Monday, November 4, 2013

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back


Forward…retreat…Forward

Things with Mr. Intellect are progressing quite nicely.  I cannot keep posting the date count or phone call count because to be honest it makes me a little bit nervous.  As I progress with Mr. Intellect I am constantly battling doubts in my mind.  I like him.  But wait, do I like him?  We have fun, a lot of fun and I laugh a lot.  But where do I want this to go?  And more importantly, do I really have to know?

Somehow as Mr. Intellect and I have progressed we have magically not had “the talk.”  And gI am so glad that we have not had some serious what are we conversation.  As I continue to find out through my life, I need to be more and more comfortable in the moment and without making plans for the future or trying to categorize certain things.  It is evident we are dating and evident from his statements that we are dating monogamously but I still would not feel comfortable saying that I have a boyfriend.  There is something fitting in the no talk status that I like!

This is an interesting time period in my life.  Dating just to date and not looking for a mate. (Yes, I even have a new rhyming mantra).  So what does it mean just to date?  Am I just looking for compatibility?  Am I just hoping for someone who makes me feel good about myself?  If so, then Mr. Intellect does both those things so very well.  I enjoy spending time with him and it is so nice to date a man who wants to take me out on a Saturday night!  The hours we spend together pass quickly and I am obviously attracted to him.  He is so gentle and sweet!

The day after a date with Mr. Intellect, I practically jump out of bed and am instantly giddy upon seeing a text message from him.  But as the day fades and passes into more days in between our dates, I tend to down play my feelings.  I convince myself that this is a very superficial dating experience and try to eliminate any true feelings I may have for him.  I have trouble committing to plans far in advance and can be a bit aloof at times via text messaging.  I get extremely nervous when the next date arrives and then within minutes, my feelings of anxiety have passed and I am back to crushing hard on Mr. Intellect.

Forward, back, forward, back.  I like him.  I do not like him.  He means something to me.  He means nothing to me.  Back and forth I go with my emotions trying to discern which are the feelings of my heart and which are the doubts of my mind.  The bottom line – I do not know and I do not feel like wasting any more time figuring it out. 

It comes down to fear of getting hurt.  The more I allow myself to be vulnerable around him and develop feelings for him, the more I risk allowing myself to get hurt.  I know that the more I give the more potential I have to gain, but still that does not exactly make it easy for me to want to give to him.  As my friend reminded me, there is just so way Mr. Intellect could ever break my heart in the same way by ex did.  Plus I am not the same person I was when I met my ex years ago. I’ve changed and I know more about myself than I knew back them.  Older and wiser ;)

I’ve promised to be the most authentic version of myself throughout this dating process.  I will be positive and constantly reflect on the progress I’ve made.  I know in my heart I do like Mr. Intellect and have a great time with him.  I will take it one day at a time and appreciate the opportunities to get out on the town with a really attractive, kind, and funny man.

This Thursday we are going to a show together in the city and I am really looking forward to both the show and sharing it with him.  Beyond that date, who knows what will come but I am sure glad for the things we have done.

Mr. Intellect has a much larger palette than I do and it has been really fun trying new foods and restaurants with him.   I have a renewed appreciation for Philadelphia and everything it has to offer.  He has also reminded me of all the benefits of living in center city rather than the suburbs. 

I am going to continue to fight the natural urges to put up walls in between us and just allow whatever is meant to be to follow.  I am sticking to the old dating adage of allowing him to the be the next to text and call – maybe even back to back depending on what he says ;)

P.s. this Ted talk speaks perfectly about the correlations between vulnerability and happiness. Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability
 

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