26M here. My face feels like it’s starting to look aged, and honestly I don’t use any skincare at all 😭 I just wash my face and use soap. I’m willing to buy some good products and start a proper routine. What do you guys actually use or recommend?
26M here. My face feels like it’s starting to look aged, and honestly I don’t use any skincare at all 😭 I just wash my face and use soap. I’m willing to buy some good products and start a proper routine. What do you guys actually use or recommend?
Also has thick beard too , and now its starts to grey too
First off its a little long*
My(M26) 8-year relationship ended about two weeks ago. Honestly, I still feel like there’s a 1% chance it could somehow work out, but realistically, I think it’s over.
The main reason is financial circumstances and her(F26) parents, especially her dad. They want me to have something in our hometown, but my family doesn’t have a house there. We live outside my hometown and have debts, so getting a house right now is extremely difficult.
We decided to stop talking so she could move on. She said she doesn't want to continue waiting another year only to end up marrying someone her father chooses.
Yesterday, though, I called her because I was missing her. She asked me why I was calling because we had already talked about this. I got emotional and kept telling her that I still love her.
She asked me if there was actually any solution, which is fair. I suggested that since we both have jobs, maybe we could eventually buy a house together and live separately from both our parents. But she said her dad wouldn't allow that.
I then got emotional and said something like, "You won't find someone like me." I didn't mean looks, money, or anything like that. I meant the way I loved her and how much I was willing to do for the relationship.
What really hurt was that she laughed. When we were together, I used to tell her there were probably many guys better than me, and she would always say, "They won't be you." and i asked her why laughing , and she was like your confidence to say that ... i mean , i had nothing to say on that
Now she says she isn't looking for anyone else right now and doesn't care about relationships at the moment and even me . She says she only cares about her parents.and they will start looking for guys next year itself since she is 26 now
That made me realize that even if somehow I managed to get a house, maybe the problem wouldn't necessarily be her dad anymore. She might still choose her parents and not want this relationship.
So I think I need to accept that it's over and move on. She has also told me that moving on is probably better for both of us.
So I specifically want to ask Indian women:
If you were in her situation, would you also choose your parents and end an 8+ year relationship because your partner couldn't provide the house your family wanted at that time?
Would you have gone against your parents and married the person you loved?
For those who were in a serious/long-term relationship but ultimately couldn't marry the person because you couldn't go against your parents or family expectations:
How did life turn out afterward?
Did you eventually move on and genuinely love someone else? Did you get married and become happy with your new partner? Or do you still think about the person you lost?
I'm 26M, and about two weeks ago my 8-year relationship ended.
She was my first relationship, and I was hers. We grew up together and spent almost my entire adult lives together. There was no cheating or some huge betrayal. It ended mainly because of financial circumstances and pressure from her parents.
Her parents want me to have a house in our hometown before they agree to the marriage. My family doesn't have a house there, and we already have debts, so getting one right now is extremely difficult.
Eventually, we decided to stop talking because she needed to move on. She told me she doesn't want to wait another year only to potentially end up marrying someone her father chooses.
I understood that, but yesterday I called her because I missed her. I knew we weren't supposed to talk, but I couldn't stop myself.
I got emotional and told her that I still loved her. I tried to think of some solution and suggested that since we both have jobs, maybe we could eventually buy a house together and live separately from both our parents.
She told me her father wouldn't allow it.
At one point, I said something like, "You won't find someone like me."
I didn't mean that I'm better-looking, richer, or somehow better than other guys. I meant the way I loved her and how much I was willing to do for our relationship.
She laughed.
That really hurt.
When we were together, I used to tell her there were probably many guys better than me, and she would always tell me, "They won't be you."
So hearing her laugh when I said it this time felt completely different.
I asked her why she was laughing, and she basically said it was because of my confidence in saying it. I didn't really know what to say after that.
She has now told me she isn't looking for anyone else, doesn't care about relationships right now, and is focusing on her parents. She has also told me that moving on is probably better for both of us.
And honestly, I think she's right.
Even if I somehow managed to solve the house problem, I can't force her to choose me or choose this relationship over her family.
I think I finally have to accept that it's over.
But I don't know how.
Eight years is such a huge part of my life. My phone is full of our photos and videos. I can't bring myself to delete them, but looking at them hurts so much.
I keep wanting to call her. I keep thinking about that tiny 1% chance that somehow things could still work out.
But I know I can't live my life waiting for that 1%.
This was my first relationship. I genuinely don't know what life is supposed to feel like without her.
Two weeks probably isn't long after eight years, but right now it feels impossible to imagine loving someone else, or even just being completely okay with her becoming a stranger.
My (26M) 8-year relationship ended about two weeks ago, and I'm struggling to accept it.
She was my first relationship, and I was hers. We grew up together and spent a huge part of our lives together. The breakup wasn't because of cheating or some huge betrayal. It was mainly because of financial circumstances and pressure from her parents. They want me to have a house in our hometown before they agree to the marriage, but my family doesn't have one there and we already have debts, so that's extremely difficult for me right now.
We eventually decided to stop talking so that she could move on. She told me she doesn't want to wait another year only to potentially end up marrying someone her father chooses.
But yesterday I called her because I missed her. I got emotional and told her I still loved her. I even suggested that since we both have jobs, maybe we could eventually buy a house together and live separately from both families. She said her father wouldn't accept that.
That conversation made something clear to me: even if I somehow solved the financial problem, I can't force her to choose this relationship. She has told me that moving on is probably better for both of us.
I think I know what I need to do now. I need to stop trying to find that 1% chance and start accepting that it's over.
The problem is, I have no idea how to actually do that.
I have thousands of photos and videos of us. I can't bring myself to delete them, but looking at them destroys me. I keep wanting to contact her even though I know it will probably make things worse.
This was my first relationship and it lasted 8 years. I don't really know who I am outside of it.
For people who have gone through something similar, especially after a very long first relationship
What did you actually do to start rebuilding yourself?
Did you go completely no-contact?
What did you do with the photos and memories?
How did you deal with the urge to contact your ex?
How long did it take before you genuinely started feeling like yourself again?
I'm not expecting some magic solution. I just want to know what helped people become better versions of themselves after losing a relationship that was such a huge part of their identity.
Right now I'm hurting badly, but I don't want to spend the next year stuck in the same place. I want to use this as a reason to actually work on myself.
My(M26) 8-year relationship ended about two weeks ago. Honestly, I still feel like there’s a 1% chance it could somehow work out, but realistically, I think it’s over.
The main reason is financial circumstances and her(F26) parents, especially her dad. They want me to have something in our hometown, but my family doesn’t have a house there. We live outside my hometown and have debts, so getting a house right now is extremely difficult.
We decided to stop talking so she could move on. She said she doesn't want to continue waiting another year only to end up marrying someone her father chooses.
Yesterday, though, I called her because I was missing her. She asked me why I was calling because we had already talked about this. I got emotional and kept telling her that I still love her.
She asked me if there was actually any solution, which is fair. I suggested that since we both have jobs, maybe we could eventually buy a house together and live separately from both our parents. But she said her dad wouldn't allow that.
I then got emotional and said something like, "You won't find someone like me." I didn't mean looks, money, or anything like that. I meant the way I loved her and how much I was willing to do for the relationship.
What really hurt was that she laughed. When we were together, I used to tell her there were probably many guys better than me, and she would always say, "They won't be you." and i asked her why laughing , and she was like your confidence to say that ... i mean , i had nothing to say on that
Now she says she isn't looking for anyone else right now and doesn't care about relationships at the moment and even me . She says she only cares about her parents.
That made me realize that even if somehow I managed to get a house, maybe the problem wouldn't necessarily be her dad anymore. She might still choose her parents and not want this relationship.
So I think I need to accept that it's over and move on. She has also told me that moving on is probably better for both of us.
But honestly, I have no idea how to do that.
This was my first relationship, and it was hers too. We were together for 8 years. I have so many photos and videos of us on my phone, and I can't even imagine deleting them right now. At the same time, looking at them destroys me.
For anyone who has gone through a breakup after a very long relationship, especially a first relationship, how did you actually move on?
Did you delete the photos/videos? Keep them somewhere? How long did it take before you could look back at those memories without feeling completely broken?
I know two weeks is probably nothing after 8 years, but right now it feels impossible to imagine my life without her.
First off its a little long*
My(M26) 8-year relationship ended about two weeks ago. Our was mostly LDR , and we used to see each other like 2 or 3 times in a year and for last 1 year we coudnt since i moved for work . Honestly, I still feel like there’s a 1% chance it could somehow work out, but realistically, I think it’s over.
The main reason is financial circumstances and her(F26) parents, especially her dad. They want me to have something in our hometown, but my family doesn’t have a house there. We live outside my hometown and have debts, so getting a house right now is extremely difficult.
We decided to stop talking so she could move on. She said she doesn't want to continue waiting another year only to end up marrying someone her father chooses.
Yesterday, though, I called her because I was missing her. She asked me why I was calling because we had already talked about this. I got emotional and kept telling her that I still love her.
She asked me if there was actually any solution, which is fair. I suggested that since we both have jobs, maybe we could eventually buy a house together and live separately from both our parents. But she said her dad wouldn't allow that.
I then got emotional and said something like, "You won't find someone like me." I didn't mean looks, money, or anything like that. I meant the way I loved her and how much I was willing to do for the relationship.
What really hurt was that she laughed. When we were together, I used to tell her there were probably many guys better than me, and she would always say, "They won't be you." and i asked her why laughing , and she was like your confidence to say that ... i mean , i had nothing to say on that
Now she says she isn't looking for anyone else right now and doesn't care about relationships at the moment and even me . She says she only cares about her parents.
That made me realize that even if somehow I managed to get a house, maybe the problem wouldn't necessarily be her dad anymore. She might still choose her parents and not want this relationship.
So I think I need to accept that it's over and move on. She has also told me that moving on is probably better for both of us.
But honestly, I have no idea how to do that.
This was my first relationship, and it was hers too. We were together for 8 years. I have so many photos and videos of us on my phone, and I can't even imagine deleting them right now. At the same time, looking at them destroys me.
For anyone who has gone through a breakup after a very long relationship, especially a first relationship, how did you actually move on?
Did you delete the photos/videos? Keep them somewhere? How long did it take before you could look back at those memories without feeling completely broken?
I know two weeks is probably nothing after 8 years, but right now it feels impossible to imagine my life without her.
First off its a little long*
My(M26) 8-year relationship ended about two weeks ago. Honestly, I still feel like there’s a 1% chance it could somehow work out, but realistically, I think it’s over.
The main reason is financial circumstances and her(F26) parents, especially her dad. They want me to have something in our hometown, but my family doesn’t have a house there. We live outside my hometown and have debts, so getting a house right now is extremely difficult.
We decided to stop talking so she could move on. She said she doesn't want to continue waiting another year only to end up marrying someone her father chooses.
Yesterday, though, I called her because I was missing her. She asked me why I was calling because we had already talked about this. I got emotional and kept telling her that I still love her.
She asked me if there was actually any solution, which is fair. I suggested that since we both have jobs, maybe we could eventually buy a house together and live separately from both our parents. But she said her dad wouldn't allow that.
I then got emotional and said something like, "You won't find someone like me." I didn't mean looks, money, or anything like that. I meant the way I loved her and how much I was willing to do for the relationship.
What really hurt was that she laughed. When we were together, I used to tell her there were probably many guys better than me, and she would always say, "They won't be you." and i asked her why laughing , and she was like your confidence to say that ... i mean , i had nothing to say on that
Now she says she isn't looking for anyone else right now and doesn't care about relationships at the moment and even me . She says she only cares about her parents.
That made me realize that even if somehow I managed to get a house, maybe the problem wouldn't necessarily be her dad anymore. She might still choose her parents and not want this relationship.
So I think I need to accept that it's over and move on. She has also told me that moving on is probably better for both of us.
But honestly, I have no idea how to do that.
This was my first relationship, and it was hers too. We were together for 8 years. I have so many photos and videos of us on my phone, and I can't even imagine deleting them right now. At the same time, looking at them destroys me.
For anyone who has gone through a breakup after a very long relationship, especially a first relationship, how did you actually move on?
Did you delete the photos/videos? Keep them somewhere? How long did it take before you could look back at those memories without feeling completely broken?
I know two weeks is probably nothing after 8 years, but right now it feels impossible to imagine my life without her.
First off its a little long*
My(M26) 8-year relationship ended about two weeks ago. Honestly, I still feel like there’s a 1% chance it could somehow work out, but realistically, I think it’s over.
The main reason is financial circumstances and her(F26) parents, especially her dad. They want me to have something in our hometown, but my family doesn’t have a house there. We live outside my hometown and have debts, so getting a house right now is extremely difficult.
We decided to stop talking so she could move on. She said she doesn't want to continue waiting another year only to end up marrying someone her father chooses.
Yesterday, though, I called her because I was missing her. She asked me why I was calling because we had already talked about this. I got emotional and kept telling her that I still love her.
She asked me if there was actually any solution, which is fair. I suggested that since we both have jobs, maybe we could eventually buy a house together and live separately from both our parents. But she said her dad wouldn't allow that.
I then got emotional and said something like, "You won't find someone like me." I didn't mean looks, money, or anything like that. I meant the way I loved her and how much I was willing to do for the relationship.
What really hurt was that she laughed. When we were together, I used to tell her there were probably many guys better than me, and she would always say, "They won't be you." and i asked her why laughing , and she was like your confidence to say that ... i mean , i had nothing to say on that
Now she says she isn't looking for anyone else right now and doesn't care about relationships at the moment and even me . She says she only cares about her parents.
That made me realize that even if somehow I managed to get a house, maybe the problem wouldn't necessarily be her dad anymore. She might still choose her parents and not want this relationship.
So I think I need to accept that it's over and move on. She has also told me that moving on is probably better for both of us.
But honestly, I have no idea how to do that.
This was my first relationship, and it was hers too. We were together for 8 years. I have so many photos and videos of us on my phone, and I can't even imagine deleting them right now. At the same time, looking at them destroys me.
For anyone who has gone through a breakup after a very long relationship, especially a first relationship, how did you actually move on?
Did you delete the photos/videos? Keep them somewhere? How long did it take before you could look back at those memories without feeling completely broken?
I know two weeks is probably nothing after 8 years, but right now it feels impossible to imagine my life without her.
First off its a little long*
My(M26) 8-year relationship ended about two weeks ago. Honestly, I still feel like there’s a 1% chance it could somehow work out, but realistically, I think it’s over.
The main reason is financial circumstances and her(F26) parents, especially her dad. They want me to have something in our hometown, but my family doesn’t have a house there. We live outside my hometown and have debts, so getting a house right now is extremely difficult.
We decided to stop talking so she could move on. She said she doesn't want to continue waiting another year only to end up marrying someone her father chooses.
Yesterday, though, I called her because I was missing her. She asked me why I was calling because we had already talked about this. I got emotional and kept telling her that I still love her.
She asked me if there was actually any solution, which is fair. I suggested that since we both have jobs, maybe we could eventually buy a house together and live separately from both our parents. But she said her dad wouldn't allow that.
I then got emotional and said something like, "You won't find someone like me." I didn't mean looks, money, or anything like that. I meant the way I loved her and how much I was willing to do for the relationship.
What really hurt was that she laughed. When we were together, I used to tell her there were probably many guys better than me, and she would always say, "They won't be you." and i asked her why laughing , and she was like your confidence to say that ... i mean , i had nothing to say on that
Now she says she isn't looking for anyone else right now and doesn't care about relationships at the moment and even me . She says she only cares about her parents.
That made me realize that even if somehow I managed to get a house, maybe the problem wouldn't necessarily be her dad anymore. She might still choose her parents and not want this relationship.
So I think I need to accept that it's over and move on. She has also told me that moving on is probably better for both of us.
But honestly, I have no idea how to do that.
This was my first relationship, and it was hers too. We were together for 8 years. I have so many photos and videos of us on my phone, and I can't even imagine deleting them right now. At the same time, looking at them destroys me.
For anyone who has gone through a breakup after a very long relationship, especially a first relationship, how did you actually move on?
Did you delete the photos/videos? Keep them somewhere? How long did it take before you could look back at those memories without feeling completely broken?
I know two weeks is probably nothing after 8 years, but right now it feels impossible to imagine my life without her.
I’m (26M) talking about people who grew up without a family house, land, or any real generational wealth, and now live outside Kerala in cities where rent, transport, food, and everything else keep getting more expensive. On paper, the salary might look decent. In reality, after all the expenses and responsibilities, there’s barely anything left.
Sometimes I genuinely wonder how marriage is supposed to work in this situation. It’s not that I don’t want a partner or a family. I do. But when you’re already trying to build your own life from zero, the thought of taking on a house, marriage expenses, children, and another set of responsibilities can feel overwhelming.
There’s also this pressure that by a certain age you’re supposed to have everything figured out. A stable career, savings, your own house, marriage, maybe children. But what if you’re still trying to reach the point where you can simply breathe without worrying about money?
I sometimes wonder whether I’ll ever be able to afford a home of my own, or whether renting and constantly trying to save will just continue for years. And then I feel guilty for even thinking about having a family when I’m not completely sure I can give them a financially comfortable life.
Maybe I’m looking at everything too negatively. But I have a feeling there are quite a few are living in cities who quietly feel the same way. We keep hearing about working harder, earning more and “settling down,” but nobody really talks about how difficult it is when you’re starting with nothing.
Is anyone else in the same situation, or am I just overthinking this?
I’m (26M) talking about people who grew up without a family house, land, or any real generational wealth, and now live outside Kerala in cities where rent, transport, food, and everything else keep getting more expensive. On paper, the salary might look decent. In reality, after all the expenses and responsibilities, there’s barely anything left.
Sometimes I genuinely wonder how marriage is supposed to work in this situation. It’s not that I don’t want a partner or a family. I do. But when you’re already trying to build your own life from zero, the thought of taking on a house, marriage expenses, children, and another set of responsibilities can feel overwhelming.
There’s also this pressure that by a certain age you’re supposed to have everything figured out. A stable career, savings, your own house, marriage, maybe children. But what if you’re still trying to reach the point where you can simply breathe without worrying about money?
I sometimes wonder whether I’ll ever be able to afford a home of my own, or whether renting and constantly trying to save will just continue for years. And then I feel guilty for even thinking about having a family when I’m not completely sure I can give them a financially comfortable life.
Maybe I’m looking at everything too negatively. But I have a feeling there are quite a few are living in cities who quietly feel the same way. We keep hearing about working harder, earning more and “settling down,” but nobody really talks about how difficult it is when you’re starting with nothing.
Is anyone else in the same situation, or am I just overthinking this?
I’m (26M) talking about people who grew up without a family house, land, or any real generational wealth, and now live outside Kerala in cities where rent, transport, food, and everything else keep getting more expensive. On paper, the salary might look decent. In reality, after all the expenses and responsibilities, there’s barely anything left.
Sometimes I genuinely wonder how marriage is supposed to work in this situation. It’s not that I don’t want a partner or a family. I do. But when you’re already trying to build your own life from zero, the thought of taking on a house, marriage expenses, children, and another set of responsibilities can feel overwhelming.
There’s also this pressure that by a certain age you’re supposed to have everything figured out. A stable career, savings, your own house, marriage, maybe children. But what if you’re still trying to reach the point where you can simply breathe without worrying about money?
I sometimes wonder whether I’ll ever be able to afford a home of my own, or whether renting and constantly trying to save will just continue for years. And then I feel guilty for even thinking about having a family when I’m not completely sure I can give them a financially comfortable life.
Maybe I’m looking at everything too negatively. But I have a feeling there are quite a few are living in cities who quietly feel the same way. We keep hearing about working harder, earning more and “settling down,” but nobody really talks about how difficult it is when you’re starting with nothing.
Is anyone else in the same situation, or am I just overthinking this?
I'm 26 M and lately I've been thinking a lot about what I want my future to look like. I see people around me in their 35s–40s dealing with constant financial and family responsibilities and is always stressed out , and it makes me question whether I actually want that kind of life.
I'm starting to think I'd rather stay single, take care of my parents within my limits, avoid taking on other people's debts, and spend more of my income on things I enjoy while saving for my own future.
For people who chose a different path from the usual marriage/kids/family route, how do you feel about it now? What are your plans for the future?
I'm 26 and after my breakup, I'm starting to feel like I don't want to get married at all. I just want to live alone, take care of my parents as much as I reasonably can, but not take responsibility for their debts, and spend my money on myself, travel, hobbies, etc.
Maybe it's also because of what I see around me. Most of my coworkers are 35–40 and are constantly stressed about their wives, kids and finances back home. One friend is getting divorced next week, and another guy recently told me he doesn't even have enough money for his rent despite his wife also working.
It makes me wonder if marriage is really worth it for me, or if I'm just seeing the bad side of it right now.
Has anyone else felt this way at 25–30? If you chose not to marry, what are your plans for the future?
After my breakup, I honestly feel like I don't want to get married anymore. I just want to live alone, take care of my parents as much as I can, but not take responsibility for their debts or constantly worry about money.
I feel like I just want to focus on myself, enjoy my salary, travel, hobbies, maybe have relationships without marriage, and live a peaceful life without taking on too many responsibilities.
I'm 26M, so maybe this is just how I feel right now after the breakup. But I'm curious has anyone else felt like this? If you decided not to marry, what are your plans for the future? Do you feel happier living that way?
I'm 26M and lately I've been trying to improve my overall appearance. My face always seems to look tired, especially around my eyes, even when I don't feel particularly tired. I also have quite a few gray hairs in my beard already, which feels early at 26 , (Because of which i dont know how to trim or shape it properly , i usually just grow it or trim the sides , where it has gray hairs)
I'm 163 cm tall and currently growing my hair out. My hair is actually fairly thick, but under bright lights I can see my scalp and sometimes it makes my hair look thinner than it actually is. The bigger problem is that my hair feels extremely dry and can look rough and frizzy.
I'm currently using finasteride and minoxidil and I've seen some improvement in my hair, so I'm not sure if the scalp visibility under bright lighting is actually something I should worry about or if it's normal.
Another thing I'm struggling with is sleep. I work from 8 AM to 6 PM, get home around 6, then go to the gym (started recently ) around 7:30 PM. I usually finish around 9 or 9:30, then I have to shower and have my protein shake. By around 11 PM I eat dinner, and then I usually sleep around 12–12:30 AM, sometimes even 1 AM. Then I have to wake up and repeat the same routine for work.
I know getting more sleep would probably help with the tired-looking face, but I'm not sure how to realistically sleep earlier without changing my whole routine. How do you guys manage sleep when working a full day and going to the gym in the evening?
What would you recommend I focus on to improve my overall appearance, especially the tired face, gray beard, dry hair and sleep?
ALSO , i dont smoke and drink occasionally (maybe 1once in 3 or 2 months )
With the latest reports suggesting Rodri is now much closer to Barcelona than Real Madrid, do you think we'll still bring in another midfielder before the transfer window closes? If so, who?
Personally, I'm not too worried about missing out on Rodri. As good as he is, Madrid never seemed all in on signing him anyway, maybe at the last moment . Also, if Mourinho's influence is really shaping this team, I don't think a midfielder whose biggest strength is controlling possession and dictating the tempo was ever the perfect stylistic fit.
Do you think the club sticks with Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Valverde, and Güler in midfield, or do you expect another signing? If yes, who would you realistically target?