I've been trying to get back into gaming women the past half year but I have a problem cropping up often. I didn't even really realize it until recently, I'm still living in the past. I was together with the love of my life for 9 years, while we weren't married in the technical sense it was exactly the same. We spent nearly the whole time together 24/7 sharing an apartment (the last 4 years even sharing the same workplace).

What does that have to do with my current state you might ask. Well I have a huge mental block when it comes to showing others the same attention as I did with her. Sure it might have helped me sometimes by not seeming needy as I really had no interest but it's killing my game.

I've gotten well on my way to build the image of a great guy and I get the attention of women now but I have major trouble capitalizing on it. I've been thinking all this time that I just need to learn to escalate more but that's not really the problem is it? The problem is my brain is trying to protect me from further hurt by distancing me.

I don't know if this belongs here really lol, just had this epiphany now.