Monthly Archives: December 2016

How Do I Break Up With Someone?

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Dear Ginzo,

I’ve never broken up with someone before but I have to now. In my previous relationships the other person always ended it. A few times I have wanted to get out too but haven’t had the courage to actually break up with them. I’m embarrassed to admit that I will just kinda pull away until they finally end it or get the hint and we just stop talking. I recently realized this about myself and decided that if I was ever unhappy in a relationship again, I would break up with them instead of my usual cowardly move. But now that I have been seeing this person for a few months, I realized that we just don’t have that much in common and I don’t see myself with them long term. But I’m scared. I really don’t want to hurt their feelings because I think they’re great, just not right for me. I am also debating my method. When I told one friend I was just going to text my soon-to-be-ex and get it over with, she yelled at me. Then I talked to another friend about it and she says she would actually PREFER to be broken up with over text. Wtf? What do I do now? HELP!

Never the Dumper, Always The Dumpee

Dear Never the Dumper, Always The Dumpee,

First of all, hats off for recognizing this about yourself and deciding to make a change. In a world where “ghosting” has become a common experience in the world of dating, it’s good to hear that you’re taking the road of emotional maturity.

I have had the discussion, “Is there really a good way to breakup with someone?” many a time, often when someone brings up that episode of Sex in the City when Berger broke up with Carrie on a post-it note (and I hate Carrie Bradshaw but yeah, that’s a terrible way to breakup with someone). I think there is a right way to breakup with someone, to a point. Either way, you are ending the relationship, and regardless of the circumstances, it can hurt. Rejection sucks and change is hard to accept. But there is definitely a way to break up with a person that shows them respect and allows you to be both honest about your feelings and sensitive to theirs. When it comes to your situation, it sounds like it is simply a matter of lack of chemistry. They have done you no wrong; it just isn’t going to work out. In this case, being too specific only serves to hurt their feelings. For example, being like, “Well, I think you’re really great, but your porcelain doll collection is off-putting and I can’t see myself being down to go to any of those conventions you attend” is just going to hurt their feelings. You don’t have to lie, but a simple, “The chemistry is just not there for me” should suffice. Also, none of this, “Well, I am just not ready for a relationship right now” stuff because that only serves to lead them on. Don’t leave a door open for them that you know is shut for you.

As far as over text v. in-person debate goes, I actually don’t think there is anything wrong with breaking up with someone over text message. It’s really all about context. Someone with whom you were making long-term plans and have been seeing for over a year? Yeah, you sure as shit better not break up with them over text. Someone you have dated for a couple of months and had maybe 5 dates with? Eh, you might save them the gas money and their dignity by letting them read your breakup texts swaddled in a nest of blankets and sadness. Today, text is the primary form of communication for many relationships, romantic or otherwise, and it is in the process of changing the etiquette of a lot of social situations, hence your two friends’ wildly different opinions on the subject.

If you are still not sure which is the best route, I would suggest you decide which way based on their preferred method of communication. Are they more verbal (i.e. do they prefer phone calls over texting, do they express affection out loud)? Or are they more inclined to express their feelings non-verbally (i.e. over text, through body language), in which case, an in-person breakup may be way more difficult for them to handle? Hopefully after dating for a couple of months, you have some insight into their communication style. Reflect on them as a person and this will guide you in the direction of a breakup that’s respectful.

Best of luck breaking things off, and give yourself a good pat on the back for being an emotionally intelligent human.

Love,
Ginzo

Am I Leading On These Tinder Guys?

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Dear Ginzo,

I just got out of a long-term relationship a little over a month ago, and I am definitely not ready to dating anyone else seriously. However, I am getting to the point where I am lonely and curious about what’s out there, and frankly, could use an ego boost. I recently downloaded Tinder and wow! Talk about an ego boost! But now I have been chatting with a few guys on there who have expressed interest in me. I am feeling guilty about not wanting to take any of them seriously, but Tinder isn’t really where people go to meet the love of their life. Am I doing something wrong, as long as I’m not making profiles on any serious dating sites yet?

Sincerely,

Single and (Almost) Ready to Mingle

Dear Single and (Almost) Ready to Mingle,

Isn’t dating just the worst? I mean, don’t get me wrong, there are beautiful parts of it, like when you really connect with someone and you feel a little less alone in this world, or when they buy you food. But it is also very complicated in this day and age when we have way more options than ever before when it comes to relationship status. When you’re on a dating app, you could be looking for a permanent monogamous partnership, you could be looking for someone to tickle your toes and never call you again, or more likely, something in between the two. There is nothing wrong with wanting any of these things; the important thing is that you clearly communicate what you want.

I think you are right in that Tinder isn’t the most serious dating app; it definitely has had a reputation for being a “hookup” app in the past. However, you would probably be surprised by how many long-term relationships and even marriages have come out of Tinder now that it has been around for a couple years. If I could shoot a reading recommendation your way, Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari has a lot of interesting information about the revolution of Tinder, as well as dating trends in the modern world in general. You might find some intriguing information for yourself there as you navigate back into the dating world. But before you run out to your local bookstore for some great advice from Aziz, let me just make it clear that you being on Tinder as opposed to a dating site that is marketed as more for long-term love doesn’t get you off the hook for clearly communicating your needs. Of course, there will be plenty of gents who are more interested in the hook up side of Tinder, but there will be others who genuinely want to meet a cool person they can connect with on a romantic level.

In many cases, it will be easy to differentiate between the two. A guy who messages you and asks for pictures of your genitalia is probably not looking for much more than a picture of your genitalia, for example. But if you start talking to someone and find that the conversation flows easily between you and a deeper connection could be made, don’t let it get too deep before you have the good old, “So what are you looking for?” conversation. Contrary to what some people might think, this isn’t going to dose the emerging flame of your romance. Clear communication is extremely sexy to most adults trying to make a real romantic connection.  

As far as what you say you are looking for yourself, you don’t have to feel pressured to get into the nitty gritty of your breakup. And you probably shouldn’t say anything like, “Just trying to get an ego boost from the schlongs on this app!” I would go with brief but honest: “I just got out of a relationship so I am not looking for anything serious, but I downloaded Tinder to dip a toe in and see what’s out there.” If you are not ready to go on dates yet, say that. One very freeing part of your situation is that you don’t have to worry about “scaring people off” by being “too honest.” If you aren’t ready to date, be upfront about it; you don’t need these guys to stick around to feed your ego because in the age of online dating, there is always another ego boost around the corner. And really, if they aren’t willing to have an honest conversation about what they want, they probably aren’t worth much more than ego boost anyway.

In summary, Tinder away, but don’t deceive anyone about your intentions. Congrats for taking the first step towards moving on, and I hope you ultimately find whatever it is you’re looking for, on or off line.

Ginzo

How can I grow up to be like you?

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How can I grow up to be like you? (This is a legitimate question)

❤

Aww, this is such a sweet first question; thank you! Contrary to what my brain constantly tries to tell me I have to be, I am not perfect, so proceed with caution. If you are asking because you’d like to start your own advice blog or some other project that speaks to you, my advice would be to just do it. I have been thinking about this blog for months now, going between “Of course you need to do this! You can help people and do something you love!” and “This is a terrible idea. What makes you think you are qualified to give anyone advice?” In the end, the best things I have done have been because I stopped listening to the doubtful demons that plague my brain and just straight up did it. So be vulnerable, take risks, do things that fulfill you, and while you may not turn out just like me, you will be the best version of you.  

Welcome!

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Hi all! Welcome to Ask Ginzo, my advice blog! In this blog, I will take any questions you have for me, whether about your relationship, your career, your family life, or your propensity for hoarding miniature furniture, and do the best that I can to help you. I will also write posts with more general advice, like 5 Ways To Up Your Self-Care Game and 10 Inspirational Quotes to Read to Your Cat This Morning (only sort of joking about that one). I may dip into the valley of personal essay as well so I am not a totally anonymous blogbot to you, but my concern is more about you and your questions. If you would like to pick my brain, feel free to email me at askginzo@gmail.com, or check out my Contact page for a form that will allow you to contact me anonymously.

Okay, but why should I listen to you?

Fair question! I am letting you know upfront that I am not a mental health professional. I have an undergraduate degree in psychology with a concentration in counseling, but so does your cousin Tom, and he doesn’t know what he is talking about, right? While I am not a counselor, I have all the qualifications of a good friend. That’s why my blog is called Ask Ginzo – Ginzo is a nickname my best friend Deliah gave to me, and that is how I would like to give advice: as a friend. Whether we know each other or not, I am happy to listen to your problem non-judgmentally and give you the advice I would give someone I care about, like Deliah. If you have a serious problem that needs professional intervention, I highly suggest you see a counselor. Personally, I have had both good and bad therapists, and while I don’t recommend bad therapy, it still gave me perspective on my situation (like, “Oh God, I need a new therapist”). Regardless of whether or not you have a mental illness (like I do), a good therapist can empower you to make the changes you need in your life to find what you are looking for, whether that is recovery and healing or a more fulfilling life path. Again, I am not a therapist, good or bad, but you can consider me a friend. Write in and at minimum, I will lend you my empathetic ear, which is often all we really need.

Hmm, okay… how can I contact you again?

Glad you asked! Again, feel free to email me at askginzo@gmail.com, or use my Contact form if you prefer to be anonymous.