Dating: He's so nice but....

septemberskies

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I wouldn't date someone I wasn't attracted to. Though honestly that guy sounds sweet, but it also sounds like he's trying too hard which might be one reason why you're not feeling what you think you should.

September, how do you normally progress in a relationship? Do you need chemistry right away? Or do you like to allow things to progress on their own slowly?

All of the serious relationships that I've had were friendships that evolved into a relationship. There was always some sort of physical attraction for me initially, even if it was something small. Then things progressed from there.

When you say he might be trying to hard there may be a lot of truth to that and brought something to mind. During our dates we'll talk and laugh about something but he would sort of do this temperature check on me and say things like "Look we're two people having a great time!" or "See I told you're I am just this laid-back guy. We have so much fun together". Then he'll try to lightly touch my hand, arm or shoulder. That to me feels like forced chemistry. It's like you tried something, got a laugh from me or a smile, and now you need to know RIGHT NOW if I'm into you. Although he doesn't mean any harm by that, it's a mood killer for me. I like people to allow me time to develop feelings.


I sense that he is commitment ready and wants a long term relationship and I want the same things too but I can't rush my feelings along within a 2 to 4 hour date window.
 
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septemberskies

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I was thinking this myself as well. It plays a really big role in attraction in relationships, and more of one than a lot of people realize. Although you see the way the person is acting as something incredible about them, and something that you know you should really appreciate and be attracted to, it still manages to push you away at the same time.

I have never been one to base my attraction to people purely on physical looks. It really has a lot to do with personality for me, although I do admit that there has to be some physical chemistry as well. I've dated people that would be considered beautiful by most others, and I've dated people that probably would not be. What mattered is that they were beautiful and attractive to me because of who they are as a person.

My guess is that there's something that's stopping you from being attracted to him as a person. Something in the way that he acts, or who he is that isn't quite meshing with you, and it doesn't really have anything to do with looks.

If you think there's a chance that things will develop over time, than give it that time, but if you really feel that it's not going to happen, then definitely break it to him gently and let him decide if he's willing to maintain a platonic friendship or not. Don't be hurt if it's too hard for him to do that right away or at all.

When I think about his behavior, I feel like he wants to hurry things along. He wants me to his special girl. He always makes a mention of a future date with me while we are on the present date! I just like to enjoy the appetizer without planning for the wedding! lol

He compliments me but it's constant! He makes it no secret he thinks I'm beautiful and finds something different every 20 minutes or so to tell me that he likes (hair, eyes, scent, clothes, smile, even my purse, etc, etc). I like compliments but it felt like overkill.

I guess to some respect it feels like he's desperate. He mentioned I was the only woman he was seeing at this time. When he said I was the "highlight" of his week, it was a little concerning because it kinda sounds like "my happiness is in your hands!" :sorry:
 
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septemberskies

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Keep one fact in mind: 10 years from today, neither you or him will be attracted to each other because of looks and attractiveness. What else then will your relationship be based on?

I am not saying looks and attractiveness aren't important. But we shouldn't date and marry based on that alone, just like the secular world. If we date just like the secular world, it is no wonder our divorce rates are just a high.

A more important question will be: Is he actively seeking the love, truth, grace, mercy and peace of God?

If the answer is No, then maybe that's enough basis to break up already.

If the answer is yes, then why not give him a courting offer? Tell him you want to change the relationship from dating to courting. If things eventually work out great. If not let's you two part as loving brothers and sisters in Christ.
I disagree. I think if I marry some that I am attracted to along with love and respect, I will still be attracted to him 50 years from now. I know this is true because my parents had this kind of relationship. My mother use to say that my dad still made her heart skip a beat even after all of the years they had been together. I want what they had.

I don't want to be exclusively involved with him so courting him is off the table.
 
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sehnsucht9

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Yes, that sounds extremely intense. It would turn me off too.

I think that you should sit down with him and tell him everything you've told us. You think he's a great guy but he's too intense and has gone too serious too fast. If its over, tell him that. If you'd like to keep seeing him on a casual basis while seeing other people, tell him that too.
 
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ReesePiece23

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Possible sociopath?

Being super nice, and busting out all of these romantic gestures and complimenting you day and night, right from the off waves up a red flag for me straight away. Being a gentleman is to expected, but this? Hmmm... Something's amiss for me.

But then I am the sceptical type.
 
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Messy

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This guy is just in that phase where he thinks you get girls to you like you by putting them on pedestals.

LOL not realizing that's what turns them off. Poor guy. I had a friend and this guy was just so sweet to her and telling her how terrific she was and going after her, that she broke it off. He just scared her away. They married later.
 
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Messy

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I disagree. I think if I marry some that I am attracted to along with love and respect, I will still be attracted to him 50 years from now. I know this is true because my parents had this kind of relationship. My mother use to say that my dad still made her heart skip a beat even after all of the years they had been together. I want what they had.

I don't want to be exclusively involved with him so courting him is off the table.

My parents too. It's not only the looks that make someone attractive, someone who is desperate or too nice just isn't attractive.
 
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CCHIPSS

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My parents too. It's not only the looks that make someone attractive, someone who is desperate or too nice just isn't attractive.

Yeah unfortunately. And I understand why.

People like that are insecure about themselves and constantly seeks approval from others. That, unknown to them, actually puts a lot of pressure on the other person to keep showing them approval. And this is draining and tiring.

In another view, this desperate and too-nice person is being nice for selfish reasons. He/she was just doing it to seek approval and make himself/herself feel better.

When Jesus said "Love your neighbours as yourself", he was going with the assumption that the target audience already loves himself/herself. But as we can see that isn't the case. Many people do not love themselves and do not love their current situation. They are not at peace.

When a person doesn't love himself/herself, all of his/her focus and efforts will be for selfish reasons. A person that doesn't love himself/herself will have a very hard time loving others. It is a huge hindrance.

And that's why if you want to love a brother or sister in Christ, one of the greatest gifts you can give is to help this other person love himself/herself just as they are right now.

Septemberskies, after listening to your story, I will have to say yes you should break up with him. He isn't a whole person yet. But please tell him what you already told us. Ask him to start loving himself. Help him become a better person. :)
 
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tdidymas

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Keri you have a really good point here and I didn't think about it this way before. I think I mixed up the two things and that's why this one was a struggle for me. I have been attracted to men who did not fit conventional standards and I couldn't understand why this couldn't be one of those times. I think his "vibe" for lack of a better word just doesn't quite match mine. We have a good time together but I can't quite pinpoint where he is missing the mark. I can't see myself with him 6 months from now and I don't know why because he has been such a nice guy.

It seems to me like he is working TOO HARD for your affection. "If something looks too good to be true, it likely is." Everyone has faults, and you don't know what he is like when alone. Has he talked about his faults? If he's not free with it, then he's likely hiding something. In my experience, if a person is overly nice (compared to personalities of normal friendships), they are likely hiding something.
:)TD
 
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lunalinda

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What I gather from the information you shared, he seems a little eager to please you, to give you what you would want, and this (at least to me) would be a turnoff. Perhaps he's sensing your rejection and thus tries a little harder, at his own expense if he must. I've been guilty of doing that very thing once upon a time, sensing I was unwanted and trying to blot it out by being extra accommodating just so I wouldn't have to bear the pain of a final rejection, as if it were in my power to change their mind about me. But in the end, that just makes it all worse. I wouldn't have a man's respect, and worse, I wouldn't have my own respect. I remember writing a blog on this very subject of why some nice guys finish last. Yes he's nice and has great qualities and puts you on pedestal etc etc, but a guy who just does that too MUCH would be a little hard to respect because he wouldn't seem real to me. It'd be hard to single out when he's being pretentious or genuine. While I'm certainly not suggesting that nice guys are prone to being pretentious, when they're just TOO nice that they lose their individuality, I would feel like there's not a moment for a challenge in the relationship. He'd be too scared or unwilling to confront me about something he might not like or whatever.

On another note, though, and personally speaking, I was never physically attracted to any of the men I was semi-involved with until after I got simply comfortable with spending enough time with them, save for just ONE. He was the only one I felt physically attracted to from the get-go, so much that I was often like a bumbling idiot around him. Obviously the attraction helped things move along a little faster, but it didn't make that man any better for me than the others. For the others, the attraction grew pretty much every time after a bit of time, interaction, and just hanging out. But it did always grow. Always. Namely because their personalities were like beacons I couldn't ignore. Never even thought I'd fall as hard as I did for the last one. Amazing man. So to suggest that one must ALWAYS break away a potential relationship because of lack of attraction isn't any more true than saying one should ALWAYS stick it out just to see. It really just depends on the situation, the guy, and everyone's interests and intents laid out right on the table.

But I feel compelled to also say that I've also noticed that I can almost be "tricked" into being attracted to men, and usually by my own doing, (such as my personal situation at the point in time I met them, like being vulnerable or lonely) so even THAT can further complicate matters. In the end, the best thing to really do is rely on the Holy Spirit to keep the mind and heart unclouded. Or just to follow the ever-reliable female intuition, which is totally underrated.

Anyway, my two cents.
 
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My willingness to keep seeing someone beyond the first 2 dates (which I'll give anyone at least 2) depends on the reasons for my lack of attraction.

I've stopped seeing guys because they couldn't keep pace with me intellectually, because they weren't initiating anything and being the pursuer - I felt like I was having to chase them (total turnoff), because we clearly didn't see eye-to-eye on things I consider important (esp. regarding family, career ambition or essential doctrine) or because I was just too busy to really invest (really, it was a dumb idea to even try dating at the time, I don't know why I did).

It's never had anything to do with their physical appearance or general like-ability - but it did have to do with things I consider to be deal breakers. So it was easy to say no to a 3rd date (if one was offered) or to move on if not (because then they clearly saw the same problems).
 
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