Just be direct and polite! Try: “I really appreciate your interest and openness, but I'm not able to reciprocate it. I know it may be hard to hear, but I'm not interested in moving forward.”
If you don't want to date someone, have the respect to tell them. Don't make them think that there's something there if you're not interested. Listen to them if they don't agree with you, but stand your ground. They may not feel the same way as you do, and that's okay.
“You just say something like, “Sorry, I'm not interested.” or “No.” If you want to be extra gentle about it, you can say something like, “I'm flattered, but not interested.”, “No, thank you.”, or “Thank you for asking, but I'm not interested.” If they push for anything beyond that, they are the ones being rude.”
In fact, ghosting someone could still sting as much as rejection, because it may indicate you don't value the other person enough to do so outwardly. "Ghosting someone is especially painful because the person being rejected may simply not ever know why you abandoned them," Dr.
Just be direct but polite. Say, "I appreciate your openness and interest, but I'm not able to reciprocate it. I know it might sound hard to hear, but I'm not interested in moving forward." This will not put them off and let them move on from you easily too.
Should I confess my feelings to him? Yes! You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. But also, don't say anything if there's a really good reason not to (i.e., he's in a monogamous relationship, he's your best friend's ex, or a relationship wouldn't be feasible for other reasons).
Be honest.
Don't beat around the bush, make up excuses, or reach for cliches ("it's not you, it's me")—just be honest about where you're at with this person. "It's hard, but letting a person know why you feel things won't work is usually the best move," Battle says.
A man might honestly just be going through the motions of trying to have a relationship and hoping that love develops. Some reasons that could be motivating him to interact with you in a hot-and-cold manner involve his desire to avoid hurting you. He sees that you're interested in him and even likes you.
If a guy is rejecting you while he obviously likes you, it might be because his mind is wandering to thoughts that he's just not good enough for you; he might wonder why you like him and think that you'll leave him for someone else eventually anyway.
Be kind but honest.
Keep it short and direct so there isn't any confusion and he reads your message loud and clear. For instance, you could say, “I just don't see you in that way” or “I'm really not interested in getting into a relationship right now.”
Be tactfully honest.
This reduces the chance that their feelings will be hurt later from false expectations. Instead of just replying with “No” or “No thanks,” try texting “It was so nice meeting you, but I'm just not really feeling a connection” or “I'm sorry, but tbh I just don't think we're compatible.”
Just say, “Leave me alone” or “Please leave me alone from now on.” Though this won't be pleasant, the sooner you get the message across, the better. If this is someone whom you really need to be firm with, then you shouldn't waste time on small talk. Look the person right in the eye and show that you're not afraid.
On the most basic level, you are in the friend zone with someone if they only see you as a friend and don't have any romantic or sexual feelings for you. They might even see you like a sibling. This usually occurs with someone you've known for a while, such as a childhood friend or someone in a shared friend group.
Most men's brains are hard-wired to see having sex or intimate relations with women as one of their primary goals in their interactions with them. Men can be platonic- but if friend zoning is imposed on the male without his consent then he is likely to feel deprived or aggrieved.
Several interpersonal emotions reflect reactions to real, anticipated, remembered, or imagined rejection. Hurt feelings, jealousy, loneliness, shame, guilt, social anxiety, and embarrassment occur when people perceive that their relational value to other people is low or in potential jeopardy.
“The nicest thing you can do is be direct and kind,” Kuburic says. Pointing out flaws or faults doesn't help the other person, Brigham adds. Instead, simply explain that you don't have romantic feelings for them and would rather be friends. “You want to be thoughtful in how you approach the situation.