How to know when it is time to let go
Despite all of the signs and symptoms of intense physical, emotional, or mental attraction, your relationship might have stalled there. You don’t ask the person for their number, they don’t ask you for yours, or the two of you exchange texts and calls without the promise – -or even the hint – of developing a romantic relationship. You might find yourself wondering about this person but not truly considering a relationship, or you might notice that the person you are attracted to never seems interested in exploring your interactions further despite your constant flirting and pleasant interactions.
In some cases, this can indicate that one or both of you are too scared to take the next step, but it can also indicate that you do not want more than what you already have. In these cases, the best thing to do is recognize and enjoy your friendship, realize that it is the extent of your relationship, and relieve yourself of the expectation or anticipation of anything further happening. The reasons for this can vary dramatically from person to person and situation to situation, so make sure you examine your motives, needs, and wants before you continue your flirtatious relationship.
When the attraction is just attraction, emotional attachment is unlikely to develop. This can happen when two people are otherwise attached, are too different to function well as a couple, or when two people only like one another for a few aspects of their personality, or in small doses. Not every instance of attraction warrants further exploration, just as not every pleasant interaction carries a multitude of meanings behind it. Sometimes, pleasant interactions are pleasant interactions, and attraction is little more than a conciliarity, proximity, and compatible personalities.
The clearest sign that it is time to let go is when plenty of time has passed (weeks or months) without either of you pursuing something further.
If you are usually the aggressor in your relationships but you find yourself hesitating or making excuses for not taking your flirtation further, this is a clear indication that you have some misgivings about the situation and you may need to let go of the (non)relationship
If you have made some overtures about possibly taking your flirtation further and they have been continually rebuffed, this is another indication that it is time to let go. Your flirtatious friend might enjoy the flattery of your attention and might get a small ego boost each time you interact, but may not see the two of you with the potential for anything more than the occasional enjoyable interaction. It could also be that the person you are flirting with is already involved with someone else and enjoys their interactions with you too much to give them up altogether. In either case, while you can continue to enjoy your mutual attraction, you would do well to let go of the idea of it being anything other than a casual series of interactions rather than the beginning of a legitimate relationship.
Unspoken attraction and letting go
Unspoken attraction can be a beautiful thing. Two people who feel plenty of physical attraction and even sexual tension toward one another can provide an enormous boost to self-esteem and offer a sense of purpose or hope. In many situations, a case of mutual physical attraction never materializes into anything more and remains at the initial attraction stage.
Letting go of the expectations that often accompany attraction can be difficult, particularly if you are going through a trying time or are experiencing a period of intense loneliness. Feeling attraction toward someone, and feeling someone else’s attraction for you, can seem like a beacon of hope during an otherwise difficult time. However, letting go of gran sitio the expectation of further development can leave you both open to enjoying one another’s attention and interest without the accompanying feelings of anger, frustration, or inadequacy.