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Living With My Boyfriend

DearJames,

I’ve been living with my boyfriend for the last 4 years. He keeps saying that he wants to get married, but he also keeps looking at singles sites and he won’t propose and make it what we’ve talked about. He also isn’t working and he’s not looking for a job.

I’m not sure what I should do? Please help.

Anonymous

Dear Living With My Boyfriend,

The writing’s been on the wall with this one for quite some time.  It’s time to abandon ship before you go down with the ship.

While comfort and familiarity are, well, just that, comforting and familiar, this relationship has ventured into stormy, unpredictable waters.  And the last place anyone wants to be during rough / stormy seas is on a dinghy.

The ride will make the hardiest sea-legged adventurer nauseous or down right sick.

And while I’m being blunt, I want to address the sexual aspect of this relationship.  There is and will always be other partners that “get” you.  You need not stay out of fear that there is only one other person on the planet that is sexually compatible.

It may take awhile for you to find the right fit, however, that is a far better option than remaining where you are.

Like fish that begins to smell after a few days, this is a minnow that needs to be thrown back, as he’ll never grow into the catch you were hoping for.  His laziness and self-centeredness is just too great an obstacle at this given moment in time.

Now I just heard you say, but if it’s only a matter of time before he changes, I can wait it out a little longer.  The fly in that ointment is that you’ve already been waiting a very long time for him to grow up and realize what he already has and it still hasn’t happened.

In essence what I am saying here is this is not a matter of days, weeks, or months for him to come around, we’re talking years or decades and that’s just not good enough for YOU.

The sooner you move beyond this relationship, the sooner you’ll arrive at your newfound happiness.  Just don’t be overly eager to find yourself another minnow.

Like any great fisherman, they know it takes time and patience to reel in a real catch: one worthy of you.

So cast off your anchor and set sail on a new course.  In the end you’ll look back and thank yourself for broadening your horizons.

Greater life moments, memories, and people await you.

DearJames®