Three seconds. That's how long it took. Your shoes. Your posture. The way you held your drink. Whether you looked at the floor or looked at her.
She already filed you away. Interesting. Boring. Safe. Bold. Before you even opened your mouth.
Everything you say after that is just her confirming what she already decided.
So stop rehearsing lines. Fix the first three seconds. Stand tall. Look up. Smile like you mean it. Walk like you belong wherever you're standing.
The words come later. The impression comes first.
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.
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.
She's interesting and very intelligent but had problems with guys in the past and doesn't open up very easily because of it. Your comment concerns me because the cluster B with zero empathy and drugs/alcohol to run away seems to fit well...PairPlusRoyalFlush said:1. Hmm, I know some women that avoid things like political or religious conversations, usually because they hate fighting and/or are uninteresting. I also know a bonafide cluster B psycho that has zero empathy and therefore will not take the blame for anything and takes drugs/alcohol to run away for her problems, do you mean that kind of serious conversation?
2. Seems like it, actually they probably know how long it usually takes because women are so experienced and the abandonment fears start to kick in.
You asked her if she wanted to grab coffee. Then you asked if the time worked. Then you asked if the place was okay. Then you asked if she'd prefer tea.
Four questions. Four chances for her to say no. Four signals that you're terrified of making a decision.
Plan it. Pick the place. Pick the time. Tell her where to meet you. She'll either show up or she won't.
Either way, you look like a man instead of a scared little boy.
PairPlusRoyalFlush said:Seen as manipulative by the master manipulator with no empathy? That's like Hitler b!tching about the Normandy invasion lol.
BTW I have had these same thoughts and it concerns me that you are having them because it seems like you have gone through some manipulation. Better make a list of her red flags.
Tomorrow will be day 40. I been reading a lot of "how to get your ex back" and following the strategies. I feel I can reach out and grab her attention about this time but I also realized that I might not be interested at all anymore. Yes I still care for her but as I date others, it is not that bad getting out there again. I feel I am in control now and in reality I have absolutely nothing to lose now. I am good either way it goes and I will let faith take its course. If it is meant to be...let it be! I can only control my emotions and I prefer to be myself and happy again!!!mrsnocontact said:So today it got a lot harder. I wanted to reach out and text her but I had the will power not to. What is hard is that she had not contacted me at all since my last pleading email. I still know she will be back because what we had was very special. I just need to complete the no contact so she could see I am not needy and desperate anymore. Sometimes I just feel sending her a text and just telling her good bye forever but then I think about the good times which out weight the bad times. I know she is out there dating but that is part of the breakup process. That is who she will realize what she had.
Some weeks are easier than others weeks but no contacting her gets easier.
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.
Indeed.dbx said:breaking up sucks. do you think there is some sort of rule regarding how long it takes to be over them? 1/3 of the time you're together sort of thing? must be something?
dbx said:Day 5 - she just text saying she misses chatting and wants to know of we can be friends and still talk! Don't know what to do!! Fvck!
Edit: ok, I do know what to do, just don't know if I can. I would actually love to have her as a friend, but no it won't work.
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.