Recently, I started feeling like my boyfriend, Jake, wasn’t giving me the attention he used to. His texts became less frequent, our conversations felt shorter, and when we spent time together, he often seemed distracted. One night during dinner, he kept looking at his phone while I was trying to share about my day, and it left me feeling invisible and hurt. I bottled up my feelings, wondering if I was being too needy or if something was wrong between us. After days of overthinking and growing frustration, I decided to talk to my best friend, Maya. I explained how neglected I was feeling and how Jake’s behavior was making me doubt the strength of our relationship. Maya listened and asked me a simple yet powerful question: “Have you told him how you feel?” That question hit me hard because I realized I hadn’t. Instead, I had been stewing in my emotions, expecting Jake to read my mind and understand what I needed. Following her advice, I mustered the courage to have an honest conversation with Jake. I told him how his recent behavior made me feel distant and unimportant, and I expressed my desire to feel more connected to him. I was nervous about how he might react, but to my surprise, he didn’t get defensive. Instead, he apologized and explained that he had been under a lot of stress at work and hadn’t realized how it was affecting our relationship. That moment of honesty brought us closer. We discussed ways to improve communication and make more time for each other, even during busy or stressful times. It felt like a fresh start for both of us, and I left the conversation feeling reassured and valued. Looking back, I realized my feelings were valid—I wasn’t overreacting by feeling hurt or neglected. However, I learned that keeping those feelings to myself and expecting Jake to intuitively know what was wrong only created more distance. Talking openly not only resolved the issue but also strengthened our bond, proving that communication is essential in any healthy relationship.