Different levels of effort in a relationship? Im 29F he is 26M
I’m dating a German guy and I’m a bit confused about something in our relationship.
We met in December, had our first date in January, and became official in April. We’re currently long-distance.
Things are generally good. He’s affectionate, tells me he loves me, communicates regularly, and has introduced me to his family. When we’re together, I feel good about us, so I’m not really questioning his feelings. What bothers me is that I feel like I’m usually the one bringing up when we’ll see each other next or suggesting things we could do together.
His birthday is coming up, and I suggested meeting around that time. He was open to the idea, but I wonder if he would have brought it up himself if I hadn’t. I also asked what he wanted for his birthday, and he didn’t suggest meeting or doing something together.
It’s not about grand gestures. I’d just like him to sometimes take the initiative, suggest a trip, or tell me when he wants to see me next. I want to feel like he thinks about these things himself, not just agrees when I bring them up.
I’ve told him before that I want to feel more included in his plans and that making plans together is important to me. He says he wants to travel and spend time with me, so I know the interest is there to some extent, but I still feel like I’m the one initiating most of these conversations.
Another thing that confused me was that he didn’t invite me to a friend’s wedding because he thought we hadn’t been together long enough and that it would be moving too fast. Yet he had already introduced me to his family, which I personally see as a pretty significant step.
I know people have different personalities and ways of showing love, and I’m not expecting him to plan our entire future. I just want to feel like I’m naturally included in his plans and that the initiative goes both ways.
Has anyone experienced something similar, especially in a long-distance relationship? Do you think this is just a difference in personality, or could it mean that we’re not quite on the same page when it comes to relationships?