She says the movie looks dumb; you suddenly agree. She tests you with a little attitude; you apologize for nothing.
You think you're being easy to get along with. She reads something else entirely: a man with no edges. Nothing to hold on to. No friction, no tension, no reason to wonder what he really thinks.
The "22 Rules" taught me to push back — playfully, calmly, without needing her approval. Strange things happened after that.
That sentence contains at least five follow-up questions she WANTS you to ask. Where in Florida? What brought you here? How long have you been in the area? What do you miss? How does it compare to here?
She handed them to you on a silver platter. And you said, "Oh cool. I come here every week. I love this band. Ummm... pretty crowded tonight."
She smiled politely. Nodded. And never texted you back.
I was that guy for years. Talking too much. Listening too little. Panicking about my next sentence while she was literally feeding me the answers.
Then I found 22 rules that fixed the whole thing. Rule number one: shut up and listen. She'll tell you exactly what to say.
Great advice/answer.Originally posted by TillTheEndOfTime
This relationship you have is probably doomed, but this doesn't mean you have to be doomed along with it.
How about instead of waiting around like a sitting duck for her to leave you and be left with nothing, you go out and start finding some of your own "friends". Don't be stupid like those wussy guys and turn a dumb girl into your "EVERYTHING". SHE IS NOT "everything". She is not the centre of your universe. Life started before her and life will continue after her. Withdraw your emotional investment in the relationship and start looking at her more as a friend. I understand this is easier said than done, but it will come with time, trust me.
In the meanwhile build contacts with other girls so you're ready for the dreaded *DA DA DA* "Let's just be friends" line. Instead of being one of those FOOLS (AFCs) crying "How could you leave me!? I loved you! I can't live without you!"
You paid for dinner. You drove. You said "whatever you want is fine" every single time. All the effort, no expectations.
And she left anyway — probably for a guy who makes her pick up the pizza.
Painful. Also predictable. Her mind quietly concludes that anything requiring zero effort from her is worth exactly zero. You became a free sample, and free samples get taken for granted.
The 22 Rules flip the dynamic. Small shifts that get her investing effort, money, and time in you — until SHE'S the one afraid of losing YOU.
Interesting choice to only read his initial post. However you missed a critical piece of information that would have probably completely changed your opinion on this issue. She's known this "friend" for just 2 weeks. Hardly a long time friend. Given this what would you say?Originally posted by spidersense
I would say to let her go out to lunch with the guys though, as long as they are really her friends, meaning guys she was friends with before you started dating.
She calls you when her car breaks down. When she needs help moving. When some guy she's actually dating treats her badly.
You're the listener. The reliable one. The guy who would treat her so much better, if she'd just open her eyes.
She won't. You trained her to see you as the low-effort option — the friend who requires zero risk and zero investment. Every favor dug the hole deeper.
The "22 Rules" break the pattern. You'll stop auditioning for a role she already cast and become the man she chases instead. It starts with Rule 1.
my take...I will be on the side of the lady killaz(a.k.a. D.J.'s) than to be no lookin like a duck....and thats real....Originally posted by TillTheEndOfTime
In the meanwhile build contacts with other girls so you're ready for the dreaded *DA DA DA* "Let's just be friends" line. Instead of being one of those FOOLS (AFCs) crying "How could you leave me!? I loved you! I can't live without you!" You can be one of those DJs that says "Friends? Cool hunny. Hey look, I'll call you back my girlfriend is on the other line. PEACE."
Tell me. Which person would you rather be?
She calls you when her car breaks down. When she needs help moving. When some guy she's actually dating treats her badly.
You're the listener. The reliable one. The guy who would treat her so much better, if she'd just open her eyes.
She won't. You trained her to see you as the low-effort option — the friend who requires zero risk and zero investment. Every favor dug the hole deeper.
The "22 Rules" break the pattern. You'll stop auditioning for a role she already cast and become the man she chases instead. It starts with Rule 1.
Although your adivce is structurally sound and that is what a DJ would do, you've failed to take into consideration the context this poor schmuck is in... He's AFC, so smarting on like he's some confident DJ is not gonna make one iota of a difference to his GF between the time she meets up with this new guy and the time she dumps him for good...Confidence cannot be established overnight.... At most she'll confirm his AFC status for letting her do what she wants...and acting kinda weird lately!!! (ie. different)NW1521 wrote:
For god sake let her do what she wants with her life. She is only goin to lunch with him, relax theres no reason at all to get uptight. Any with you objecting to her doing it, is only making her want to do it even more. My advice would be to let go, encourage it you mighten think it but that conveys a lot of self-convidence, as 99% of the male population would object to her goin to lunch with one of her male friends. Be the other 1% for a change
Forgive them father for they know NOT what they do (say)!!!Originally posted by dietzcoi
Shame on you symps for telling him it is OK for her to do this to him! Dietzcoi
Next Monday you'll feel more confident. After the gym you'll feel more confident. After one more drink you'll feel more confident. After you get a better haircut, a better jacket, a better job.
You've been "getting ready" for two years.
She's standing ten feet away right now. She'll be gone in four minutes. No amount of preparation will manufacture the courage that only comes from moving your feet.
Walk over. Stumble through the first sentence. Let it be clumsy. Let it be imperfect. You will feel more alive in those ten seconds than you have all month.