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I want to preface this by saying I am completely aware that this is an extremely superficial problem and a very silly thing to obsess about. But I'm the type to obsess about everything so here we are.
When I met my boyfriend, he had this beautiful tatted sleeve on his left arm. But recently he started work on a new sleeve on his right arm and I can't get over how much I just really don't like it. This isn't a deal-breaker, but every time I see his arm I become fixated and I can't get it out of my head how unattractive it is. And it's annoying me because, ffs, it's just a tattoo so why am I turned off?
I know the key here is to ask myself why I don't like it, like the root source, and address it from there. It's not that the art is bad! It's just that... secretly/shamefully, I think it's because I find it attractive when a guy has only one sleeve, and it's hard for me to accept the concept of a second one (I know, this is extremely superficial of myself and beauty is subjective). So if I find it unattractive solely because of superficial reasons, and no deeper meaning, how do I change this??
I know this sounds horrible because if it makes him happy, then it should make me happy! And if it has no effect on his character or how amazing of a person he is, who cares!! Normally this is just something a healthy person could get over. But the more I see it and try to not obsessively think about it, the bigger it gets in my head. Trust me, I really want to like his new sleeve. But at the same time, if I don't find something innately attractive, is it even possible for me to readily change that about myself? Because, to some degree, physical attraction should matter, right? And isn't it hard for us, naturally as humans, to change what we perceive as "attractive"?
Normally, the advice is to communicate your feelings with your partner, like a healthy relationship! But I can't communicate this with him because he already has concern that I won't find him attractive or I'll leave him because of it. OF COURSE I don't share any of my trepidations with him because how fucked would it be if I said, "God, this art that is meaningful to you and is permanently stuck on your skin? yeah, it's ugly on you, get rid of it." So I just calm his worries and say that I'll love the sleeve because it's part of him. And that's true, I know it's an extension of himself and all I want to do is let him be himself, so how do I learn to find it attractive?
(Haha, is the solution to maybe become less of a judgmental baby and learn that physical attraction shouldn't come from superficial beauty?? I don't know! You tell me!)
tl;dr I find my boyfriend's new sleeve unattractive and I'm seeking advice on how to forcibly change my mindset to find it attractive
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