DEAR HARRIETTE: My girlfriend revealed to me that she has just recently stopped checking her ex-boyfriend's social media pages. She and I have been dating for a few months now, so needless to say, I'm very hurt. She told me that she wasn't sure why she was checking his pages in the first place, but when her feelings for me intensified, she stopped feeling the need to check. I honestly wish that she'd never told me that. Now I kind of just feel like she might still have feelings for her ex-boyfriend. What am I supposed to do with this information? I feel like I might need a break now, but I'm not sure if it's that serious. What should I do? -- Confused Boyfriend
DEAR CONFUSED BOYFRIEND: Take a deep breath and calm down. While it might have been better for your girlfriend to keep her actions to herself, it sounds like she was trying to be open and honest with you. It is normal for people in new relationships to want their partners to let go completely from previous relationships when they get together. Unfortunately, things are not always as buttoned-up as one might like. That’s how feelings work sometimes. Depending upon the circumstances of their breakup, there could be any number of factors that led to your girlfriend’s curiosity about the activities of her ex. The good news is that she has stopped checking for him and focused solely on you.
Rather than feeling like you want to take a timeout from your relationship, now is the time to lean in. She has revealed to you that she has chosen to focus even more intently on the two of you. Join her and see where this budding relationship leads you.