Falling in love is always complicated, and nearly everyone will somehow or rather find themselves drowning in romantic feelings for someone they can’t have in a certain point of their lives. They may be unavailable, either emotionally, or for some other reason, and this pain that stems from a love that isn’t reciprocated is often unequivocally agonising.
Nobody is to blame for this torture, and perhaps getting over these feelings will be the toughest part, but you must see through with it and come out stronger. Here are several ways to help you cope:
1. Accept your feelings – You can’t control of your feelings, but you can take charge of how you act upon those feelings. Thinking about ‘what ifs’ will do you no good and will only elevate a cloud of confusion, especially if you’re hoping that this person will somehow end up with you. Do not strive to pursue an emotional relationship with this person as the deeper you get, the harder it will be to walk away from.
2. Protect yourself – It’s only human nature to be curious about someone you like, but asking questions that reveal less than favourable answers can only hurt you further. Avoid questioning about his or her relationship, or demand for anything more than you are given. Stay focused and acknowledge the pain, but try to savour the good times considering he or she still treats you as a mate.
3. Keep away – Sometimes, you’ve got to be cruel to be kind (to yourself) and simply distance yourself. We know how hard it can be as this person may be the first thing that pops up in your head in the mornings, and the last you think about at nighttime. Hence, do everything you can in your will to keep out of their way. Text less, avoid going out one on one, and make excuses to duck out from meeting.
4. Talk about your feelings – When the pain is making your life increasingly unbearable, you might want to consider biting the bullet and revealing how you feel. This isn’t done in hopes they feel the same way, but much rather so he or she can amend routine behaviours to make you feel less uncomfortable. Maybe this love interest calls you out for drinks every Friday, or regards you as a BFF by contacting you regularly for heart to hearts.
5. Hide them – Deep inside, there’s probably a perpetual itch to find out what they are up to and what they are doing. Avoid stalking them on every social networking platform to fulfil this urge, and hide them from your feeds whenever you can. The last thing you want to see are photos of him or her cuddling up to someone else, or having the time of their lives, without you.
We know how painful it can be, but don’t let it take over your life. Trust us, you’ll survive.
