There’s nothing wrong with wanting some space to do your own thing. We all have our own ways of recharging, and sometimes we need to be alone to do that. Maybe you like to take long walks by yourself, or maybe you just need some time to sit in silence and think.
Either way, giving yourself or someone some space to do your or their own thing is important. It can help you both feel more centered and make better decisions.
So if someone is feeling overwhelmed, and has specifically asked you for space. You might want to do just that and give it to them. But what if you miss them? And, what if you have something important to say to them? Plus how would you even know how much time they need? That’s what we’ll find out in today’s article.
“She wants space, should I contact her?”
If someone asks for space, it’s probably best to respect their wishes and give them some time alone. Although it can be difficult to see someone we care about going through a tough time, it’s important to remember that everyone deals with problems in their own way.
If someone needs space and they have made it very clear to you then they will probably reach out when they’re ready to talk. In the meantime, it’s best to let them be and focus on taking care of yourself too.
You should make it clear that you’ll be available whenever they’re ready, at that same moment when they tell you to leave them alone. And, from that moment onwards, and once that’s done; you should work on letting them be.
So how to give someone the space they need?
1- How much time to give them?
If someone you’re dating or someone you’re close to asks for space, it’s important to respect their wishes. Depending on the situation, they may need some time to themselves to work through whatever is going on.
In most cases, a week or two should be enough time for them to sort things out. However, if they still haven’t contacted you after an entire month or two, it’s probably a good idea to move on. Maybe what they truly wanted was to be left alone permanently rather than just needing space but they couldn’t tell you, not to hurt your feelings.
Constantly wondering what they’re up to and if they’re ever going to come back becomes tiresome after a while. So just forget about them and move on. If they come back then it will be a happy surprise, but if not then it’s not like you’ve been sitting in a corner and putting your entire life on hold to wait for them.
2- Normalise giving people space without them asking:
It’s normal to want some space in any relationship, so try to normalize giving it to the people you’re closest to and before they even ask. Whether it’s with a romantic partner, a family member, or a close friend, it’s healthy to spend time apart from the people we care about.
This doesn’t mean that we don’t love or care for them, but rather that we need time to grow independently. By giving each other space, we allow our relationships to stay strong and healthy. You can check this article out later on how much space is normal in a relationship, for a better understanding of this concept.
So next time someone has to ask you for space maybe they have been feeling suffocated by you. So you might want to question how clingy you were with them recently or how demanding and needy you got.
3- They’ll come back to you if they care enough:
The thing is you cannot force people to want to be with you anyway. So if someone asks for space: give it to them and they will probably come back when they miss you or when they recharge. You can’t just make somebody want to be around you, no matter how great of a person you are. And that’s okay!
Not everyone is going to want to be glued to you all the time or close with you 24/7 and that has to be okay. Just like you probably need time away from people, sometimes people need time away from you too and that doesn’t mean anything bad about either party. Based on their personality and lifestyle they might need more or less time than you do alone and that’s fine.
It can actually be really healthy! So if someone says they need space, don’t get too upset, just give it to them. Chances are, they’ll come back around when they’re feeling better or missing your company.
Keep in mind that at the end of the day you cannot force a person to love you or show affection or even be in your company if they don’t want to. All you can do is sit and wait patiently for them to decide if you’re worth their time and energy.
So you have to learn to take “no” for an answer. Plus it’s not like they said “no” to you anyway, they might come back if you let them go first!
Bottom line:
If someone asks for space, it’s important to respect their wishes. It could be that they need time to sort out their feelings, or they might simply need some time alone.
Either way, it’s important to give them the space they need. Of course, it’s also important to communicate with them before letting them go on their break just to make sure they know that you’ll be waiting. This way you’ll both be on the same page.
If you reach out and they’re not ready to talk yet, that’s OK. Respecting someone’s wishes for space can be difficult, but it’s always worth it in the end.