By Dr. Jane Greer
Some say Ben Affleck is waiting to find out if his celebrity ex Jennifer Garner wants to reconcile with him. Despite their celebrity divorce, they have remained close. According to a source, many people feel Jennifer is stringing Ben along and “making him jump through hoops.” They say she’s acting hot and cold, and he has no idea where they stand as a couple or a family. It can be very frustrating to remain in limbo and not know what to expect. Many people find themselves in this situation after a break-p or an attempted break-up.
Sometimes the road to splitting up permanently isn’t clear, and there can be lots of fits and starts before either reaching the final end of a relationship, or deciding to give it another solid try. Why is it so hard for people to let go, sometimes even if they are officially divorced? Check out the following relationship advice:
The most compelling reason people continue to hold on is the fact that they have a shared history. The person who might be an ex-partner has a sense not only of who you are, but who you were with them and during your time together. To then say good-bye to them can also feel like saying goodbye to who you were during your relationship. Another thing that can keep you hopeful, even if you aren’t happy right now, is the possibility that something will change and the good times you once shared and the positive aspects of the relationship will resume.
Related Link: Jennifer Garner Source Says Ben Affleck’s Alleged Celebrity Affair Was the ‘Ultimate Betrayal’
Another thing that can keep the glue between you from completely giving way is if one of you wants to hold on more than the other. When this happens, the one who isn’t ready to finally end it might persist with calls, emails, and texts which can increase the doubts the other might feel as well as any guilt feelings he or she might have about ending the relationship in the first place. The partner who wants to continue to be together might also make assertions that they will change whatever behavior may have led to the unhappiness between you. They might even start to do it, which can make the other person stick around with the hope that the negative behaviors will disappear completely. As a result, a couple can often seesaw because even small changes can increase optimism and give someone the stamina they need to be willing to try to give it another shot. In the case of a betrayal, when the initial and intense anger diminishes, there can be a willingness to give the person a chance to rebuild your trust. Also, when there are children involved, as there are with Jennifer and Ben, there is often a desire to keep the family together for their sake. That can be one of the strongest driving forces of all. Whatever the case, certainly if a lot of loving feelings remain it is hard to imagine life without them in it.
Related Link:Â Lessons From Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck
The question becomes, how do you know if you are wasting your time, holding on with the hope that the happiness will be rekindled or the bad behaviors will change when there is the chance that neither of those things is likely? How can you know how much time to give it before reaching the decision to finally call it quits? Are there any strategies to employ for ending a relationship?
If you are moving forward with the intent to give your relationship a try and see if things can work out, it’s good to be clear about what specific changes you are looking for and how long you are willing to wait to see if they actually take place. For example, if you are looking to see if you can trust your partner again, the only real way to do that is to give them enough time to show through their actions that what they say and do is worthy of your trust. But if months go by and you continue to be disappointed because the promised changes aren’t happening, or they have happened once but were never followed up on, that can be a good indicator that things aren’t really going to be different from what had been upsetting you all along, and if you want to be happier it is time to let go. Ideally, you or your partner can look for counseling, which can help you either get your relationship back on track or help you reach the difficult decision that it really is time to say good-bye to each other.
It appears that Jennifer and Ben continue to share loving feelings, as well as children, and therefore remain open to the possibility of reuniting as a couple. Here’s to hoping for the best!
Please tune in to the ‘Doctor on Call’ radio hour on HealthyLife.net every Tuesday at 2 PM EST, 11 AM PST. First and third Tuesdays are Shrink Wrap on Call, second Tuesdays are HuffPost on Call, and the last Tuesday of the month is Let’s Talk Sex! Email your questions dealing with relationships, intimacy, family, and friendships to Dr. Greer at askdrjane@drjanegreer.com. Connect with Dr. Jane Greer on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/DrJaneGreer, and be sure to follow @DrJaneGreer on Twitter for her latest insights on love, relationships, sex, and intimacy.
