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Just Let Them Go

308K views 344 replies 106 participants last post by  Evinrude58 
#1 ·
I wish I could claim credit for this masterpiece but I can't. It belongs to very wise member from another website. It should be etched in the minds of every man and woman who has been the victim on infidelity.

Just Let Them Go

The end result?

The end result is to respect yourself in the end,
let go of the people that don't value you or respect you.

That is the end result.

The quickest way to get a cheating spouse back is to let them go with a smile on your face wishing them the best in life and hoping that everything works out in their relationship with their affair partner.

Seriously, the quickest way to get them back.

Nothing else works better or quicker.

Let them go.

Agree with them and their feelings,
"you should be with the OM, I hope he makes you happy, good bye"

Wouldn't that be true love?

If you really loved your spouse,
and wanted them to have what they really want in life which is the other person they're in love with,
wouldn't letting them go be the approach if you really love them?

Why focus on the affair or the drama associated with it?
Just let them go. Give them their freedom.

You can take a good hard look at yourself in the mirror everyday and improve yourself but do it for you, not for someone else, the changes will never stick when it's done for someone else, do it for your benefit and you will probably make those changes last much longer if not indefinitely - because it's for your benefit and you realize the importance and value in that benefit because YOU are involved.

I will never tell someone to change to entice a WAW back when she's been cheating on him. I don't care how bad a marriage, there is never an excuse for cheating. That is a personal decision that someone makes to cheat on their spouse. If a marriage is really bad, leave, get a divorce, speak up to your spouse and tell them flat out "this marriage sucks and if things don't change I'm going to leave you and find someone better" and if things don't improve, leave that person.

But cheating, no excuses.

Think about cheating.
A wayward spouse who cheats on their spouse goes behind their back, secretly, telling lies, feeling guilty, getting angry at their spouse for getting in the way of their fantasies but never owning up to their actions, never admitting what they're doing. If a person who cheats on their spouse felt justified in their actions, why hide and go behind their spouses backs when they start cheating, why lie, why make up excuses about late nights at work and going to a friends place and sleeping over because they drank too much and any other such nonsense?

Deep down, the cheating spouse knows there is something inherently wrong with their actions otherwise they wouldn't lie about their actions and hide what they're doing.

Fighting the affair? For what reason?
To compete with the OM or OW for your spouse?
What message does that communicate to your wayward spouse?
They have lots of value and you have none because now you have to compete with another person for their love? Competing with your wayward spouse's affair partner never works, it just prolongs an ugly drama filled process.

And for your last point,
The easiest way to show you will not tolerate cheating in your relationship is to let that person go. That is the easiest and most effective way to show this.

"Look wife/husband, I won't be in an open relationship with you, I won't give you X number of days, weeks, months to make your mind, if you really feel like you need to sit on the fence on this decision and can't decide between your affair partner and me well I will make the decision for you, you can be with them because I'm no longer an option. I love you and wish you a good life with them and hope it works out for you because it didn't work out for us. Now the best thing we can do for each other is to make this process as graceful and peaceful as possible for us and our children, I'll contact a lawyer/mediator and get started on the process of our legal separation/divorce."

You give them what they want.
You don't fight them on this issue.
You agree with their feelings,
they want to be with the other person, fine they should be with the other person, let them be with the other person.

You will never convince a person to change their feelings with your arguments and logic. You can not find one member on this website in a situation where they are dealing with infidelity where they got their spouse to change their mind about how they feel about their affair partner.

You can't say "don't love them, love me instead",
you can't say "look at me, I'm better in every way compared to your affair partner, pick me instead of them",
you can't say "you took marriage vows, you promised to love me"

I agree, you don't have to make it easy for your wayward spouse to have an affair, but when you let them go, "lovingly detach", you don't have to worry about making it easy for them. It's no longer your concern, they can have you or them but not both and not at the same time and since they've chosen to have an affair, they've made their choice, there is no profit in fighting that decision. Let them go and move on with your life, that is the quickest, easiest way to get them back.

You definitely don't support them financially and enable them, that would be weak, wussy, clingy, insecure behavior - something in you telling you that you need to support them financially while they're having an affair, hoping they'll realize how nice you are and come back to you.

Just let them go, have them move out or you move out and live a good life without them.
 
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#188 ·
I did exactly that, let her go told her to be happy, it lasted 2 days and the OM was not ready for a relationship after all. She had the guest room at our house for 2 nights then my step dad drove her back to another state. She admits to being a fool, I still love her with all my heart. I am gutted.
 
#7 ·
Haha, yeah I think this applies even after you have done all the "wrong" things. I've been on every end of the spectrum in this, especially since he's cheated before. Last time he did the right thing and ended it. This time, he gaslighted me and dragged me through broken glass telling me she was just a friend and I was paranoid and she lives 2500 miles away. Well...guess what? He is an hour away screwing her as we speak. She even brought her 11 year old son to town for the fun. Sickening. I can't be a part of that.

It took me too long to embrace the essence of this message. I could have heard it in the beginning, but it's too hard to accept. It takes time to get to that place where all these ring true. I am there now. And I am done. I don't want him back, because chances are he'll just do it again. So I'll let him do it to her. That's justice. Or maybe she'll do it to him. That would be even better. He still won't admit the truth, so I'm letting go because he doesn't deserve me. I'm above this. My children deserve better and one day they'll know the truth. I don't care if she was his high school sweetheart, it is all a fantasy. And he chose that over me. So, have a nice life, @sshole. Don't come crying to me when you realize the mistake you've made!
 
#328 ·
Haha, yeah I think this applies even after you have done all the "wrong" things. I've been on every end of the spectrum in this, especially since he's cheated before. Last time he did the right thing and ended it. This time, he gaslighted me and dragged me through broken glass telling me she was just a friend and I was paranoid and she lives 2500 miles away. Well...guess what? He is an hour away screwing her as we speak. She even brought her 11 year old son to town for the fun. Sickening. I can't be a part of that.

It took me too long to embrace the essence of this message. I could have heard it in the beginning, but it's too hard to accept. It takes time to get to that place where all these ring true. I am there now. And I am done. I don't want him back, because chances are he'll just do it again. So I'll let him do it to her. That's justice. Or maybe she'll do it to him. That would be even better. He still won't admit the truth, so I'm letting go because he doesn't deserve me. I'm above this. My children deserve better and one day they'll know the truth. I don't care if she was his high school sweetheart, it is all a fantasy. And he chose that over me. So, have a nice life, @sshole. Don't come crying to me when you realize the mistake you've made!
Amen!! You do deserve better.
 
#11 ·
I agree that this should be a sticky.

This was part of a thread which you could read in its entirety here.

While the message is simple it is not easy to embrace. Why isn't it easy? our emotions. Our emotions will fight tooth and nail with our reason and will do anything and everything to sabotage its implementation. We become victims of our own self inflicted emotional terrorism, and as everybody knows, the worst thing you can do is to give in to the demands of a terrorist. Becoming self aware that our head must prevail over our heart, is the first part in the process of personal recovery and possibly marital recovery as well.
 
#13 ·
While the message is simple it is not easy to embrace. Why isn't it easy? our emotions. Our emotions will fight tooth and nail with our reason and will do anything and everything to sabotage its implementation. We become victims of our own self inflicted emotional terrorism, and as everybody knows, the worst thing you can do is to give in to the demands of a terrorist. Becoming self aware that our head must prevail over our heart, is the first part in the process of personal recovery and possibly marital recovery as well.
I thought I was wasting my time reading all the advice and articles on TAM until in the middle if a serious argument I started to identify my emotions (or "self inflicted emotial terrorism") and the game she was playing.

Suddenly I was clearly seeing what was happening and in control of the conversation, memorizing these things WILL definetly help you keep a clear head.
 
#15 ·
Here are some more words of wisdom from another sage (definitely not me):

"Do not use these strategies as a manipulative tool to change what your spouse is doing. He/she will pick up on your motive and see through it. He/she will easily manipulate you back to where he/she wants you (wherever that was to make you predictable and controllable.)

You engage in these exercises and strategies because you want to for you. You know that this is the best way to live and at this point, be in relationship with your spouse. This is the best way for you to survive and retain integrity.

Here’s the kicker. A by-product of these efforts is usually dramatic changes on the part of your spouse. Don’t be surprised if he/she moves closer. Don’t be surprised if he/she does a double-take. Don’t be surprised if he/she decides to “work on the marriage.” But, don’t expect it!

1) Act Happy. Be as cheerful as possible. Be positive. Put on this behavior when you have contact with your spouse. Prepare yourself to act this way. Practice if need be. Be an actor, actress if need be. Fake it, if you must. Fake it til you truly do get to the point where you experience your life as positive. (It really is, you know!)

2) Get a life. Rekindle old hobbies or interests that you have discarded but still interest you. Try out new hobbies or interests. Think about what you really liked doing when you were 6 years old. Start doing that. (One coaching client “gave up dancing,” which was a passion, for her family and husband. Once she discovered his affair, she took it up again. She loved it. It was therapeutic. But, boy did he have a problem with it!).

3) Focus on 4 key words. Every day, every hour and every minute if need be, plaster your mind with these 4 life-saving words: I WILL MAKE IT! This becomes your mantra. Wake up with it. Put it on your mirror. Eat lunch with it. Go to sleep with it. Tell, convey in every which way to your spouse that you WILL MAKE IT. Say, “I will make it! I perfer to make it with you (if that is what you REALLY want), but if that doesn’t happen, I will make it without you. Either way, I want you to know that I will make it.” State with erect, confident body language, unblinking, direct eye contact and calm, firm, consistent tone of voice.

4) To-the-point small talk. Make conversations with your spouse brief and to the point. Talk only about the solutions to specific problems that need to be addressed, such a particular bills, household or children concerns. Let silence prevail if he/she wants to “hook” you into melodrama. Politely but firmly end such conversations.5) Tend to agree. Try to find the kernel of truth in what your spouse is saying and agree with it. Acknowledge it. He/she says, “I don’t love you
anymore.” You say, “It certainly seems that way. Thank you for your truthfulness.”He/she says, “I’m not sure what I want.” You say, “Yes, it must be confusing for you.” He/she says, “I’m thinking of moving out.” You say, “Do you have an idea of when you’re going to do that? Knowing would help me plan for my activities.”

6) Expand your social relationships, including those of the OPPOSITE SEX.Make new friends. Go to lunch. Surround yourself with interesting people who have the potential to care about you. Rekindle old friendships that have faded. With the
opposite sex? Yes! I’m not talking about a revenge affair or sleeping with someone. I’m not talking about dating for the purposes of forming a committed relationship, but to form true friendships(plural) and learning about you and how you relate, especially to those of the opposite sex.

7) Get sexy – in a healthy way. Get in shape. Lose weight. Run. Walk. Exercise. Eat right. Enjoy your body. Take supplements. Take extreme care of your body. Begin to feel healthy…and healthy is sexy. Focus on one of these tactics and begin now. Don’t wait."
 
#17 ·
a separ/divorce is like a miscarriage.

u cant (usually) just drop it w/out the pain/process of grieving/watching a precious dream die out.

i dont know what the healthy time frame is, as it is diff for diff people; but i do know that many folk hold onto it for far too long as its like they are totally (or think they are) alone, isolated, and stubbornly grieving for that "miscarriage" of theirs.

saddest of all is when I/THEY/WE/YOU know this, that u r the one holding on, dragging it out but....."oh the pain, the pain of
it all....." ala Dr Smith of Lost in Space fame.
 
#20 ·
Just Let Them Go

The end result?

The end result is to respect yourself in the end,
let go of the people that don't value you or respect you.

That is the end result.

The quickest way to get a cheating spouse back is to let them go with a smile on your face wishing them the best in life and hoping that everything works out in their relationship with their affair partner.

Seriously, the quickest way to get them back.

Nothing else works better or quicker.

Let them go.

Agree with them and their feelings,


Excellent post. And I think this applies to other situations to...well any situation really where your partner wants out of the relationship:

RESPECT YOURSELF ENOUGH TO LET THEM GO.

NEVER EVER BEG SOMEONE TO BE WITH YOU.

If they truly love you and want to work it out, they WILL TRY.



 
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#24 ·
I could have written this verbatim! Sucks, doesn't it?! They choose not to be with us, they get none of us. Fantasy land can only last so long. While they were ahead of us on the detaching, we are ahead of them on the reality portion of things.
 
#27 ·
For those who have a problem with the 'dating members of the opposite sex' part, I thought I would share this interaction between opposing camps:

it is intended to show the was how much their own sleazy behavior is hurting their spouse.

And it works.

i still fail to see how a bs compromising their own integrity, values and morals is of any help to the bs. I know for myself, i could have never lowered my standards that way. I had way too much self-respect do this.

if showing that your life has real value to yourself regardless if your spouse doesn't believe this and moving on with your life and letting go of a cheating spouse and no longer waiting for someone to stop cheating on you isn't demonstrating integrity on your part, well i don't know what will.

What you don't realize (or possibly refuse to) is that waiting for your cheating spouse to return to you when they're actively involved in a extra marital affair with another person is in fact lowering your standards.

It communicates:
- i will be taken advantage of
- i am gullible
- i believe my spouse will come back to me after they've had their fun with another person
- it's ok for my spouse to cheat on me, i'll stand up for my marriage even if they've checked out
- i want someone who doesn't want me
- i will let my spouse choose when it's ok for them to come back to me
- i will allow this behavior to occur again in the future
- i don't respect myself enough to let go of people that don't value me or the relationship they have with me

in conclusion....
- i have low standards
 
#29 ·
I guess it becomes more of a question of, "Am I doing what they are doing?" if you are in fact not divorced yet. Like as we speak, my husband is off on a weeklong vacation with OW and her son, lying to me. He moved out 7 weeks ago under the same old umbrella of wanting to reconcile but not committing that all WAS cling to. Now he used his gaslighting techniques to tell me he was done with me when I kept digging, and so now he's been talking to OW for 4 weeks, admitting that this makes him unfaithful but he doesn't care because our marriage is over. Okay, marriage over. Then file. Or tell your spouse you want out and THEN pursue someone else. It's all crap BS. So I'm catching him this week. But if I turn around and go on a date with someone this weekend, does that make me a hypocrite? I want to at least file for divorce first. And even then, I'd feel like I'm doing the same as him, though I haven't cheated on him since he left me. But I want to walk away on the day my divorce is final with a clear conscience and know I've been squeaky clean and upheld my marriage vows. KWIM?
 
#32 ·
The difference between you and your cheating hubby is that you are not a dumba**.:D

You KNOW where the marital boundaries are, he doesn't - if he ever did. Your knowledge regarding male/female dynamics can help protect you from becoming that which you abhorr - unfaithful.

If you choose to 'date' other men before you get divorced, it should not be for romantic/sexual purposes but to LEARN how to separate the good guys from the bad ones - clones of your DH (dumba** husband).

Hopefully you won't think I'm being patronizing but I do respect your beliefs - the world would definitely be a better place if there were more of you - but please keep an open mind that it is possible to 'date' others without betraying your moral code.
 
#30 ·
Personally I would wait til the divorce to date again. But, I am not you, and I don't know where your head is in things right now. Maybe your farther ahead than I am. You probably are.

For me, I don't think I will be ready to date in the near future.. I just spent 15 years in a horrible marriage.. time for ME time. When I work on me, find out how wrong I handled things in this relationship, have more self confidence, I might start dating.. this will probably take me another 15 years, at which point i will be almost 50 .. so blah lol
 
#34 ·
Last week I tried flirting with a bartender... I was out to eat with a friend of mine. And she said, "see if we can get a free drink"... So I looked at the at the bartender and went to lick my straw in my drink seductively... and the straw went up my nose.

Seems my flirting skills are a little rusty... but we did get a free drink for making him laugh! :D

It's all good to get out and have fun I think.. which for the past few months I have been trying to do. I go out with my friends more, I have fun, and not thing about H and his sh*t. I think thats healthy. And as long as no sack jumping or serious talks happens.. its a good thing lol
 
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