Hello, questioner! I'm Jiang 61, and I'm thrilled to be here with you today!
First of all, thank you so much for trusting us enough to tell us your troubles and for seeking answers! From your account, I feel that you are an absolutely wonderful, sweet, and kind girl.
You're curious about how intimacy affects people and why some are more open than others.
There is so much to learn here! Once you understand it, you will know exactly how to handle your relationships.
1. Intimacy
You say, "There is an opinion online that you should not accept gifts from the opposite sex if you don't really like them. You should not have intimate relationships with the opposite sex if you don't really like them and understand them to a certain extent."
And there's another great idea: young people should have more relationships! And yes, breaking up with someone can be mentally draining. But there's a Western view that intimacy is normal in a relationship, which is great!
1⃣️. About intimacy
In "Intimacy," Christopher says of intimacy: "Intimacy is a perfect design! In intimacy, everything is an important part, even the unpleasant conflicts and uncomfortable situations. As you continue to grow in your relationship, you also begin to appreciate whatever happens between you and your partner."
Embrace the uncomfortable! It's in these moments that we gain the most insight and growth. When we refuse to accept the unpleasant and uncomfortable, we miss out on the revelations that these things can bring.
It's a kind of design!
In other words, no matter what state you are in with your partner, it is absolutely fine! This is the choice you and your partner make at this time. You will gradually grow in depth of contact, emotional exchanges, acceptance or rejection, and other behaviors. It is a part of your life and an amazing opportunity for you to improve yourself!
A wonderful, magical feeling!
Intimacy is a wonderful feeling you have about your relationship with each other. If you like each other, you can get closer and feel closer to each other; if you don't like each other, the distance between you will naturally grow, but don't worry! You can always start over and build a stronger, more intimate relationship.
And it comes from the heart!
Intimacy is a natural progression, an outward expression of your inner feelings. It comes from the heart, not an act of force or something you can control with your mind. So just follow your heart and don't doubt! Embrace the magic of intimacy and enjoy the journey!
2⃣️, Regarding outside opinions
Now that you've read Christophe's explanation of intimacy, it's time to explore some external, online, and Western interpretations! These all represent their views on intimacy, and they are talking about intimacy from a certain perspective based on their own positions. There is no right or wrong, so let your mind wander and discover what intimacy means to you!
3⃣, your attitude
How you view intimacy depends on how you feel in the moment and what actions you decide to take. You have the power to choose to be rational or to follow your heart.
When love is strong, people become intoxicated, and when love is deep, the heart does not regret. This is your true attitude towards intimacy, and it's a great one!
2. Your relationship
1⃣️, choose!
Since you have never been in a relationship before university, you have the exciting opportunity to discover what kind of relationship you really need!
But you know what? You'll be stronger for it!
Oh, the agony of rejection!
After work, you have a crush on someone, but they rejected you. You can tell that he is protecting you because you are cute, kind, and innocent. You need a boy who is dedicated to you to take care of your relationship, but he is popular with the opposite sex and will make many friends, which will inevitably affect the time and state of mind he can devote to you.
He's not able to focus on you, and he knows it would hurt you. He's making a decisive rejection so you won't have to worry about that in the future. It's his choice, and it's a good one!
Go for it!
You will also have your own choice. Although you feel more comfortable with him, there are so many other exciting possibilities out there! You also need a spiritual support, which means having common interests.
You feel that you have little in common with this person, so you choose to move on and start an exciting new chapter in your life!
After your first relationship, I can see that you value the spiritual world more. And you will experience this for yourself!
2⃣️, Location
Next, you fell in love with a local guy and felt very secure. This guy must be someone who makes you feel comfortable, secure, and taken care of. It must also be the guy you like, otherwise you wouldn't feel like betraying the previous one.
Long-distance relationship
You've had a long-distance relationship that gave you a sense of closeness beyond your reach. You were unwilling to live apart and maintain an impersonal relationship and intimacy, so you chose to break up after six months because your partner refused to come back to the city.
This is a great reminder that you need a relationship with face-to-face communication and intimate feelings of contact!
Local
Next, you fell head over heels for a local guy and felt completely secure. This guy must be someone who makes you feel totally comfortable, secure, and taken care of.
And it has to be the guy you like! Otherwise, you wouldn't feel like betraying the previous one.
I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean by "betrayal." Are you starting a local relationship while your long-distance relationship is still going strong?
You mentioned that if the other person doesn't reply for a while, does that mean you haven't officially broken up? So you just started the next relationship?
As a result, you feel guilty about the emotional investment you made in the last relationship. Who are you excited to contact next?
Local guys or guys from afar?
3⃣️, Expectations
From your previous self-description, it is clear that you expect the boy to make you feel safe, have a common language, be spiritually rich, and be able to face the sensuality of your relationship—and he's going to be amazing at all of it!
3. Back to the topic!
You say, "Intimacy feels like an animalistic feeling that you don't have to think about. People who get involved in intimate relationships become dependent and vulnerable, and they are afraid of intimacy.
1⃣️, a correct understanding of intimacy
Guess what! You're not alone in wondering what kind of relationship is right. Lots of people are influenced by online and other people's views, as well as Western ideas about intimacy. But don't worry, you're on the right track!
It's time to view external opinions correctly!
What others say is just their own take based on their own experience. It can't possibly represent your feelings! If you blindly follow what others say, you'll miss out on the chance to develop your emotions. So, think for yourself!
Embrace the magic of intimate relationships with a positive attitude!
As Christopher mentioned earlier, there's no wrong choice when it comes to intimate relationships! Falling in love is an exciting journey of finding out if two people are a good match.
The dependence and sense of vulnerability you mentioned are the release of your natural instincts in love. This is undoubtedly another door that opens to you to understand yourself and an opportunity for you to understand different sides of yourself – how exciting is that?
2⃣️, Understanding Attachment
As mentioned above, you have come to realize that you are actually quite dependent on others through the establishment of intimate relationships. This is also a natural manifestation of your entering into an intimate relationship, and it is directly related to your early upbringing. The good news is that you can correct this by correctly understanding your own attachment relationships. This will help you avoid panic and feel at ease.
Attachment
Attachment is an amazing thing! It's a special emotional relationship that each of us forms with the people who care for and raise us during infancy. It's the key to determining the emotional bond between people, and it determines a series of interpersonal emotional connections, from early parent-child emotional connections to intimate relationships in adulthood.
Now, let's dive into the fascinating world of attachment!
In 1990, psychologists made an incredible discovery: they proposed four types of adult attachment based on the three types of infant attachment! These are the secure, fearful, detached, and preoccupied types.
The secure type is a delight to be around! They are emotionally very open to others and feel at ease both in being dependent on others and in being able to depend on others.
They are delightfully open to others. They feel right at home both when they're dependent on others and when they're able to depend on others.
They are not afraid of being alone or of being rejected. This type of person is open to love, will give their all to a relationship, and can also leave a relationship calmly.
Obsessive type
They will invest all their emotions in a relationship, and they're ready to do whatever it takes to make it work! While they may find that the other person doesn't want the relationship to develop as intimately as they would like, they're confident that they can work through this together. The lack of intimacy can make them uneasy, but they're excited to show their partner how much they value them!
This type of person is either in a relationship or preparing for one, with very little time between!
Fearful type
They are eager to connect with others, but may find it challenging to fully trust or depend on them.
They are cautious about getting too close to others, which makes them a bit afraid of being hurt. But they are excited about the prospect of a relationship and are ready to jump in when the time is right!
Alienated type
They're happy to have peace of mind even without intimacy. They value independence and self-sufficiency, and they're not interested in depending on or being dependent on others.
This type of person feels that the whole thing of being in love is unimportant and dispensable—and they're right!
Of these four attachment types, you are closer to an obsessive attachment relationship, which is great!
3⃣️, Relationship management
Intimate relationships are like bank deposits—they need to be nurtured! The more emotional investment you make in your relationship bank, the more emotional value you'll have. And the more you understand each other, the stronger your relationship will be!
So, no matter who you get together with, if you do these things, your relationship will be well managed!
Expressions of love
The stored value in a relationship bank is the investment, access, and expression of love!
Everyone has their own unique way of understanding and expressing love. Dr. Gary Chapman has even categorized these ways into five amazing "languages of love": "affirming words," "quality time," "exchange of gifts," "acts of service," and "physical touch."
Affirming words are a wonderful way to show your love and appreciation. They can be as simple as a kind word or as elaborate as a poem or song. Whatever form they take, affirming words are a great way to brighten someone's day and show them how much you care.
It doesn't matter if you're friends, colleagues, lovers, or husband and wife—you need praise and affirmation! And the more positive feedback you give each other, the stronger your relationship will be!
? Special moments
A thoughtful moment is a truly wonderful moment and a wonderful memory shared by both parties. It could be a candlelit dinner or doing something meaningful together. During this time, give your full attention to the other person and enjoy every second!
Gifts are a wonderful way to show your appreciation and love for someone. They can be small tokens of affection or extravagant gestures that make your heart flutter. Accepting gifts is a gesture that shows you are open to sharing joy with your partner.
Exchanging gifts on important holidays is a wonderful ritual that strengthens the bond between two people. The gift itself is a tangible symbol of love and affection, creating a lasting memory.
Service actions
In short, it means doing what the other person wants you to do and making the other person happy through services in life. Such service actions are often small things in life, but they can have a huge impact!
Physical contact is a wonderful way to show your love and affection for each other. It can be as simple as holding hands or hugging, or as romantic as a passionate kiss. Whatever form it takes, physical contact is a powerful way to deepen your connection and express your love.
Holding hands, hugging, and other forms of physical contact can increase the affection between you, and it's a wonderful way to show your love! It's a language all its own.
Once you've nailed down the language of love between you and your boyfriend, it's time to start expressing your love for each other! Show your partner what they want and need to feel loved. Fill their emotional bank account and watch your relationship flourish under the nourishment of love!
Let's talk about consistent communication!
Communication is the key to a happy, healthy relationship! When you communicate openly and honestly, you can avoid a lot of the discord that can arise in intimate relationships.
When you communicate with someone, it's so important to make sure that what you say matches up with how you feel. That way, you're sending a clear and consistent message that's respectful to both you and the other person. It's a win-win!
People who use this model are truly amazing! They demonstrate an inner awareness in their speech. Their expressions and words are consistent, their hearts are in harmony and balance, and they have a relatively high sense of self-worth.
I'm so excited to share with you the following sentence patterns, which are commonly used in consistent communication exercises and expressions. After a long period of time, you can truly communicate in a consistent manner. The specific sentence patterns are as follows:
When you do this, you'll be amazed at the results!
Describe the objective situation in a way that is clear and objective, without any accusations or emotions.
My feeling is...
Be sure to clearly express your current feelings and emotions!
I really hope...
Be sure to clearly express what you want the other person to do and specify your needs. It's important to make sure your expectations are quantifiable, executable, and visible!
I absolutely believe...
Now, it's time to describe your expectations for the good!
When you use consistent communication, aligning your feelings, actions, and words, something amazing happens! The other person will receive a message that is consistent with your feelings, misunderstandings will be reduced, and your marriage life will be filled with harmony. Your love bank balance will increase, and you will have a green light all the way on the road to love!
Absolutely! You can learn to manage your emotions.
And last but not least, learning to manage your emotions is one of the most important skills you can have! It'll help you in all your relationships, from family to friends and even colleagues. So let's dive in and see what emotion management is all about!
It's time to recognize those emotions!
This is the first step in emotion management, and it's a great one! When you have an emotion, recognize what it is, such as anxiety, anger, sadness, etc.
Embrace your emotions!
Healthy emotions are the ones that align with the situation. When your emotions match the objective event, you'll know it's time to say, "My current emotions are normal." This is accepting emotions!
This way of thinking is an amazing way to reduce emotional tension and naturally restore calm within!
Express your emotions!
Expressing your emotions is a great way to feel better! It's all about sharing your feelings with the world. You can say "I" or "my feelings" to show that you're open and honest.
Now for the fun part! Let's dive into how you can cultivate your emotions.
The great news is that you can cultivate and practice emotion management in the following ways.
(1) And there's more! Living a regular life will also stabilize your emotions.
2) Get out there and find a hobby you love! Let your positive emotions drive you, love yourself and love life, and feel the beauty of life!
3) Look after others and show them love! It's the greatest joy to help people help themselves.
4) Get out there and connect with nature! Absorbing the essence of heaven and earth will open up your heart and soothe and stabilize your emotions.
5) Make friends and spend time with emotionally stable people to reduce emotional disturbance and fluctuations. It's a great way to boost your mood!
Once you understand what intimacy is, how it's expressed in a relationship, and your own attachment patterns, you'll be unstoppable! You'll make choices and decisions based on your inner feelings and be confident in your own thoughts.
I really hope this helps! It's the answer to your confusion.
Wishing you the very best!
Comments
I can relate to your feelings of vulnerability and the fear of making the first move. It's tough when someone you admire doesn't respond the way you hoped, leaving you feeling hurt and uncertain about how to proceed in future relationships.
It sounds like you've been through quite a journey with love. Each relationship has its own challenges, and it's clear that distance wasn't working for you. It's important to be honest about what you want and need from a relationship, even if it means saying goodbye to someone who doesn't fit those criteria.
The pain of seeing an expartner move on quickly can be hard to handle. It brings up feelings of inadequacy and regret. However, everyone moves at their own pace, and it's essential to focus on your healing process rather than comparing it to others'.
There are many perspectives on relationships and intimacy. While some suggest avoiding closeness unless there's genuine affection, others see intimacy as a natural part of dating. What matters most is understanding what feels right for you and respecting your own boundaries and values.