Ask Demetria: Should I Break Up with Mr. Right Now

How do you summon the strength to end a relationship with a guy when you are really into him, but you can see that it won't go to the altar? It's great for now, but I can't see myself with him long term. Every time I try to say something, I chicken out! Help! --L.E.

I'm actually not of the belief that every man you date should one day be your boyfriend, or every boyfriend should be on the husband track. Constantly searching for "the One," as if he's some superhero arriving to rescue single women from themselves, is exhausting and robs you of having amazing experiences to learn and grow.

Sometimes you just want to enjoy people for a reason or a season. If you and your partner aren't discussing marriage, he's likely not all that sure about forever-and-ever, either. And there's nothing wrong with that.

You sound as if you're with him because, for now, you want to be and you enjoy his company -- not because you don't feel you can do better and he's the security blanket keeping you from the cold, single world. That would be a problem, and we'd be having a long discussion about self-esteem and putting on your big-girl pants.

It seems that you're in a relationship for one of the right reasons, which is genuinely liking your partner. Because of an occupational hazard, I don't come across that reason too often. (Most people don't contact a life coach to say how great things are going.)

Do me a favor, though, and check in with your man to make sure he's on the same page as you. Don't tell him you don't see a future with him, but ask him where he sees you two going, if anywhere. If he's pretty much "Uh, I dunno" about it, then you're in the clear and you can take the relationship for what it is, since you clearly don't want to leave it.

If, however, he's talking about staying together for a lifetime and you're thinking, "Until I get bored," then you're going to have to break it off sooner rather than later. There's never a magical right time to say the equivalent of, "You know what you thought this was? It isn't that." There's only the moment where you decide to do it and it gets done. Welcome to adulthood. It ain't always the fun it was promised to be.

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