong person, or you may want to try the single life out for a while before committing to anyone. Instead of intellectualizing it– or applying outside sources to your own, unique relationship– you need to listen to your heart (which is corny. Definitely. And I wouldn’t give this advice to a different LW, but you don’t seem like to type whose “heart” will suddently tell them to run off & have 5 babies with the nearest drug dealer. So there you go :))

    1. Avatar photo theattack says:

      Perfect. This is exactly what the LW needs to hear.

    2. I find it funny that we all have these built in cliches about dating: soulmates, the one, doubt is bad, he brings out the best in me, “I just knew” etc., etc., but then when you read things about marriage, the advice is completely different: it takes work, you won’t always like your partner (or what your partner does, anyway), commitment is the most important thing, shared values, etc.

      No wonder people get confused.

  17. Turtledove says:

    I have a few observations.

    First, think of your boyfriends worst trait, then imagine experiencing that trait over breakfast for ten years. If it seems a small price to pay to be with this wonderful guy, then that’s awesome. But people’s annoying traits tend to get more annoying with time, not less so that’s something to think about.

    Second, is this guy as cool as your friends? Because here’s the thing, you may not have a lot of romantic relationship experience, but you’ve got a whole slew of relationship experience– friends, family, co-workers, etc. Draw on that experience and not just on your experience of men when you’re considering whether or not he’s right for you.

    And third, I actually think one of the best things you can do for yourself and your relationship right now is to do something for yourself, by yourself, that takes you completely out of your comfort zone. Whether that’s taking a class in a new thing, a trip to Europe, building a school in South America, that’s up to you. But doing something daring will do several things for you– you’ll grow as a person, it will probably shake up that shy shell you’ve got going (not dispel it entirely, but there’s nothing like an adventure to make you feel powerful and confident which can make it easier to talk to others), and it will cast your relationship in a new light. You’ll get out of your relationship comfort zone as well and you’ll get to see how you both deal with that. You’ll also get a chance to meet a bunch of people you wouldn’t otherwise have met. Overall, it will tell you a lot about your relationship and your life that maybe you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

  18. I really can’t tell you if you are compatable with your boyfriend, but I would say that you sound like you have been convincing yourself for a while that he is the one, because you don’t know anything else. I would say that you need to go out and live your life a little while with out him to see if he really is the one. I would do this sooner rather than later, because if you wait another 3 years, that is a lot of time to waste if you realize that you really don’t like him when he is drunk, and you do hate that he doesn’t encourage you, and you don’t like that he can’t stick up for himself with his friends.

  19. Just some context – I got married, at 21, to my first boyfriend, who I started dating at 17. We stayed married about 6 years, separated, and divorced at about the 7 year mark.

    It’s pretty unlikely that your first boyfriend, who you started dating when still a teenager, is going to be the right fit for you long term. It’s hard to see it now, but you’ve already grown and changed so much from your teens to your mid-20s, and you will change so much more in the next 5-10 years, you can’t even imagine.

    There’s a lot of safety and security in a relationship you’ve been in “forever,” and it seems unimaginable that you could move on and find someone else and be happy. Of course it does. But please believe me, you can and will if you choose to. The next guy you date might not be right for you either, but eventually you will meet someone who is just the right fit, and you don’t have that sense Wendy talks about that something is “off.” In fact, you’ll have the experience and perspective at that point to feel very sure that he’s what you want and need.

    As to whether this guy is the one you should marry, again, it’s pretty unlikely. I think he was probably a good fit for you at 19 as a shy girl who never dated, and has filled a lot of needs for you. It’s good that you have compatible values, you have fun together, and he supports you. But I would have said those things when I was planning to get married to my first boyfriend, and ultimately I would have been wrong. What he thought he wanted turned out to be a lot different a few years down the line, and definitely wasn’t what I wanted. We stopped having much fun together when things took a bad turn, and it was hard for him to be supportive of me when he was feeling bad about himself and there was hostility between us.

    Also, I’m not hearing anything about how great you think this guy is and how much you respect him. You’re comparing him to other guys and cringing in embarrassment over his behavior. He’s a bad drunk and has a temper. He doesn’t give you the support you need regarding your family situation. These things would seem to indicate two major necessities that might be missing in your relationship: Feeling safe with him, and respecting him as he is now (not how you hope he will be). You also don’t say anything about sex / physical attraction. That needs to be there too, and it needs to be strong.

    Compatibility / shared values are a good start, but they actually end up meaning little or nothing if you don’t have all the foundational stuff like trust, sexual attraction, comfort / safety, respect. If you’re just not ready to move on yet and really do feel in your gut that you want to share your life with this guy, I wouldn’t say walk away, but do recognize how unlikely it is that the very first guy you date is going to be what you need and want years down the road. And it sounds like even now there are issues that make your relationship shaky.

    Ultimately I’d say that fear of the unknown, comfort, some elements of compatibility, and a sense of fun aren’t *enough* reasons to make a permanent commitment to someone. I think your second to last paragraph says a lot. If the fear that you won’t find someone better is a major reason you’re staying in a relationship, it’s probably not the right one. I also think there is HUGE benefit to someone like you being able to feel strong and confident alone, outside of a relationship, before getting married. If you never do that, I think it will come back to bite you in a big way.

    A really good book that may answer your questions is “Should I stay or should I go” by Mira Kirshenbaum. It helped me a lot when I was stuck in my last relationship which had died a long time ago but I was sticking with it out of fear. And if the answer is that you should stay with him, it will help you figure that out so you don’t keep questioning.

    1. This is really good advice, and I second the book recommendation!

      1. She has another great book called “Is He Mr. Right” that I have found amazingly helpful in understanding the dimensions of chemistry you need to have with a guy before you get serious with him. I’d recommend this one to the LW for more context on what a relationship is supposed to be like.

        Just another word of advice to the LW and other ladies who are young – early to mid 20s. I remember that feeling that I was supposed to be in a serious relationship leading to marriage so that I could lock down that part of my life and be an adult. You feel enormous pressure and expectation to do that, both from within yourself and externally.

        But, especially if you don’t have a lot of relationship experience, you probably lack some really important knowledge of what you need in a relationship in order for it to be successful long term, as well as what *you* really need to feel happy and fulfilled. It may be scary, but I assure you you can let go of this “last chance” mentality and confidently move on. Maybe the guy you’re with now IS the one you’ll be with all your life, but he doesn’t have to be.

        Trust me, you’ll be fine if you decide it’s not the right fit and move on. The worst thing you can do is stay in a dead or dysfunctional relationship out of fear that you won’t find someone better, or the feeling that this is what you’re “supposed to do,” or because you want to grow up and be an adult but aren’t sure you can make it on your own.

        I can’t say that the LW’s relationship is dysfunctional, but I’d strongly recommend these books to help her figure it out.

  20. Finally, a letter I feel I can actually speak to from experience!

    My husband was my high school sweetheart. We got together as a couple when we were freshmen and “never looked back” – we weren’t on-again/off-again or anything. He was my first sexual partner, not just for intercourse but the whole gamut of sexual interactions. We got engaged during my freshman year of college and got married after I graduated, and just marked our 3-year anniversary.

    And you can bet your ass that I had the same thoughts you’re having, LW – how could I choose to spend the rest of my life with this guy when I’d never dated anyone else – when I had no idea what other guys could potentially offer me? My heart said I loved him, my brain said “but can you be sure? Sure enough to commit to marriage?”

    And even now, three years post-wedding, I have moments of doubt. DOUBT, not regret, is the key word. I mostly have these moments when I’m reading sites like Dear Wendy and all these dating issues come up that I have absolutely no experience with. I haven’t been on a first date since I was 15, so how can I relate to first-date horror stories? I don’t know if I would sleep with a guy on the first, second, third or umpteenth date. I don’t know the anxiety of whether or not to say “I love you” or when to say it or who should say it. I’m coming up on 25 and there are so many life & dating experiences that, it feels like, every other 25-year-old woman has had. So it’s hard not to feel like I might have missed out by not dating – missed out on these experiences, and possibly missed out on meeting someone who matched me even better than he does.

    My husband is not perfect. In our 10 years as a couple there have been times when he embarrassed me (and I’m sure, when I’ve embarrassed him, as I am the more socially awkward of us). We’ve both thrown temper tantrums. His dynamic with his family and approach to family relationships is WAY different than mine. I wouldn’t say he brings out the best in me – in fact, we’re incredibly good at enabling each other’s flaws. I wouldn’t say he “just gets me” either, because we have plenty of communication breakdowns. But those phrases are just pop culture normalisms, the stuff of Hallmark cards and Lifetime movies and feel-good stories. They’re not hard and fast rules for what makes a couple work.

    My husband may not be perfect, but he is good enough. And a lot of people, when they hear “enough,” immediately jump to “You’re settling!” but in the end, good enough is good enough. Compatibility is what makes a relationship work, and if you feel you’re basically compatible, you get along most of the time and think/believe similarly and share values and life goals, and there are no major red flags, I don’t think that’s “settling.” I think that means you’re a good fit. Could there be someone out there who’s a better fit? Anything’s possible.

    There was one day about two months before our wedding that we had the fight-that-wasn’t-a-fight, when all of these feelings came out – on BOTH sides, because he had many of the same doubts and reservations as I did. This went on all day, and plenty of tears were shed by both of us. We eventually decided we did not want to leave what we had on a hope and a prayer that we’d each find someone better for us. That could have turned out badly for us, but so far, it’s holding up.

    Making a commitment to marriage is a risk for any couple. You can both be 100% sure that you’re doing the right thing and it can still end badly. Or you can be 90% sure, and he 90% sure, and you can make it work. There are no guarantees – but that’s not a reason by itself to not try, to not give it your best shot and create the relationship you want with the person you love. And since you’re not staring down the barrel of the Get-Married gun just yet, I think you can relax a little about this question for now. Keep focusing on your relationship and working to make it what you want; by consciously and actively making the relationship a priority and a work-in-progress, rather than a given, you can uncover the weaknesses while reinforcing the strengths. Some of the weaknesses may be dealbreakers – that’s up to you to decide. But you’ll be better off for investing the time and energy now, before a lifetime commitment is made.

    1. Thank you for sharing your story! I wish I had this site about 6 years ago when I started feeling antsy with my high school sweetheart, who was an amazing person and partner. We had been together for 8 years at that point, and the whole “sow your oats!” crowd got the best of me and I shitcanned him, only to immediately regret it. He found someone else and moved on, and I ended an otherwise great relationship for basically a non existent reason. It hurt for a very long time.

      I’m fine now, I’ve moved on, and I’m really happy with someone else. I got lucky. But that doesn’t mean I would endorse others to make that same decision I did. You live and learn.

      1. Agreed, HmC.

        During our day-long breakdown, we even discussed separating for a while and going to do our own thing and coming back to this question after, but thankfully we both realized that a back-burner, Plan-B relationship isn’t really a good model to follow. Part of our doubt came from the fact that we both identify as bisexual and I think we were a little freaked about making our heterosexual arrangement permanent, closing the doors to any further same-sex experiences – essentially canceling out that part of our sexuality. I still feel that tension sometimes (I go through occasional super-gay phases where only women interest me, and get frustrated by look-don’t-touch) but we’ve found ways to manage.

        I guess I just get frustrated by the idea that if you’re not 100% sure about committing to a person, that means you shouldn’t do it. I read that opinion in an Ann Landers column when I was a girl, long before I was dating or anything, and even then I found it a little extreme. I think some people are naturally analytic, anxious, and prone to worrying. I think for these people, doubt and worry are normal experiences, not warning signs – they’re never 100% sure about *anything*. I can be like that sometimes, and that’s the sense I got from the LW. I didn’t feel like her gut was telling her this was wrong, but that her brain was filling up with doubts and reasons and bits of evidence and she doesn’t know what to do with them – especially when she framed it as a heart vs. head issue.

      2. Avatar photo theattack says:

        “I think some people are naturally analytic, anxious, and prone to worrying. I think for these people, doubt and worry are normal experiences, not warning signs – they’re never 100% sure about *anything*. ”

        YESSSSSSS

        “I didn’t feel like her gut was telling her this was wrong, but that her brain was filling up with doubts and reasons and bits of evidence and she doesn’t know what to do with them – especially when she framed it as a heart vs. head issue.”

        YESSSSSSSSSSSSS again!

      3. “I think some people are naturally analytic, anxious, and prone to worrying. I think for these people, doubt and worry are normal experiences, not warning signs – they’re never 100% sure about *anything*.”

        This is so totally me. Thank you.

    2. I also don’t think the flaws of his that you brought up are instant red flags. You sound like a person who probably makes pros and cons lists. You’ve given us some pros and cons in this letter, and the cons are not all that severe – don’t like him when he’s drunk, has a temper, mis-communicates sometimes, has a different approach to handling family.

      And that’s the tough thing about a pros and cons list – you expect that it will give you a clear answer, that one side outweighs the other. I think you had your lists in mind and got worried because there wasn’t a clear winner. I think that’s why you might have started pulling in other criteria by comparing him to other guys and to standards like “he brings out the best in me,” to see if there were some questions you weren’t answering that could make the pros side or cons side a little more decisive.

      Having an even balance of pros and cons, and having relatively non-serious cons like you have, is still an OK foundation for a relationship. No one is going to be all pros, as others have said. Prince Charming probably farts in his sleep. So if the pros are really good, and the cons you can live with, that’s good enough, IMHO.

      1. “Prince Charming probably farts in his sleep.” <- That totally made my day. Thanks!

    3. Eagle Eye says:

      Thank you for this! Although I started dating my boyfriend at the very tail end of college, for whatever reason he’s turned out to be my first real boyfriend. I love him to pieces but sometimes there’s this gnawing in the back of my brain asking me if I should’t be out sowing oats, but then I remind myself that 1) I really do love the pants off of him and he does make me happy and that 2) in college I had time to sow all of the oats I could ever want, and I still didn’t and 3) I over analyze everything and then I shut up my brain for long enough to be happy and enjoy the relationship that i have.

  21. SweetPeaG says:

    Maybe I am a bad person and maybe this is terrible advice. Please feel free to ignore it and listen to the other more thoughtful opinions.

    BUT, if you are writing into Wendy asking her if your boyfriend is “right for you”… then he is probably NOT right for you.

    I do see a few red flags- you’re embarrassed by him, you don’t like him when he drinks, and he has a bad temper- just to name a few. Mentioning those things means that they happen often enough that they are a problem for you. Will these things escalate throughout the years? Because, issues like this often only grow when people are married and more “comfortable”. Taking the next step doesn’t solve old issues.

    You’re young. I’d say that maybe you should take a step back. Let your boyfriend know what you’re feeling. It doesn’t mean it is the END of the two of you. But, when you are expressing enough doubt that you feel compelled to ask Internet strangers their opinion, it isn’t the best sign.

    1. You’re wrong on only one thing. This is good advice SPG.

    2. I can’t remember what book it was (I think it was either Shadow Of The Wind or Shantaram, those Shh book titles confuse me) where someone said the quote “If you ask yourself if you love someone, then you stop loving them forever.”

      I know I should have taken this as “True love isn’t questioned” type thing, but all I kept doing was playing devil’s advocate in my head going “Do I love my cat? F*CK, now I don’t love my cat anymore, GREAT. THANKS BOOK.”

      1. See, that’s why I disagree with that statement. It just made you question whether you loved your cat!

        Of course it’s fine to ask yourself if you really love someone when you’re standing on the verge of marriage, or some other commitment. That doesn’t mean you don’t love them! Or have stopped loving them! I could rant forever about this.

      2. Yeah, that quote definitely effed up my mindset for a while. I think at some point I got heady with it and asked myself if I could love anyone which of course then translates to, great, I’m a sociopath.

    3. Avatar photo theattack says:

      I don’t think it’s a problem that the LW takes issue with some of the things he does. All of us wish our SOs did or didn’t do certain things, but if you break up because you have issues then you’ll never find a relationship you want to keep.

  22. Hey lady, those are natural doubts to have – and unfortunately you’re the only one who can make the decision, because you’re the one who will have to live with the consequences of your decision. It sounds like you guys have compatible values, and enjoy spending time together… that’s something special.

    But the challenges that you have may indicate that you need to learn more about who YOU are, as an independent adult, before you can make a major, lifelong commitment. (Granted, divorce is always an option… but if you’re getting married thinking, “We can always get divorced if it doesn’t work out.” that would probably be a BIG RED FLAG.)

    I’m not much older than you – I’m 28 – but at 24 I was really only just beginning to figure out who I was and what I wanted. (But everyone learns at their own pace, and so we can’t really compare ourselves!) Which meant I was exploring myself through being on my own, finding an industry I loved and building my career, and having some good times (and not so good times) dating very different men. Throughout all this, I was nurturing my friendships (mostly female, but some male ones), and trying a lot of new things. It is entirely possible to do most of that (excluding dating a variety of people) while in a relationship — but it can be harder. Some partners are not supportive, I think mainly due to fear (if my girlfriend begins exploring herself and discovering new things she likes, will she still have a place in her life for me, her boyfriend of 4.5 years?).

    I think the BEST thing you can do for yourself is find a partner who is supportive of your continual evolution and growth. And learn how to be supportive of that in your partner, too! All I know is that I didn’t know enough about myself at 24 (or 25-27) to feel confident in who I am, and therefore I couldn’t find the right partner for me. It’s only very recently that I’ve found someone who loves me for me, and who I love for being him, and doubts aren’t an issue. Mainly because we’ve been able to identify and acknowledge them to one another, learn more about one another (we have the benefit of living in different states, so we’re very emotionally intimate), and discover that the doubts that shimmer to the surface are nothing more than irrational fears from our past experiences.

    Anyway. This is probably not very helpful. If you were my little sister, asking me for advice, I’d pull you in for a hug, encourage you to think about what you are most afraid to do, and face it bravely, courageously, and know that you are loved while you figure out who you are and who you want to be. xoxo

  23. Avatar photo theattack says:

    If you have something good, don’t ruin it because it doesn’t fit some dumb cliches. Not everyone’s relationship looks the same, and no relationship is going to be perfect. You should be looking to love someone and build a life together, not aiming to find the most perfect relationship. A saying that I’m really addicted to lately (read it in a wedding planning book, so it’s not mine) is that finding the best is the enemy of finding the really really good.

    1. But is what the LW has really that good? At first I wanted to think so. But she gets into some pretty major red flags. She says they are compatible, but the traits she list that she doesn’t care for says otherwise.

      I honestly get the impression from this LW that she is trying to make it work because she thinks she should. Not because she wants it to. And I think that makes a huge difference.

      1. Avatar photo theattack says:

        Only the LW can decide if those traits are deal-breakers for her. Everyone wishes their SO did something differently, so we have to decide what to take and what to leave. If the LW can handle her bf’s flaws, then she shouldn’t worry about it. She’s asking if she could find something more perfect, and the answer is no. She will never find someone who doesn’t have some flaws that bother you. The key is finding someone who you love, are compatible with, and their good parts greatly outweigh the bad parts.

      2. I agree that only she can decide what are her deal breakers. But I take issue with telling someone to stick with a person because that he or she is only good enough. I think you are likely to doubt yourself in any life changing decision. I also think sometimes, your gut is telling you something is off and you need to look further into the issues. Which is what I think this LW needs to do because she’s trying too hard convince herself one way or the other. So, instead of jumping on the marriage bandwagon or the break up bandwagon, I think the LW needs to take some time, stop listening to outside noise, and figure out what SHE WANTS out of a life partner. Or life in general.

      3. Preach it!

  24. LW, you sound a lot like the person I am, very introspective and logical. I was actually just thinking about this for my SO last week. So here’s some things to think about:

    You will always have doubts. It’s the nature of introspective people. Stop thinking about this as this guy versus another person (whether the guys you know or a guy potentially in your future). Think about this guy. You say he talks you up when you’re feeling down. What about times of stress? Does he add to it or help you get through it? What about when you’re sick? Do you take care of each other to the level you each want? I hate being sick and never ask for anything unless absolutely necessary where my SO likes to be babied a bit.

    It’s great to think about your compatible lifestyles but also think about some scenarios. Here’s a couple of mine, which are all based on my real life or potential real life. What if one of you gets a chronic illness? How would you handle the ups and downs, the medication changes, the potential disability that comes with that? What about potential fertility problems or birth defects in a child? Can you together handle the stress that comes with that, pitch in where needed even if it’s more than 50/50? What if you need to do long distance for awhile because of work or other reasons?

    My SO and I also have families that are a source of stress. What we’ve worked out is that we each handle our own family, respect the boundaries the other has set and give comfort where needed. You say he tells you to run off and do your own thing. Would he respect it if you asked him to let you deal with them in their own way and support you in that?

    It’s not unusual to have different body languages. What’s important there is that if something gets misinterpreted, that you have a way of communicating to resolve it. Also, my SO doesn’t “bring out the best in me” but rather supports just about anything I want to do to improve myself and vice versa.

    As for the embarrassment and the drinking, I’ve had a bit of experience with that as well. For my current SO, excessive drinking can cause belligerancy. What I’ve asked is that my SO either not drink that much or at the very least, not drink that much around me. And that request was respected. For embarrassment, a past ex had the same kind of relationship with friends (being the butt of jokes, etc.). We talked about it and it turned out to be a way to make friends and to be close to the current ones. The friends actually respected my ex much more than you would notice by being an outsider.

    So there’s some things to think about. Like everyone above has said, no one can make this decision but you. However, I hope some of this helped and addressed some of your concerns.

    1. I’m also very introspective and neurotic… I like how you walk through exactly what you think about. It’s helpful to read!

      1. Thanks! I’m so neurotic 🙂 Luckily for me, my answer was yes, I want to be with my SO who puts up with my neuroticness.

      2. Yes, tolerance of neurosis is key! 🙂

      3. Eagle Eye says:

        The key I’ve learned is to be equally neurotic but about different things…that way there is equal give and take and no one totally goes off the deep end (to frequently…)

  25. If it were me, I would look for my answers in the relationship itself, as opposed to comparisons with outside people or situations. Do you feel safe, loved, heard, supported? Does he? Do the two of you share a similar level of career ambition and have financial plans that would meet both your goals? Do you share a similar vision of the future, agree on where you would like to live and how children should be raised? What would happen if one of you became seriously ill? Are you able to grow and change together? What if one of you got a great job opportunity in a city far away or in another country?
    Having a long shared history is lovely, but if the future is what concerns you, this is the time to talk, talk, talk about all of it.

  26. stilgar666 says:

    Get out there, see the world, sow your oats a little. Deep down you know you could do better.

    This dude sounds kind of lame. Find a somebody who is a fun drunk, with good friends.

    I will quote a line from Heat: “Where there is any doubt, there is no doubt.”

  27. I don’t have a problem with marriage as a whole (other than its exclusion of Gay and Lesbian couples), but in the issues I do have with it, this is one of the top. Its so frustrating to hear someone say, yeah, we’ve talked seriously about getting married in the next 2-3 years, but also I’M CONFLICTED AND I WONDER IF I SHOULD I STAY WITH HIM. These are two VERY different things. I don’t care if you are talking about it two years or two months or two decades before you actually do it, but if you’re seriously considering marriage with someone, for smokey the bear’s sake, be SURE that’ this is the person you want to be with forever. That this is the person you want to walk in a park with when you’re 80 when the robot overlords give you a 10 min break from scrap farming. Don’t just plan on it because “that’s what people do when they date for a certain amount of time and they reach a certain age”. No. NO. no. no no no. That’s how people get resentful and divorced.

    If you’re not sure, don’t talk about marriage and don’t plan to get married in the future until you are ready. Simple as that. But here’s where you say “Yeah but how can I know I’m ready if this is the only guy I’ve dated?”. The simple answer to that is time. Time in a relationship, time being a fully grown adult, time to figure yourself out sexually. You guys have dated for a while yeah, but you guys also dated at the same age that I used to make a boyfriend wear two condoms at a time and when I once spent $150 on discount Ukrainian makeup that gave me weird face sores. What I’m saying is, people make a lot of mistakes in those years. You are still in your mid 20’zezzes, you haven’t even had your quarter life crisis yet (THIS EXISTS). Let yourself grow into a full fledged adult before you make any permanent promises to you and your boyfriend.

    With time though, you need to figure out what you want for yourself besides who you want in a future husband. Work on the career you want, or save up to travel like you want, or join that krav maga/knitting/erotic haiku class that you’ve been interested in. When you do that, your real self starts to come out, and that’s really when a relationship is really brought under a magnifying glass. If you do the things that you love, and you start to feel your partner pull away from that new life and you guys feel more distant and bickery(totally a word), then you know your relationship wasn’t meant to be permanent. If you find yourself learning new things and getting excited about including him in your plans and your future looks better with him in it, you know you guys are in it for the long haul.

    Also this: “I’m afraid that, if I try to find someone better, I won’t be able to.” NO. Don’t do that. Do not ever stay with somebody because you’re afraid that you wont find something better. That’s not fair to you or him or the relationship. NO. If THAT’S the reason you’re staying, do yourself and him an favor and break it off now.

    1. This comment needs more love and attention! Great points and so funny.

      “You guys have dated for a while yeah, but you guys also dated at the same age that I used to make a boyfriend wear two condoms at a time and when I once spent $150 on discount Ukrainian makeup that gave me weird face sores. ”

      Seriously? This was so funny! I want to read more of your comments just for gems like these.

      1. I agree – though my fave was “That this is the person you want to walk in a park with when you’re 80 when the robot overlords give you a 10 min break from scrap farming.”

        And the quarter life crisis TOTALLY exists — my estimation is it can occur anywhere between 23 and 35. Best part about it is learning how people deal with bad situations and how much flexibility they are capable of 😉

    2. I love everything about this comment!

  28. It’s a very prominent notion in modern Western culture that everyone nowadays needs to sow their oats, so to speak, in their 20’s, marry in their 30’s etc. But when you think about it, that set up is really just as restrictive as telling everyone that they need to marry at 18 and have kids right away.

    Now, I can see why, given the type of partnerships many young people are striving for nowadays, and given the society we live in, it makes sense to be single for a long time, date around, and all that. But honestly, I don’t think it’s fair to say that everyone must do that. I think there are many many people who happen to find their partner earlier in life, and I think that can be just as healthy. It all depends on who you are, who your partner is, and how your relationship functions.

    No one, especially anonymous internet strangers, can really tell you if someone is right for you. And maybe this guy really isn’t. But I advise not to discard him just because he was your first everything. Maybe you just got lucky and found each other early. It happens. Also please remember that once you decide to let somebody go, there are no guarantees about what else will be out there for you. No one should stay in a relationship because they are scared to be single. But. If a long term relationship is what you want and you’re in one that’s happy and healthy, please just know that the world is not a never ending smorgasbord of available, perfect men and women who want a commitment and are willing to work at it. Everyone has their flaws, and everyone is an adjustment.

    1. LW- here is a link to another letter Wendy answered about a year ago (Regina Ray answered it actually), that I find unusually relevant to your situation. It’s interesting, because this woman is in her 30’s and just met the guy, so basically the opposite of your situation. But it deals with the issues of how/when to decide whether a relationship is right for you, and I really like the commentary…

      https://dearwendy.com/theres-no-passion-should-i-moa/

      1. And, another twist, RR got back together with that boyfriend she talks about in her answer!

        (not sure how that’s going, since she’s not around much anymore.)

      2. True! That does color the advice as well. Ah relationships. Disney’s over simplifications did us no favors as little girls….

    2. WHmCS! You and theattack nailed it!

      1. (fighting the urge to get a “WHmCS!” tattoo)

      2. Avatar photo theattack says:

        Thanks!

    3. AndreaMarie says:

      LOve this reponse. It’s totally true about the age brackets society puts on where a relationship should be. I think it also is effected by where you live. Here in NYC there is an enormous amount of 20-something singles. So you might ask well why don’t they all find each other. They do and that’s whats the problem. Too many options. When a woman or man knows that just around the corner is another handful of potential partners then it’s much more difficult to commit.

  29. I personally don’t believe that “sowing your oats” is really all that beneficial. Choosing someone to marry is not about comparing them other people, and even if you had dated a lot of guys, you still likely wouldn’t (or shouldn’t, IMO) be committing to him based on how he ranks among your other boyfriends. It’s about how you feel with that person. So, I don’t think that it’s imperative that you gain experience solely so you can determine who is right for you. But if you want to date around, then that’s OK, too.

    As for your boyfriend, it could go either way. A guy doesn’t have to be the best guy ever to be marriage material, and you’re probably not going to find all the qualities you want in one person. On the other hand, though doubts are normal, there should be some ounce of excitement or contentment at the idea of marrying him — and if that’s not the case, then that’s a problem.

  30. I have been with my husband since we were 19 and 20. I got engaged at 24 and married at 25. I just had my one year wedding anniversary. I had some feelings of fear and doubt right before getting engaged. When we talked about it, it was all I wanted, but when my Mom accidentally slipped and told me my husband had stopped by to pick up the diamond we were using in the ring, I felt a little panicked.
    I had dated around and we had been together for almost 4 years. I am an analyzer, and I just kept thinking “what if”: “what if we’re wrong for each other?” “what if it doesn’t work and we get divorced?”, ect. I actually wrote to Wendy when she was at the Frisky. She told me that I would never know 100% that this was the right thing to do, but if I spent my whole life waiting to be 100% sure about everything I did, I wasn’t going to be doing much of anything with my life. On the other hand, she told me that if in my gut I truly felt like this was wrong, I needed to get out before the marriage license was signed.
    In the end, I realized I was just overanalyzing the unknown, and that I didn’t have a nagging feeling in my gut telling me to get out.
    Looking at your letter and some of the comments you made in it, I’m a little concerned you might be experiencing that nagging feeling in your gut, but only you can answer that question.

    1. I agree, and it’s also worth nothing that something funny happens when you realize you’re about to get engaged: you start thinking about *everything* in terms of forever. All the sudden, you start picking apart the tiny things your partner does and wondering if you can deal with that forever. He leaves his work pants on the closet floor! He picks at the ingrown hairs on his back until they get all puffy and bleed! Do I really know what I’m getting into? It’s totally normal to have those kinds of mini-freakouts when you start seriously considering marriage. Things that didn’t bother you before because they were just “his” suddenly start making you worried because you realize they will become both of yours.

      What’s important is the conclusion you come to after thinking about all of this. In my case, I realized I loved my soon-to-be-fiance in spite and because of all those things, and while it was a scary leap to make, it would be worth it. In the LW’s case, maybe it is or maybe it isn’t. Only she knows.

      LW, just know that it’s normal to question all of this and feel like your mind and your heart are saying two different things. A lot of it has to do with your personality type and the way you analyze things in life. Some people are maximizers, where they’re constantly searching for the best deal or a better option, while others are satisficers, where they’re happy to stick with the “good enough for me” option and not worry about the rest. In the end, the satisficers actually end up usually being happier because they’re content with what they’ve chosen instead of searching for something better. Give your relationship some time to grow and breathe and re-evaluate when it seems like the marriage talk is getting closer. You’ll know what to do.

      1. *worth noting

      2. “Some people are maximizers, where they’re constantly searching for the best deal or a better option, while others are satisficers, where they’re happy to stick with the “good enough for me” option and not worry about the rest.”

        Wow, this was great! +1 to Kristen!

      3. I don’t think I agree with this. I don’t think this is a matter of “maximizers” and “sacrificers.” Those of you who have made permanent commitments, i.e., married your guys, I respect and applaud you for taking that huge step and continuing to make it work.

        But, particularly if that was your first boyfriend, you would probably admit that you don’t have the perspective to know how much better / right for you a relationship could feel than the one you have. In my marriage (just to re-state, I was 21 when I got married to my first boyfriend), I had NO idea what a relationship could or should be like, and I clung to what I had and tried so hard to make it work. I loved him, he made me laugh, he had a lot of great qualities. If he hadn’t completely crapped out on me and thrown his life away, I probably would have stayed with him. Likewise, it was very hard to walk away from the relationship I had after that.

        Not until I took some time off to be single, focus on my own life and happiness, and go on dates with a bunch of guys, did I find a guy who I pretty quickly felt like, “yes. this is it. this is what it should be like.”

        For you, maybe your guy IS good enough. But from what the LW wrote, I feel she’s clinging to something that’s probably *not* good enough, because she doesn’t know better and because she’s scared. Wouldn’t it be sad to stay there and never give herself the chance to find that guy who feels like an amazing fit and really enriches her life?

      4. But maybe the guy she is with is an amazing guy who has and will enrich her life. You said it’s possible that you might’ve made things work with your husband… Maybe he could’ve been that guy for you, if he’d been adult and committed to the relationship. Then you’d be saying “oh, my husband and I had a rough time at first, but now we’re good, so there’s no reason to ditch your guy because you’re young. It can work!” Sounds like that’s what happened with KKZ.

        We don’t know. And we’re all reading things into her letter based on our own past experiences.

  31. Personal opinion, but that whole “s/he brings out the best in me” is a joke. Another person can’t make you better, only you can do that. I think a better indication if they are right for you is that if they support you both at your best and at your worst.

    To me, he sounds like a good guy and that he has lots of great qualities. Let me ask you this: are you happy? Do you look forward to seeing him, talking to him, and hanging out with him? Are you comfortable with him? Is he supportive of your ambitions? No guy is perfect, as you said, and there are compromises one has to make in any relationship. Only you can decide if the compromises you’ll have to make with him are worth it.

    1. My boyfriend doesn’t make me better…but I do want to be better b/c I’m with him. There are qualities in him that I admire and respect that I want to cultivate in myself. I would want to improve myself even if I were single, because I think everyone should always be working to improve themselves…but I think being with him helps to encourage me in that.

    2. Sure, sure, I’m the one doing the work that makes me a better person, but my husband is a source of inspiration and support in that process. It’s in that way that he makes me a better person. Everyone is constantly influenced by those around them, and to chose to be with someone who positively influences you (because we spend a lot of time with our significant others) is, I think, a good idea.

  32. It’s really hard to tell if you are having a “I know this relationship isn’t enough” moment or if you are just experiencing the typical doubts and worries someone may experience when thinking about marrying someone. It’s really only something you can see yourself.

    I was dating my husband for about two and a half years when marriage popped up. We discussed it in vague terms, but it started becoming more real. I was excited outwardly but inside I was freaking out a little. We were mature and responsible but young (23 and 24) and I wasn’t really sure he was this perfect partner to me. He wasn’t passionate about politics or the environment and he can be really bossy sometimes. I started noticing every little thing about him that drove me crazy and pictured it amplified throughout my life…forever. Needless to say, I worried a lot.

    However, after one night talking with a friend, my thoughts changed. She asked what he was great at, why I loved him, why we worked together, what future plans we shared. After this conversation, I realized that despite all his supposed flaws and my worries, I could not imagine a future where our relationship wasn’t it. Not because of the time I already invested in it, but because it fulfilled me, challenged me, nd made me happy. Sure, there could be some perfect match for me on paper out there somewhere, but I didn’t want that.

    That said, I would really explore your relationship in ideals, future plans, and how you work together. Do you bring out the best in each other? Do you communicate well? How do you navigate problems together? Do both your future plans mesh with one another? Why do you love him? Is it security, history, or something more concrete and lasting? Talking all these over with a therapist or third party might help you sort out your feelings, which I know can be difficult to navigate. Best of luck!

  33. Avatar photo bittergaymark says:

    Frankly, it sounds like you’re just not into him… MOA.

    Oh, and for what it’s worth? A good many of my friends didn’t sow their wild oats either and gleefully married their very first loves… Wanna take a guess as to what’s the one thing they ALL have in common? Starts with a “D”… then an “I” followed by “V O R C E D…” Seriously. And trust me, it wasn’t pretty.

    1. No doubt that happens, but I wonder if it’s caused more because people are fed this idea that they missed something important and then start feeling deprived and entitled because of that, than it has to do with an intrinsic human need to sow oats. Maybe it’s some of both, depending on the person. I don’t know the answer, but I think it’s a really interesting topic…

      1. Avatar photo theattack says:

        I totally agree, HmC. I knew I had to sow my oats, so I broke up with a good guy to go do that, and we found each other again after I had my wild time, and now we’re getting married. But my grandparents got married at 19 and 21, and they were married for nearly 60 years without ever looking back or wondering what else was out there. They started dating when she was 18, and she said that after they met she knew she could never be with anyone else. I’m sure many older people have the same sort of story. It has to be cultural.

  34. The third paragraph of LW’s letter stood out to me, especially the parts about him having trouble with boundaries, the drinking, and his temper. It’s never a good sign when these are problems in a relationship, and it’s especially so in this case. I think that if they are at a point where they are talking marriage, they are also at a prime point for pre-marital counseling sessions – both jointly and individually. A skilled counselor can help them really navigate their relationship together, and help them both with their own individual issues.

    It also stood out that a main motivator for LW to stay was fear that she’d be unable to find someone better, and that she doesn’t feel encouraged to improve herself when she’s with him. One cannot be happy in a relationship if one is not in a space that allows one to thrive and grow.

    LW, don’t rush into anything. Tell your boyfriend what you’ve been thinking, and that you want to explore this through a counselor – for your sake, his, and the sake of your future lives together, then pay attention to his reaction. If he balks or that temper flares, then it’s time to MOA. If he wants to improve and if he wants your relationship to endure, then that’s a good sign. No matter what the case, I’d recommend you find a counselor to help you through your shyness and personal issues. It will make you a stronger person. Be well.

  35. Committed relationships involve MORE than just being with the right person. One also has to be in the right place (and I’m not just talking geography – I also mean right mindset and disposition) and at the right time. Even if you do have the right place and time with the right person, sometimes plain ol’ dumb luck needs to factor in as well.

    LW, I know I can’t answer if your boyfriend is the right person for you – only you can do that. I do see that this discussed timeline of having this foreshadowed marriage taking place in two or three years has gotten you to thinking about things. Thinking is a good thing though – it is indicating that right now, you’re not in the right place or you don’t forsee marriage will be something for you during that time. And it’s OK to think that!

    Not every 4-5 year relationship leads into marriage. Heck some 20+ relationships never have a marriage. The important thing is to factor into what YOU want in life, not what everyone EXPECTS to happen to you in life. Just because you have been with the “right person” (again, only you can answer that) doesn’t mean that you (as an individual or as a couple) are in the right place and time to fully commit to that person through marriage. It also doesn’t make the current commitments you have with them less vaild or important…they’re just different. It’s ok to be different and to create your timelines/milestones in life, just be sure to keep in touch with what you want out of your life. If the right person is still there when you evolve into the right place at the right time – then, you’ll have your answer.

  36. Avatar photo GatorGirl says:

    “I hate him drunk. He has a temper, but I know how to deal with it. These are things I could live with…”

    You’re the only one who can make the decision if you want to marry this guy. Personally, I could not marry someone who I had to know how to deal with their temper. Any thing I would label as a temper is a dealbreaker for me. Some times my fiance gets mad and some times we fight – both of which are normal and healthy – but tempers are scary (and a dealbreaker) to me.

    I really have no advice because I “just knew” shortly after meeting my fiance that he was the person I wanted to marry.

  37. Never ever ever ever ever stay with someone you feel embarrassed to be with. They could be the second coming of Christ and it would still not work out. That’s a huge red flag. It says to me that your boyfriend is definitely NOT right for you.

    1. My longest relationship, by the time I’d met the man who became my husband (been together 10 years, married 4), was 6 months, and with a college boyfriend who didn’t go to the same college and who I didn’t even speak to for the last 2 months of our relationship! So really, I hardly was brimming with relationship experience when we met. That you haven’t had much experience doesn’t man he can’t be

      I’m telling you this because you wonder if you can know you’ve found the right guy without having dated a series of trolls and I want you to know that the troll dating is not needed. You’ve read above about people telling you that “he makes me a better person” and “I just knew” are clichés, but I know so, so many people for who this is true, and that’s been the case for me. Why shouldn’t you aspire to be in a relationship that lifts you up, and not only when you’re feeling down? Why shouldn’t you be with someone you feel you should defend but instead with someone you _DO_ defend without having to enter into an internal debate about it because you know it’s the right thing to do and you are on his side 100%? There’s got to be at least another 50 guys in your city alone who would fit the bill. Hundreds in your State/Province, thousands in your country… you shouldn’t be with him just because you have a shared history, but rather because you can’t wait to see where the story will go. It doesn’t mean he’s not the guy you should spend your life with, it just means there are others, and you shouldn’t just be with him because you’re afraid you won’t find someone else. Girl, you will if you want to.

      When I met my husband, I didn’t know he was the man I would marry, I didn’t know I wanted to spend my life with him. But I did know, right away, that he was special, and that there was something there. The more I know him, the more I love him, and after 10 years, I still learn things about him I didn’t know: his resilience, his patience, his will to do good, his sharp secret wit, his desire to be the best he can be for himself and for our family. I sacrificed a lot for this relationship: I moved over-seas, gave up a career I loved, gave up daily life with family and friends… but I’ve never really had a doubt that he was worth it. We push each other to achieve more. We support each other in our dreams and compromise to make sure they carry us in the same direction. And on top of all this, he’s super sweet, cooks me dinner, and the sexiest man I’ve ever met.

      I’m not telling you this to brag or to convince myself that my relationship is the best out there. I’m telling you this because these types of relationships do exists and your life as a grown up is just beginning. Let me tell you, it’s gonna throw curve balls and flaming bags of shit your way. And when that happens, you want someone you can count on, someone you don’t doubt for a second is on your side, someone you don’t only love, but someone you like, too. Only you know if he’s that guy, and if there’s doubt, it might be worth figuring out why.

  38. There are many potential matches out there for us. When you meet one, you have to apply the 80/20 rule. There’s never going to be someone who you like 100% of the things about them. You’ll probably really like 80%, but there’s going to be 20% that bothers you/is less than ideal, etc. You just have to figure out, does that 80% outweigh the 20% or vice versa? Is the 20% composed of things that, while at times irritating, you can live with and handle?

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