To tell someone you're not romantically attracted to them, be direct, honest, and kind, usually in person and in private, focusing on your feelings ("I don't feel a romantic spark") rather than criticizing them, and keep it concise to avoid confusion. You can start with appreciation for who they are but clearly state you don't see a romantic future, offering a gentle "I wish you the best" to end on a respectful note.
Be clear and direct
Start with something like, “I've really enjoyed getting to know you, and you're super [funny/kind/intelligent],” and then ease into the “but I'm just not feeling the romantic connection I'm looking for.” It's kind but clear, minimizing the chances of confusion or misinterpretation.
3-6-9 rule is 3 months honeymoon phase of the relationship 6 months is conflict stage, 9 months is the decision phase is this really worth pursuing or not.
The 777 rule for a marriage? The seven seven seven rule involves going on a date with your partner once a week, going away for a night together once every seven weeks and going on holiday alone together once every 7 months. Try it out. You may rekindle your marriage, your relationship and you may fall in love again.
“Hey it was nice meeting you/ it was fun meeting you/ but I'm just not feeling it and feel it would be best to go out separate ways. Never nice to send or receive something like this but I think being direct and honest is best. I wish you all the best.” It's not your responsibility to bubble wrap him.
Tips and ideas for rejecting with kindness
survived the dreaded two-year mark (i.e. the most common time period when couples break up), then you're destined to be together forever… right? Unfortunately, the two-year mark isn't the only relationship test to pass, nor do you get to relax before the seven-year itch.
“The idea is that you go on a date every 2 weeks, spend a weekend away together every 2 months, and take a week vacation together every 2 years.”
1. Lack of Honesty. Often when we think of honesty, notably honesty in marital relationships, we think of a very tangible “where were you last night” kind of honesty. While this is obviously critically important, there are many other kinds of dishonesty that can destroy marriages.
However in Strauss' book, the three second rule is a very different concept. It refers to the idea that when guys see a woman they fancy, they have three seconds to approach her, make eye contact, or strike up a conversation before she loses interest - or he bottles it.
The 70-20-10 rule reveals that individuals tend to learn 70% of their knowledge from challenging experiences and assignments, 20% from developmental relationships, and 10% from coursework and training.
The “three month rule” suggests that a relationship should either progress or fizzle out within about three months of dating. Essentially, by the 90-day mark, you should either be fully committed or realize it's not working and move on.
Keep it short and sweet
If you're ending things over text, keep it simple. For example, you might say, "I've really enjoyed spending time with you but I think our situation has run its course. We want different things and it's not fair to either of us to keep doing this."
The good news is that rejecting someone with kindness can be as simple as saying, “Thank you for the fun date, but I'm not feeling a romantic connection,” or “It was great meeting you, but I don't feel a spark.” Even if they don't react exactly how you want them to, you can feel good about being direct and making a ...
The concept is simple yet powerful: have a date night every seven days, a weekend getaway every seven weeks, and a romantic holiday every seven months. These regular touchpoints invite couples to pause, reconnect, and remember why they chose each other in the first place.
Proceeding chapters introduce the Five Cs—Communication, Compromise, Conflict Resolution, Compassion, and Commitment—and speak about them within the context of the case study.
Every 2 weeks, go on a date night. Every 2 months, go away for a weekend together. Every 2 years, go away for a week together. #marriage #marriedlife #couples #motivational #motivation #motivationalquotes #inspire #inspiration #inspirational #marriagegoals.
But it does provide some rough guidelines as to how soon may be too soon to make long-term commitments and how long may be too long to stick with a relationship. Each of the three numbers—three, six, and nine—stands for the month that a different common stage of a relationship tends to end.
Relationship researcher John Gottman identifies four specific behaviors that often predict divorce: criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. He calls these the “Four Horsemen” and highlights the significant damage even one of these can inflict on a marriage.
The study found that approximately 70 percent of divorces are initiated by women and women are also more likely to end non-marital relationships as well. And while a break-up can often be bittersweet for women – a combination of sadness, and some hopefully optimism for the future, that just isn't the case for men.
Getting yourself to stop liking someone can be a difficult process, but there are a number of steps that may help. To let go of your crush, try spending time apart, setting clear boundaries, processing your emotions, and seeking professional support if needed.
The 5-5-5 rule in marriage is a mindfulness and communication tool that encourages couples to pause and ask themselves: Will this matter in 5 minutes, 5 days, or 5 years? It's designed to help de-escalate conflict and shift focus to what truly matters.
Instead, they use soft rejections — polite, indirect ways to let you down without actually saying the words, “I don't see a future with you.” These phrases keep you around just enough to avoid confrontation while keeping their options open.