The Reality of One-Sided Love: What to Do Next?

I fell in love with my best friend, but unfortunately, she did not reciprocate that feeling. Instead, she only considered me as a friend. We all know that one-sided love can be either sweet or bitter, depending on the situation. Essentially, it means that when one individual has feelings towards another, but those feelings are not reciprocated, it creates a cycle of various emotions. I have been there myself and I know how it feels, hence the following.

The longer I knew her, the more I realized that I still had feelings for her. It was no longer just infatuation; it had become something real, a true feeling. Yet the harsh truth was that she could not reciprocate it. She never looked at me as a partner or as someone she could be with. It was a strong dose of reality that suddenly dawned upon me.

The Struggles of Unrequited Love

Standing on the speculative side of love is never easy. To the contrary, it causes a lot of discomfort. You don’t get over it; it’s the hope and the disillusionment that are part of life and that one has to face and deal with. That so-called happiness again and again turned into torment each time she spoke with another man or with her male friends. I guess it was a feeling of uneasiness that I could not shake from my system. We did not have a relationship, but as it always happens, I could not reveal my feelings. This is something that I had to master—rather than express my emotions and let the relationship move to the next level, I had to turn my back on this and say, “We can only be friends,” while the pain was unbearable.

This led to the emotional condition of being constantly unbalanced. I was either on cloud nine just to be in her company or depressed because I always knew that she was out of my league. It seemed like the feeling of hope and despair perpetually repeated, and there was no way one could get over the experience, yet one could not dwell in that moment either.

The Turning Point

Acceptance didn’t come easily. It took time, a lot of time. But gradually, I started accepting the truth as a reality in my life. I realized that she would never be mine and that we were just good friends. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary in order to achieve my goal of gaining inner peace. I had to accept that emotions are not reality, so there goes all the fantasy life I created with her in mind.

What to Do Next

Acknowledge Your Feelings: Never suppress what you feel. It’s okay to be in love with someone you cannot have, as it is better than being alone. This is part of life and needs to be dealt with, and you also need to accept the feelings that you are experiencing.

Create Distance: To be honest, it may sound a bit cruel, but sometimes the best way to gain perspective is to stand apart for some time. It doesn’t mean you should avoid her at all costs, but try to disengage a little and take care of yourself.

Focus on Yourself: This is the best time to find yourself again. Do other activities, spend time with other friends, or engage in something you like or are interested in. Stop thinking about her and rather think about yourself.

Talk It Out: If you are comfortable, discuss what you are going through with a close friend or even an expert. Often, to clear the air, one only needs to express the thoughts that one has.

Let Go, Gradually: It doesn’t mean that you will stop caring for her once you decide to let her go. What it does mean is that you’re going to care about yourself a lot more. You’ll get there—it’s a slow process, but you’ll get there.

Accept Reality: This is the most challenging but doable part of the whole process. Recognize that she will not feel the same way as you, and that is perfectly acceptable. The fact is that it does not have anything to do with your value or, let alone, worth!

Moving Forward

One-sided love can be one of the toughest lessons to learn, but it can also be a path to personal growth. It’s a chance to understand your own emotions, to become stronger, and to learn that sometimes, love means letting go.

Remember, it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling, but it’s also important to prioritize your own well-being. You deserve to be happy, to be loved back just as deeply as you love. So, take it one day at a time, and know that there is a future beyond this pain—a future where you can find love that is mutual and fulfilling.

You’ll get through this, just as I did.