How to Reject Romantic Advances in the Best Ways Possible

Romantic rejection hurts. There’s just no getting around that fact of life.

Many people go through it all the time, either as the receiver of said rejection or its giver. For those in the latter position, there’s also no denying how messy it can turn out. It is far from an easy task, but if it’s a necessary evil, know that there are ways to do it while mitigating the pain for the recipient.

If you want to know how you can reject romantic advances in the right manner, it pays to read on and keep the following tips in mind:

Consider Your Timing

The first tip is all about when you intend to have this deeply personal conversation. The better the timing, the easier it can be to let that hapless suitor down. Think of it like this: if you had an unrequited love for someone and the object of your desires rejects you on the same day you have to give an important presentation at work, you would only feel worse, right?

Choose the Manner of the Conversation

The next tip is all about how and even where you are going to reject someone. Many would say that the best way to have this conversation is in person. However, that’s not always an available option, nor is it necessary. A text, chat, or even an email—as informal as those are—will already suffice.

Don’t Beat Around the Bush

Being direct with your rejection is a well-recommended tactic that can save you and the person you’re rejecting a lot of wasted time. There’s no need for anything complicated or long-winded about why there is no genuine connection. Rip off the band aid and hop right into the nitty gritty part of the conversation. The sooner you get it over with, the better it will be for the both of you.

Ditch Any Unhelpful Mindset

There are those who go into the conversation apologetic. That’s neither necessary nor helpful because, first off, you did nothing wrong. Second, going into the conversation apologetic will only make the task seem even more unsavory and difficult for you, which is not the way to go if you want to make your feelings (or absence thereof) clear.

Forgo Unnecessary Comments About the Rejected

As you go about the task of turning down the person who loves you, be sure not to stray into areas like their character or their appearance. Accepting rejection is difficult enough without being made aware of whatever specific shortcomings may have contributed to the rejection in the first place. Unnecessary comments will only serve to hurt the rejected further.

Accept the Consequences of Your Rejection

The person you reject will be hurt, or maybe he or she will be more accepting and cool about it. Regardless of how he or she responds, know that you cannot control what the response is. Should the rejected feel so down that it hurts you to witness it, then the best course of action would be to accept that. How the rejection is handled is no longer your responsibility.

Just like learning how to deal with rejection, knowing how to reject romantic advances is practically a skill. Most people may wish that they never get the chance to practice this skill often, but when the opportunity comes, remember to exercise compassion and kindness.

With the tips above, you should have little trouble doing so.