How do you know if HE likes you

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Avemaria singles is a rip off. I was on there a few years and never received any contacts so I quit. I did the internet scene about 3 years and gave it up since I kept running into the same guys. They think they want a relationship then run scared when a possible one hits them as actual reality. :eek: I only deal in the real world these days.
 
No. It is not the chasing of a man that, in my experience, is the problem. It is the attitude that motivates a woman to think that she must do the pursuing. In my experience, I have observed two rather undesirable (for me) traits that lead to this thinking, sexually aggressive / promiscuous or the need to dominate men. Neither of these traits is appealing to me.
Okay, that makes sense. However, in my case it was not the attitude you mentioned that did the motivation for me. I would guess then it is just subjective opinion or stereotype. For me, I was never the least bit sexually aggressive / promiscuous nor did I ever have the urge to dominate men. But I have always been outward in such matters of pursuit.
 
Avemaria singles is a rip off. I was on there a few years and never received any contacts so I quit. I did the internet scene about 3 years and gave it up since I kept running into the same guys. They think they want a relationship then run scared when a possible one hits them as actual reality. :eek: I only deal in the real world these days.
I agree. I believe it is no different than personal ads in the paper. It offers oneself up for sale saying “here I am, I am available”.
 
I know really well what that feels like…glad you created a thread of discussion for it. Here’s my problem, I tend to “over-analyze” my situations/experiences with guys I like (one guy at a time). But I’m working on that by trying to over-analyze something else, like astronomy or the actual ingredients in nail polish, etc.

I need some advice on what a particular guy that I like thinks of me through his actions. My parents think I’m just thinking too much on it, but this time I think there’s something more, but correct me if I’m wrong…

Our interactions tend to happen only at church activities (my preference) or after church. Here’s some common characteristics he portrays to me:
~Walking with my friend & me closer to our cars (at night)…he forgot he parked elsewhere (didn’t know what to make of it, but cherished the moment anyways).
~Squeezing my hand during the sign of peace (recently, he started doing that… I like it, but I can’t help but notice this transition). My friend gives him peace too but he never squeezes her hand.
~Kneeling next to me in a pew during Adoration (I purposely sat closer to middle of pew so my friends could sit near me, well, they went to the chapel & instead he took the spot near me for the first time…my mind went blank…he said nothing, I said nothing…I prayed about it during the moment, not sure what to make of it). That’s never happened to me before… most times I envision the guy I like to be kneeling next to me, but to find it actually happened is rare.
~After mass in the church, a group of our friends traditionally socialize with different people… most times when I’m talking to someone & he’s talking with others elsewhere, he tends to walk over to me at some point & join in on the conversation…none of his friends join him…it’s just him. I can’t help but notice a pattern of this.
~Sometimes some friends & I go out to eat & we invite him & his friends…he usually goes more than his other friends. Last time, he didn’t say much but only listened & was very watchful of what we all had to say… like he was in serious mode or something.
~Smiles big to me sometimes (I smile back, even though I don’t know what it is we’re smiling about, cherish the moment again).
~Today 🙂
After church my close friends & I were talking awhile & there were a few guys talking near us. His friends (also my friends, but he’s closer to them than I am) stayed put while he walked over to the guys near us & started talking. Okay, that’s fine & all, but by the end of their conversation, we were still talking while they stopped & all those guys (including him) watched us & listened to our conversation (how do I know this?..where we stood versus where they stood was not too far to where it could’ve been a group of people standing & talking together). They stood there awkwardly & when I looked over, he was looking at me, but he looked tense/nervous/awkward…the side I don’t usually see. After a little bit, he walked away & back to his other friends…I felt bad. ((What the heck was he doing?..if he likes me, why not approach me rather than talk nearby pretending to be in conversation with others)).

What advice do you guys out there have about this^^^ ? Thanks for your time.
 
Ok gentlemen help us ladies out here with a little advice:

How should a lady determine if a guy likes her?
Difficult to tell the difference between likes her as a friend or colleague and likes her that way. But either way he’ll be spending time with you and giving you his attention. He may become protective of you. He can become more conscious about his appearance or the impression he makes on you. Throw in a bit of juvenile bravado, or a bit of an awkwardly solemn mood, or a bit of both, depends on the guy. In short, not at all unlike how you ladies react.
How should a lady let a guy know she likes him?
Be available to spend time with him, react positively to the gestures of attention and care he makes. Don’t be or act mean or dismissive just to balance off and hide the way you really feel about him. And be emotionally available too. A lot of this comes down to just not shooting down his own efforts or initiative. Show some initiative of your own, for example give him a call to ask how it goes (just not too casual), to see if he would like to join you somewhere you go.
Should the lady always let the guy lead and if not how direct should we ladies be?
You should always let the guy thinks he leads. 😃 Nah, just kidding. But there is a grain of truth in that. And ‘how direct’ depends on you and the guy. As a rule, if he’s already being direct, you can become more direct too. People can be really quite direct and still remain respectful.
I’ve always had problems with all 3 issues. I tend to go for guys that don’t care anything for me. Not sure why that’s just how it works out. :eek:
If that resembles the behaviour of a significant male figure in your life, you want to talk to a counsellor about that for a while. Those things can be awfully hard to sort out just on one’s own. Cold, distant, emotionally unavailable fathers tend to be the cause.

Next may be something a little off with self-esteem or some other pattern, with which a counsellor would fit better, since he actually knows about that stuff, as opposed to most other people. That’s basically similar to the effect of growing up with a distant father in one’s childhood, just with a different cause of the same results.

Or commitment issues — sometimes people subconsciously pick the emotionally available, in order to have an excuse when things don’t work out. That’s basically a self-destructive pattern, probably too hard to solve on one’s own, without talking to someone who knows how to deal with those things. Like the other things, this too tends to be connected with some issues with one’s relationship with one’s parents and other such figures, but possibly some bad early romantic experience with the opposite sex.

Finally, perhaps evolutionary ‘thinking’ (as it isn’t really conscious thinking). I don’t find this in any of the psychological materials I read, but I think women are sometimes deceived to think that a man who isn’t trying to impress them doesn’t need to (implying higher status than her own) and/or has a lot of self-confidence, i.e. a trait which, unfortunately, women dig a lot but can’t always correctly tell if it’s real. It may help if you tell yourself that an impulse does not yet a feeling make, and that even if it were a real feeling, then you still would be free not to act on it. Acting on impulses sometimes deprives us (men and women both) of the opportunity to actually act on our feelings (let alone according to reason, i.e. what we think is best). At the end of the guy, I guess that’s just another form of temptation.
I guess I’m not that great at reading the signs.
It always has something to do with being available, being around a lot, being protective and taking responsibility, trying to make a good impression on you etc. There are no magical signs otherwise, and things are often still fluid, still forming and taking shape, still being decided one way or the other.
I’m not into chasing guys and won’t make the first move anymore. I’m tired of the brush off. 🤷
That’s a man’s Bug’s Life to you. 😃 😉
How can a lady be sure a guy is interested and not just being socialable or nice.
You probably can never be sure, but being reasonably sure or somewhat convinced often is enough. Watch and analyse a bit (just not too much). If he’s going out of his way for you but doesn’t normally do the same for just about everybody else all the time in his free time, then he’s likely interested in you. If he likes spending time with you and tells you compliments or says something about your attractive qualities, then he might be interested. A merely sociable person looking for company would still do a bit of that, but not really a whole lot, and in a different sort of way (without looking like he has a personal stake).

For the record, just because a man tries to always be there, entertain you, protect you etc. etc. doesn’t mean he’s trying to force or purchase love, let alone that his intentions are not pure — it may be that he’s trying to win you with dedication and service, as men are often trained to do, including by senior women in their lives, or it may be that that’s just what love is to him, as opposed to butterflies and stuff. Trying to win you is more noble than trying to just seduce you, anyway. But remember that someone who is nice to you but not nice to the waiter is not nice at all, and be wary of guys who do look like they are expecting some rewards as their due (other than a general chance to win your affection or whatever else is appropriate).
 
Is it pretty realistic to suppose that if a guy is interested enough he’ll make a move?
Usually yes, but there are a lot of exceptions. For example I would not make a move on someone who seemed noticeably disinterested in me or in men in general. I would be cautious with a woman who erected barriers such as being on the phone all the time and otherwise avoiding contact, as it would be heartbreaking to be married to someone who didn’t want to spend time with me. I probably wouldn’t pursue someone who were about to leave for a distant location for a longer time. Generally wouldn’t pursue a student or client. Probably wouldn’t actively pursue someone significantly younger (e.g. one third), even though I would have nothing whatsoever against such a relationship, all else being equal. There may be some situation-specific ethical or moral complications, such as not wanting to abuse a position of trust or power, not wanting to disturb a person who’s there for a specific purpose, especially one like prayer, etc.
No one is making a move except a few guys I’m not interested in and they don’t seem to be taking the hint. :rolleyes:
Unfortunately, you’ve got women to blame for that, partially. Men are not mind readers, and it’s women who tell men that they expect them to 1) respect their privacy, their wishes etc., such as take the slightest hint and disappear ASAP); 2) pursue, compete, struggle, strive, persevere and whatnot, which includes putting up with rejection and trying again. Can’t have a cake and eat it. Unfortunately, women fail notoriously at realizing this inconsistency and accepting that they can’t expect men to read minds.

(Just to be sure, men have logically inconsistent expectations of women too.)
 
~Walking with my friend & me closer to our cars (at night)…he forgot he parked elsewhere (didn’t know what to make of it, but cherished the moment anyways).
Looks like a clue. It can be genuine forgetfulness but also the kind inspired by the uneasy presence of a woman nearby. 😃 It may be hard to tell which (including for the guy).
~Squeezing my hand during the sign of peace (recently, he started doing that… I like it, but I can’t help but notice this transition). My friend gives him peace too but he never squeezes her hand.
It looks like special affection but difficult to tell what kind. A friend could still get a tighter squeeze than a relative stranger.
~Kneeling next to me in a pew during Adoration (I purposely sat closer to middle of pew so my friends could sit near me, well, they went to the chapel & instead he took the spot near me for the first time…my mind went blank…he said nothing, I said nothing…I prayed about it during the moment, not sure what to make of it). That’s never happened to me before… most times I envision the guy I like to be kneeling next to me, but to find it actually happened is rare.
Definitely don’t overanalyse that. Like you said, you took the middle of the pew so that friends could take spots near you. A friend, male or female, taking the spot right next to you would have been just what you wanted.

The only thing you know for sure from that event is that he doesn’t shy away from taking a place right next to you (and thus being seen with you, associated with you by other people, not to mention what you would think of his behaviour). As long as it wasn’t the kind of rubbing shoulders with women that creepy guys do, it should show him as a somewhat brave person or at least not too inhibited.
~After mass in the church, a group of our friends traditionally socialize with different people… most times when I’m talking to someone & he’s talking with others elsewhere, he tends to walk over to me at some point & join in on the conversation…none of his friends join him…it’s just him. I can’t help but notice a pattern of this.
Looks like an attracted guy to me, though I can’t say if that’s being respectful (among other things in not shying away from showing some respect and attention to you in public, where other people can see) or creepy (the kind that stalks and pesters). Also could be a friend — socializers will often try to include their other friends rather than staying in their own one group.
~Sometimes some friends & I go out to eat & we invite him & his friends…he usually goes more than his other friends. Last time, he didn’t say much but only listened & was very watchful of what we all had to say… like he was in serious mode or something.
That looks like an attracted guy to me. Or at least appreciative of you as a woman (a bit more solemn, moved to be a bit more respectful), which doesn’t necessarily mean romantic intentions. Men sometimes become a little shy in situations like that. (As do women. We are not horribly unlike each other in such situations.)
~Smiles big to me sometimes (I smile back, even though I don’t know what it is we’re smiling about, cherish the moment again).
Don’t get too lost in that. 😉 Judging by what you’ve written, it would be high time for him to make some sort of move unless he’s being a chivalrous friend that’s a little smitten (those kinds of friendships happen too, among young people, and often don’t lead to relationships).
~Today 🙂
(…) They stood there awkwardly & when I looked over, he was looking at me, but he looked tense/nervous/awkward…the side I don’t usually see. After a little bit, he walked away & back to his other friends…I felt bad. ((What the heck was he doing?..if he likes me, why not approach me rather than talk nearby pretending to be in conversation with others)).
Some men get discouraged when they aren’t getting positive or at least constructive feedback or when they think that what they see is negative feedback.
What advice do you guys out there have about this^^^ ? Thanks for your time.
Any time. 😉 You may end up needing to ask him to clarify his intentions but be light on him. He doesn’t look like a bad guy, rather the opposite, although I can’t exclude a creepy side, depending on the interpretation of his behaviour for which I don’t have enough info as it is. You don’t want to discourage him or undermine his self-certainty. Rather, you may want to try and build him up a bit (that, actually, is part of what men need women for, not necessarily even in romantic relationships, but e.g. mum, sister, sometimes friend, sometimes daughter).

Basically, always remember you’re wishing him well, you ultimately want something good for him, not embarassment or humiliation, even if you might actually need to tell him (eventually, if things don’t work out) that you two aren’t meant for each other. If you look at it this way, as opposed to some sort of game or rivalry, it should get better, it should become easier to know what to do.
 
Avemaria singles is a rip off. I was on there a few years and never received any contacts so I quit. I did the internet scene about 3 years and gave it up since I kept running into the same guys. They think they want a relationship then run scared when a possible one hits them as actual reality. :eek: I only deal in the real world these days.
You may need to apply some basic copywriting and design knowledge to create a killer profile. 😃

You need good writing that’s inviting but not too desperate (a little bit ain’t a problem, everybody’s just human), above all short but still conveying enough information to awaken interest and build a bridge. You do need something to give you a Unique Dating Proposal. It’s not like you need to be better than the 300,000 other people, but you need to be different and be yourself in order to just get the right audience. It’s not about leads, it’s about conversions! 😃 Click here to learn more about Blue Ocean Strategy. 😃

If you want to do it like Apple (Golden Circle strategy), you want to give about 2/3 of your narration time to the Why, 2/3 of the rest to the How, and only a passing factual mention of the What.

‘Female, this age, that city’ is the What. To really connect and convince people, you need to connect on the Why level (what drives you, what makes you tick, what you want in life etc.). Or at least the How (how you roll, the way you go about doing things etc.).

Beauty helps, but pics are mostly there to show what kind of character you are. Warm and sunny and natural is probably what most men are after. If you want a pro tip, get the best of two worlds and include a studio pic too (as, after all, most guys tend to be suckers for dresses and ribbons and nice hair and all), just not as the only one.

Avoid existential brooding at all costs. Unless you want to date a Sartre. 😃
Okay, that makes sense. However, in my case it was not the attitude you mentioned that did the motivation for me. I would guess then it is just subjective opinion or stereotype. For me, I was never the least bit sexually aggressive / promiscuous nor did I ever have the urge to dominate men. But I have always been outward in such matters of pursuit.
Sounds like the woman men eventually become man enough to marry but aren’t always man enough to date when they are younger.
 
It looks like special affection but difficult to tell what kind. A friend could still get a tighter squeeze than a relative stranger.

Because he’s a missionary & most know him already (except some of us), he has a certain conduct…but!!..by the rules of being a missionary: on your second year (where he’s at), you can date people, whereas if on the first year you can’t. I don’t know what his plans are after this program, but all I know is that he’ll either leave & I’ll never see him again… always wondering why he acted the way he did, or he’ll make a move by going somewhere to get to know each other & I’ll know then his intentions. He never asked for my phone number & I never gave it to him. I’m an old-fashion lady who highly respects chivalrous men that take the initiative…he’s one of them. Because he has a reputation to uphold, it’s like he wants to make a move or something while another part of him has to treat me as a friend just like everyone else. Because I’m a hugger to most friends, one day he almost gave me a hug (his hands were almost ready for it to raise up and reach shoulders)…except he stopped himself from it (put hands/arms down) & just walked in between my friend & me (there was an open gap)…we were standing near other guys. He only came over because he smiled big at me beforehand (from afar) & I did the same & then he came over. Since it was awkward by the time he stood near us, my friend gave him a high-five, to rid the awkwardness & it startled him (he gave a high-five back in response)…& then we all started talking again. His friend used to talk with us and it was fun & all, well, he doesn’t come over anymore & when I try to start a conversation with him (his friend), it’s a brief, vague. I don’t know what I did to deserve that abrupt change & my close friend experiences it too. Another guy friend (also friends with him) likes me, gives me a hug & modest attention…I don’t get attention often, so when it happens I give positive responses, no matter who it is. I’m striving to cut back because I really don’t like that friend more than friend…I’m more interested in the guy we’ve been talking about on this thread…his personality is so attractive & inspiring to me…not to mention how cute he is…he’s very dedicated in his faith…it’s captivating. Perhaps if I rid the attention I give back to the other friend, he’ll see clearer my interest in him & maybe take more initiative…make a move. What do you think?

Definitely don’t overanalyse that. Like you said, you took the middle of the pew so that friends could take spots near you. A friend, male or female, taking the spot right next to you would have been just what you wanted.

If it happens again, I’ll try not to…it’s hard, because those opportunities rarely happen to me (with a catholic guy that I’m interested in), & when they do, I’m afraid I’ll never experience it again).

He’s not the creepy type…only the respectful & chivalrous type. It’s like he’s taking baby steps to something more, depending on how I react. He’s seen my shy side (self-conscious that he’s near me moments sometimes), & he assumes I’m not approachable…I gotta work on that, so I don’t turn him away. This whole process is so tedious, it seems… determining if he’s a friend or more than that… I’m starting to realize.

Looks like an attracted guy to me, though I can’t say if that’s being respectful (among other things in not shying away from showing some respect and attention to you in public, where other people can see) or creepy (the kind that stalks and pesters). Also could be a friend — socializers will often try to include their other friends rather than staying in their own one group.

I never thought of that. Honestly, for the first time, I’m striving to be patient & see what God’s plan is on all of this…asking Him for advice the most, praying every night about it all & asking Him to show me what this all means. In turn, He provides unexpected moments with this guy & it numbs me (in a sense), because he catches me off guard. My response is usually upbeat & funny or something (a defense mechanism to not show the awkwardness of the situation & lose the opportunity that presents itself), if that makes any sense.

Some men get discouraged when they aren’t getting positive or at least constructive feedback or when they think that what they see is negative feedback.

I had a feeling that was the case, but by the time I noticed it, he was already walking away…I missed my chance. :confused:

Any time. 😉 You may end up needing to ask him to clarify his intentions but be light on him. He doesn’t look like a bad guy, rather the opposite, although I can’t exclude a creepy side, depending on the interpretation of his behaviour for which I don’t have enough info as it is. You don’t want to discourage him or undermine his self-certainty. Rather, you may want to try and build him up a bit (that, actually, is part of what men need women for, not necessarily even in romantic relationships, but e.g. mum, sister, sometimes friend, sometimes daughter).

Basically, always remember you’re wishing him well, you ultimately want something good for him, not embarassment or humiliation, even if you might actually need to tell him (eventually, if things don’t work out) that you two aren’t meant for each other. If you look at it this way, as opposed to some sort of game or rivalry, it should get better, it should become easier to know what to do.

Thank you for your time & advice…I really needed it. I’ll continue to pray about it & for me to be patient & see what happens. I’ll take your advice & strive to put into practice.
 
Thank you for your great advice. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

After re-evaluating my posts and the reality of the situation, I think I’m over-analyzing my experiences with him. I can’t assume that it’s just me that he might be interested in…he could only be looking for friendship & I’d be missing the opportunity of friendship (which tends to happen to me often). I’m ashamed of myself for sharing too much on this thread about my experiences with him, because I feel like what I experience and hope will happen…won’t. I’m only setting myself up for being disappointed & by now it’s like I already know it.

Literally every time I meet a nice & dedicated catholic guy who becomes my friend, I tend to place him in a potential dating category rather than a friendship category…& when I do, I lose the chance to get to know who he is with or without others around… Typically the guy has potential in liking me, but in sharing common interests tend to keep a friendship going. How can I just focus on friendship rather than look for the clues? I’m tired of seeing myself experience the same scenario with different guys that I’m interested in (like I said, one guy at a time…when one doesn’t like me, I move on). Perhaps if I simply stick to friendship only, after awhile if I see a guy friend treating and acting different around me than other friends, by then through his actions I might find my answer in obviously seeing clues/characteristics rather than trying so hard for the hope of knowing that a guy actually likes me. Sometimes I feel like when I share my exciting moments about a guy I like, it’s like I curse (not really) my future situations, because afterwards, the opposite happens (where the guy changes his mind & becomes disinterested or something)…or I just tend to have bad luck.
 
This thread is 7 years old. Hasn’t been visited for 7 years until a few days ago.
 
Thank you for your great advice. Thank you for taking the time to respond.
I hope it’s useful, and I hope you can find peace and happiness in (or despite) all this.
After re-evaluating my posts and the reality of the situation, I think I’m over-analyzing my experiences with him.
I think you’re probably a highly intelligent person with a tendency to get analytical and go by reason rather than emotion a lot, even though actually feeling some strong emotions that might even be somewhat challenging to control. But with emotions being a bit of a foreign language (even though spoken daily), it gets quite frustrating.
I can’t assume that it’s just me that he might be interested in…he could only be looking for friendship & I’d be missing the opportunity of friendship (which tends to happen to me often)
It’s difficult to have both, or especially to keep a friendship after romance fails once tried. Rather than going by going by heart or mind (brain), have you perhaps just tried to do what’s the right thing to do, without looking at the results too much (especially without trying to keep the results under your control)?

Don’t allow any fear of lost opportunities to stiffle you, to prevent you from spreading your proverbial wings.
I’m ashamed of myself for sharing too much on this thread about my experiences with him,
Don’t be! And really watch shame. It can get out of hand. If you think it’s becoming much of an issue, perhaps get hold of a psychologist who can help you with that (perhaps not just any random counsellor, not an airhead-with-silly-theories type, nor a tough-as-nails type that thinks everybody should just get over oneself and soldier on).
because I feel like what I experience and hope will happen…won’t. I’m only setting myself up for being disappointed & by now it’s like I already know it.
Perhaps don’t worry so much about what you’re setting yourself up for. 🙂 There is pleasure in doing the right thing!

Besides, you sound wounded. It may not be very visible to you, but chances are it’s preventing you from being happy or from being able to just live like normal before this stuff is resolved. If it’s too complex, you may need someone to talk it over with. Preferably someone with real qualifications, not a friend who could wish you well but still offer you amateur advice that turns out wrong (including me here especially).
Literally every time I meet a nice & dedicated catholic guy who becomes my friend, I tend to place him in a potential dating category rather than a friendship category…& when I do, I lose the chance to get to know who he is with or without others around…
The ‘either friendship or dating’ choice is forced on us too early. Hanging out with people more before making such decisions can be helpful, along with an opportunity to see them in various situations, especially ones that don’t tend to act out like scripted scenarios and don’t make a guy consciously try and act his best (which may well make him fail at it, anyway, actually).
Typically the guy has potential in liking me, but in sharing common interests tend to keep a friendship going. How can I just focus on friendship rather than look for the clues?
Perhaps be more open and more ready to accept just what comes as opposed to what you may want? Be more open to surprises (which also means less control over outcomes, and may feel like, or even be, less control over your own life)?
I’m tired of seeing myself experience the same scenario with different guys that I’m interested in (like I said, one guy at a time…when one doesn’t like me, I move on).
There may be a chance that you’re attracted to a type that isn’t attracted to you. It happens sometimes (tends to happen a lot in my own case, for example).
Perhaps if I simply stick to friendship only, after awhile if I see a guy friend treating and acting different around me than other friends, by then through his actions I might find my answer in obviously seeing clues/characteristics rather than trying so hard for the hope of knowing that a guy actually likes me.
That might work, although the lack of knowing, the lack of guarantees etc. may be a bit challenging, at least at first. There may be a temptation to jealousy too. Which is nothing people haven’t overcome to be happy. 🙂
Sometimes I feel like when I share my exciting moments about a guy I like, it’s like I curse (not really) my future situations,
I understand the feeling. It probably connects to a (seemingly) improbable number of consecutive disappointments, which feels like e.g. throwing 10 consecutive 1s on a die or losing 10 consecutive coin flips (which is possible and happens from time to time but makes people wonder and tempts them to believe in jinx).

There’s a chance you’re picking the wrong guys, or that you’re doing something auto-destructive in ‘handling’ them, but it can all be demotivation due to a particularly long ‘losing streak’ that was simply accidental.

(For the record, I have the exact same problem with women, though I guess that’s not much consolation.)
 
because afterwards, the opposite happens (where the guy changes his mind & becomes disinterested or something)…or I just tend to have bad luck.
Luck doesn’t exist and things have causes, but ‘accidents’ happen, i.e. bad results that you can’t reasonably have prevented, sometimes a couple of them in a row (with the resulting impression that something’s suspicious about the losing streak).

It’s also possible that you are particularly sensitive to people losing interest. This may (but does not have to) be related to being somewhat more perceptive than the average person and ‘sensing’ that interest before they lose it, which is quite painful to bear. On the other hand, people gain and lose interest all the time, so I guess we need to learn to deal with it. Look for someone who doesn’t lose interest. That in itself is a clue. (And perhaps one needs to take initial infatuations a bit less personally. For example you can probably recall some situations when you chose not to act on one because it wasn’t the right moment or the right thing to do, e.g. someone already married or engaged or leaving abroad for a long time or not fair game due to his current prone position, e.g. just after a breakup or losing a close person.)

For the record, if they lose interest, it doesn’t in any way diminish you. It can simply mean an honest mistake or some sort of initial clue that didn’t make it through the sieve. Subjective tastes are involved here that have nothing to do with judging the moral value or any other value of a person. Someone can be your best friend who’d take a bullet for you but still unable to help not being attracted ‘that way’ (which is not always related to even considering someone unattractive).
He’s not the creepy type…only the respectful & chivalrous type. It’s like he’s taking baby steps to something more, depending on how I react. He’s seen my shy side (self-conscious that he’s near me moments sometimes), & he assumes I’m not approachable…I gotta work on that, so I don’t turn him away. This whole process is so tedious, it seems… determining if he’s a friend or more than that… I’m starting to realize.
Well, if you try to send him a non-verbal signal, it may backfire. Saying something in a convoluted way also might. Sometimes you can come up with something intelligent to say that’s very tactful and non-invasive. Like, think what would be the most gentle, delicate way in which you would like to be told by someone that ‘something more’ is a possibility, although without pushing it. Including by someone you liked as a friend but didn’t see as the man to spend your life with (i.e. gentle and light enough way that his unrequited openness to something more wouldn’t cause you any sort of discomfort). If you can come up with something like that, you can use it.

Years ago, I had a woman in her early twenties (21 or close) just simply tell me that if I asked her out she’d go with me, which was probably meant as nothing more than just that statement, although it was a true statement all the same. It didn’t put me off at all, I didn’t feel pressured, at the same time it didn’t make me go crazy and jump at the opportunity, either, even though we did eventually have a relationship for a couple of months a while later.

Probably don’t have to be as direct as she was, but you could probably still tell the guy — when you suspect he might be thinking about asking you out — that it wouldn’t be the end of the world if he did. ‘Come on, I don’t bite,’ also tends to work for people who know they can be a bit intimidating or unapproachable. 😉
 
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