Hello, my dear friend! I'm here to help. I'm your heart detective coach, and I'm ready to listen to your emotional story with warmth and sincerity.
He senses your admiration for him, but you are innocent and afraid that if you confess your feelings, he will reject you and you will lose the chance to be friends. It can be really tough when you lack confidence, especially when you're a shy girl.
It's these feelings that make you so enviable! You're loved, and you love someone. You're experiencing first love, secret love, passionate love, and even unrequited love. All of these will be beautiful and sweet memories for you in the future.
You've got to start somewhere, my friend!
From what you've said, it's clear you two get along really well! There's a saying that goes, "Classmates for life, relatives for three lifetimes." It doesn't matter if there's love or not, there's still a special kind of bond between you. It's like the simplest, purest form of affection, like that between family members.
It's so lovely that they have a shared experience (being alumni). It really adds a sense of intimacy and empathy.
Sometimes love doesn't give you advance notice, and it doesn't explicitly ring the doorbell. But you know what? That's okay! You get along well, you trust each other, you feel at ease, and you enjoy spending time together. Even though you don't talk about love, who can say that it isn't love?
As a girl, you have the proper reserve and maintain a distance from him, considering his first love and your pursuit experience. You're so sweet, suppressing your favorable impression of him and speculating in your own mind: Does he like me?
Oh, what if he has a girlfriend? What if he rejects my confession?
It's totally normal to feel a bit nervous when you're thinking about something new. It's like when you're trying to learn a new skill and you're not sure if you'll succeed. You've been thinking about "what ifs," which is totally natural. Let's just add more "what ifs" and see where they take us: "What if he has a crush on you too? What if he wants to confess his feelings to you? What if he's afraid of being rejected?"
We're all adults with our own thoughts and opinions. We're not so naive as to turn down a confession just because we like the other person and think we can't become friends. If that's really the case, it also proves that he's not your ideal type.
So, if you feel it, just go for it! The worst that can happen is that you get rejected. But if you do get rejected, you can let go and start pursuing your own true happiness.
Love and marriage are two different things. Love doesn't require rationality, while marriage is all about long-term companionship and making smart choices. Falling in love is the only way to truly live up to the word "youth."
2. Everyone has the right to love and be loved!
It's a common misconception that boys actively pursue girls and that it's the man who proposes to the woman. The truth is, there's no explicit rule to this effect.
It's not a lack of self-confidence, but shyness in girls, to be afraid to express oneself. We'll all have a thousand and one self-troubles before we know for sure whether the other person likes us or not. And that's okay! We're all in this together.
Self-confidence is a wonderful feeling of trust in oneself and in the future. It's so important to remember that we shouldn't doubt ourselves or have negative thoughts because of what we've done, haven't done, or what we've done wrong.
Low self-esteem is when you have a negative view of yourself. It's like you think you're not good enough.
People with low self-esteem often believe they are inferior to others and think their abilities aren't good enough to do anything. But, as it turns out, this self-evaluation is wrong!
All those ideas swirling around in your head will eventually lead you to one conclusion: I don't have enough confidence, and I don't feel I'm good enough for him. It's only natural for the brain to "rationalize," and it will automatically search for "evidence" to prove that this viewpoint is correct.
If you believe this, it can make you afraid to confess your love. If the other person rejects you, it can feel like proof that you're not good enough or worthy of him.
Love is a capacity, and everyone has the right to love and be loved. You are just exercising your rights, my dear friend.
Tell him, it'll make him so happy!
I really hope this helps you out, and I just want to say that I love you so much ?
If you'd like to keep chatting, just click 'Find a coach' in the top right or bottom of the page. I'd love to keep talking with you one-on-one!
Comments
I can totally relate to feeling nervous about expressing your feelings after all this time. It's a tough spot to be in, especially with someone you've had such a history with. Maybe it's best to keep things casual and just see how the conversation flows from there.
It sounds like you're really torn up about this whole situation. Sending that message must have taken a lot of courage. How about being honest with him? Just tell him you were feeling nostalgic and wanted to reconnect as friends first, no pressure.
Wow, it's so complex when past emotions resurface like that. Perhaps you could ask him about his life in Shanghai and gauge his reaction. If he seems open, you might find an opportunity to gently bring up the past and where you stand now.
Feeling this way for someone for so long can be both beautiful and painful. It might be worth it to take a small step forward and invite him for coffee or a catchup. That way, you can get a sense of where he is without immediately diving into deep waters.
Reopening old wounds is never easy, but sometimes it's necessary for closure. You could try responding with something lighthearted and see if he's willing to talk more. If he's still single, maybe this could be a new chapter for both of you.