Adapted from a recent online discussion.
Carolyn: I've recently started dating someone who is much less communicative than I am. I think we both like each other, but is this a red flag? I tend to be an over-communicator, so I'm not sure if my way is really the correct way to do things, so I'm hesitant in ending something over a difference like this.
DATING DISASTER
Oh my. You're using your own self-doubt to rationalize away a concern about someone you're dating.
You know the cliche that you can't love another until you love yourself? Taken literally, it's a stretch, but at its core is the truth that intimacy isn't possible until you've made peace with who you are.
Your question is an excellent illustration of why: You sound uncomfortable with your own emotional style, and so you're willing to believe there's something "wrong" with it, and so you're willing to treat your own judgment as unreliable.
The thing is, there's no "right" way to communicate except to be honest and true to yourself. If you feel happier and more fulfilled around people who share your emotional style, then don't apologize for that.
Maybe you suspect you do cross the line sometimes and you aren't entirely happy with the way people respond to you. That's OK, too - but don't try to correct it through the person you date. Fix it internally to your own satisfaction and to comply with your own standards, not to impress or attract others.
Why? Because the people you want to impress and attract are the ones who like you in your natural state. The hard work of making peace with yourself is worth it for that alone, but there are other benefits in the way you see and evaluate others. Being at peace with yourself allows you to notice different communication styles without the burden of constant comparison - and so you can appreciate someone, or distance yourself from someone, without the guilt and second-guessing.
If this leaves you with a swell long-term plan but no idea whether this guy, right now, is or isn't a good fit, then get to know him better.
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