Thank you for your question.
I understand your confusion. You have invested significant time, energy, and resources in maintaining this relationship and fostering these feelings. For a year and a half, this individual readily accepted your gifts. However, you were taken aback when they began treating you as an ordinary colleague and even informed the boss that you were pestering them. This led to your departure from the company. As a result, you have become former colleagues. Six months have passed, and it seems that you are most reluctant to let go of the suspicion that you have done something wrong that has led to this result.
For example, do you have overly optimistic expectations of her, or do you lack self-worth and believe you are undeserving of being her "good friend"? Let's examine this further together.
[Your reluctance]
You have indicated that you have a positive regard for her and are infatuated with her. You have expressed to her your desire to become her best friend and have demonstrated an understanding of her preferences and an effort to meet her demands. You believe that maintaining this approach will increase the intimacy of the relationship. However, you have expressed concern that she does not reciprocate your efforts by showing concern for you. Even when you have demonstrated possessive behavior, she has not understood you, ignored you, and even slandered you, which has affected your work. She has even insisted, repeatedly mentioning it, that "it is your fault" that this situation has arisen.
The use of the word "incredible" to describe the harm she has done to you is a cause for concern. It appears that you are placing her feelings and needs above your own, and that you are still contemplating whether you have been treated this way because you believe you are worthless. This kind of self-doubt is a repetitive cycle of self-harm, similar to the pattern of abuse you have experienced.
[Regarding boundaries]
Boundaries are the limits and principles in our interpersonal relationships, and they refer to the limits of one's psychological space. Each individual has their own subjective definition of the relationship between you and me.
For example, I view you as a potential romantic interest. I am infatuated with you, and my focus is on pursuing a relationship with you, getting close to you, and maintaining proximity. I anticipate the possibility of transitioning from a professional colleague relationship to a more personal one, such as a good friend or romantic partner. You, on the other hand, may only see me as a colleague. This is how each person perceives the relationship. There is no right or wrong here.
It should be noted that relationships are dynamic and sometimes ambiguous. For example, even if two individuals engage in consensual sexual intercourse, they may not necessarily be in a romantic relationship.
It is therefore sometimes necessary to confirm the relationship with the other person through confession and feedback. This allows us to ascertain whether they are willing to confirm the relationship as lovers, make the relationship public, etc. This then allows us to adjust our own behaviour and protect the boundaries of the relationship. It is not that you have too high expectations of her, but that you and she have different perceptions of the relationship.
In general, individuals with a robust sense of boundaries possess a clear understanding of their own boundary rules, demonstrate resilience to external influence, and respect the boundaries of others.
The issue is not that sending multiple emails to her inbox violates her boundaries. The issue is that you are afraid to face your true emotional feelings and are "emotionally kidnapped."
For example, they like and pursue. You are reluctant to express yourself directly, so you interact by "becoming good friends," which allows her to exploit the ambiguity of your boundaries and lead you to make sacrifices for her. Her statement, "All of her friends do this to her," is a form of emotional manipulation, but you are unable to recognize it.
Another example is anger and dissatisfaction. When you feel dissatisfied, instead of considering the actions that may have caused this, you express your emotions by "flooding the screen to call her out."
This is precisely how she exploits the situation. If she genuinely has a robust sense of boundaries, she will not be unduly influenced by your emotions. Furthermore, she will leverage her relationship with the boss to exert influence over you.
[Regarding sense of value]
Individuals who are susceptible to emotional manipulation often require significant external validation to establish their self-worth. They tend to have a negative self-perception.
For example, "I'm not important," "I'm not good," "I'm not valuable." Those with this mentality often become increasingly demanding of themselves, striving to achieve perfection in order to conform to what they believe to be "other people's standards."
It is important to establish your own value standards, face your emotions, think about the events that trigger your emotions, your thinking patterns, the way you handle things, record them, and think about the whole thing rationally. It is also crucial to get to know yourself, recognize yourself, and be true to yourself, rather than living in a perfect "idealized image."
You are aware of your personal attributes and do not require external validation. You are capable of taking appropriate action to protect yourself without experiencing any sense of guilt.
I hope this information is helpful to you.
I am the individual responsible for potato farming, and I have grown up with you. I appreciate your attention.
Comments
I can totally relate to feeling hurt when someone you admire and care about starts pulling away. It's hard when you put in so much effort and it seems like it wasn't enough or appreciated. I guess sometimes people have different ideas of what a friendship should look like, and it's tough when those visions don't align.
It sounds like you were really dedicated to this friendship and went above and beyond to make sure she was comfortable and happy. When that level of commitment isn't reciprocated, it can be incredibly disheartening. It's frustrating when the effort you put into nurturing a relationship is overshadowed by misunderstandings or differing expectations.
Reflecting on this experience, it's clear how deeply you valued this friendship. It's unfortunate that things ended up the way they did. It's always a learning experience though, and maybe now you know better what kind of friend you want to be and what you deserve in return. It's important to find balance and ensure your needs are met too.
Friendships can be so complex, especially when they're intertwined with professional relationships. It's tough when boundaries blur and the fallout affects multiple areas of your life. You've gained valuable insights from this situation, even if it came at a cost. Moving forward, it might help to focus on building relationships where both parties feel equally valued and heard.