Making relationships work can be quite difficult, but according to experts, this sentence should make you think about ending the relationship.
No one likes to set themselves up for failure, but according to relationship counselor Luana Ward, not taking action after hearing this one comment could spell disaster. Vard said this line is something both men and women should be aware of when looking for a long-term partner.
In the description, she pointed out that the term may sound "as if they put you first and are considerate", but that is far from the truth. Luckily, a relationship expert explained what a person is actually saying when they say this phrase and even offered some tips on how to deal with the whole situation. "When someone says, 'I don't want to hurt you,' what they're really saying is that they believe you have more feelings for them than they do for you. There would be no need for them to hurt you if they were committed to the relationship and saw you in their future," Vard explained.
She went on to explain why a person who doesn't see a future with you would use this term and why it's important to consider your relationship with them. "If someone doesn't see you as a potential long-term relationship and doesn't have strong enough feelings for you, they can assume they're going to potentially hurt you. They were probably guilty of something like this before," said Vard. That way, your partner will come across as a good, caring and kind person, and he won't have to feel guilty for warning you, she added.
"If you hear that line, it's time to get serious and ask yourself what you're doing with that person," she warned. Although it can be difficult to finally break up with your partner, Ward insisted that using this phrase indicates that he will break up with you at some point. She added that no matter what they said, that person was still going to hurt you, especially if you stayed where you were.
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