Should You Ignore A Guy Who Takes You For Granted?

The ignoring game
By Zoella Woods
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Everyone will tell you that you should ignore a guy who takes you for granted but sometimes, you want to get to the bottom of the problem first. You want to know what made him treat you the way he does.

Did you do something wrong? Is he pulling away from you and is there a possibility that he’ll change his behavior and go back to his old self, treating you the same way he used to?

If you realize that he doesn’t appreciate you at all, you can always choose to ignore him completely or you can even end your relationship. But sometimes, you simply need an explanation for his actions.

Maybe it’s all in your head and he’s not actually acting the way you think. Or perhaps there’s no point in salvaging the situation as the damage has already been done.

Whatever the case, you can’t simply start ignoring him all of a sudden, even though he’s taking you for granted. You first need to know what made him act that way and then, you can plan your next step and do what’s best for you.

Why is he taking you for granted in the first place?

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The last thing you want from your partner is to be taken for granted. That’s definitely at the very bottom of your priority list.

But sometimes, you get this feeling that he no longer appreciates you. It feels as if he’s changed his mind about you and he doesn’t really care whether you stay or go and that neither decision will have an effect on him.

This makes you wonder what makes a guy take you for a granted all of a sudden. Your relationship was progressing nicely and out of the blue, things changed completely.

You no longer feel like he cares about you or appreciates the fact that he has you in his life. Instead, you feel abandoned by that one person who means the world to you.

If you’re in the same boat, then it makes sense why you want to know what makes a guy take you for granted. There must be a reason why he’s gone through a total change of behavior.

1. He’s not looking for anything serious

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If you and your guy still aren’t officially dating, then this could be the reason why he’s taking you for granted.

To be honest, he’s not really looking for anything serious, which makes it hard for him to appreciate you the way you want to be appreciated.

Even if he loses you, he won’t feel bad because he doesn’t really have any feelings for you.

Today, you’re standing beside him and holding his hand but that doesn’t mean that he’s planning on having you by his side for the rest of his life. He’s simply not looking for that.

Maybe he already mentioned to you that he’s not a fan of committed relationships (aka he’s afraid of giving just one girl all of his attention). That’s why he may be taking you for granted as doesn’t plan a future with you.

Even if you decide to walk away, you won’t make any particular change to his life. His heart won’t break as he doesn’t feel the same way about you as you do him.

I know that these words hurt but it’s the sad truth you should know about.

2. You’ve been together for way too long

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If you’ve been together for a very long time, that could also be the reason why he’s taking you for granted.

Years have gone by and the two of you have overcome many different obstacles. You’ve been together through thick and thin and you’re aware that neither of you is leaving this relationship.

You love each other and you’re happy to be in each other’s lives. But this feeling that you’re made to last could be exactly what’s making him take you for granted.

He knows that you won’t leave him so he forgets to appreciate you the same way he did at the very beginning of your relationship.

Maybe he used to remind you how much he cares about you but it’s been months and he hasn’t even told you once that he loves you. You feel sad because you know how well he used to treat you before.

Naturally, you miss those times but in this case, it’s normal for people to change. Your connection is so strong that he probably forgot that you need simple reminders that you’re still his number one.

There’s no other reason why he’s acting the way he is. He didn’t fall out of love and to be honest, he probably loves you more with every day that passes.

However, he simply got used to the idea that you’re there to stay and that made him forget that he shouldn’t stop showing you signs of appreciation.

The good thing is that he’s still deeply in love with you so you have nothing to worry about.

3. He’s too focused on other things in life

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When life gets in the way, we forget about everything else and focus all of our attention on the problems we’re currently facing. Your guy may be going through the same thing and that’s why he’s been taking you for granted.

Maybe he’s having some troubles at work or some family issues that make it hard for him to fall asleep at night. As a result, he hasn’t been thinking much about your relationship and the way he’s been treating you.

That probably makes him look like he’s taking you for granted since it’s been a while since he showed you any sign of appreciation.

The good thing is that this can be easily solved with an honest conversation. Let him know how his behavior has been making you feel and I’m sure he’ll do something about it.

In this respect, you don’t need to ignore a guy who takes you for granted since he’s not doing it on purpose. You simply need to share your thoughts with him and I can guarantee you that your problem will be solved soon enough.

In the meantime, you could also help him deal with the issues he’s going through right now. With your help, he may have more confidence to tackle the obstacles he’s experiencing.

4. He’s not actually taking you for granted, he’s simply not acting the way you expect him to

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This isn’t the reason why he’s taking you for granted and instead, it’s the reason why you feel that he’s treating you that way.

Influenced by all those happy couples around you, you may get the feeling that your partner isn’t treating you the right way. And as soon as your relationship doesn’t feel perfect, you start to blame him for taking you for granted.

In this instance, it’s probably not his fault. I’m sorry that I have to burst your bubble but you’re probably setting unrealistic expectations and you possibly never even told him what you expect from him.

Because of that, he doesn’t even know how you want him to treat you. And even though he’s doing his best to make you happy, it’s still not enough for you.

The best thing would be to let him know what’s bothering you. That’s the only way for you to get everything you want from the relationship.

How to effectively ignore a guy who takes you for granted?

If you still want to ignore a guy who takes you for granted, then you should at least know how to do it efficiently.

Saying that you’ll ignore him and then not making any changes in your behavior won’t make any difference. That’s why you need to know what you’re doing in order for him to realize the mistakes he’s been making.

Here are some simple tips you can follow if you want to ignore a guy who takes you for granted and show him what he could lose if he doesn’t change his ways.

1. Take some time away from him

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All this time, you’ve probably been there for him, no matter what. You’ve never known how to say no and you agreed to all of his plans but now is the time to change that.

Now’s the time to take a step back and pull away from him.

He needs to see how his life would look if you weren’t in it. He needs to see how desperate he would feel if you woke up one day and decided to leave.

Taking a step back will help him realize how lonely he would be if you weren’t right next to him. It’ll make him miss you and once that happens, he may realize that he hasn’t been treating you the way you deserve to be treated.

Maybe he’ll finally figure out that he’s made some mistakes and that he should fix them before you’re gone forever.

2. Reduce contact

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The moment you take a step back, he’ll try to reach out to you with a bit more passion. But if you want to ignore a guy who takes you for granted, then you should set some boundaries for yourself.

When he calls you, don’t answer the phone right away. Let him call you a few more times before you finally decide to pick up.

If he texts you, don’t reply to him right away and let him see how it feels when the one who was always there for him goes missing. Let him see what it means when someone takes you for granted.

For a long time, you’ve been there for him. You’ve picked up your phone the moment it rang because you saw his name on the screen.

You put everything aside whenever he needed your help. But now, you’re going to give him the cold shoulder and take a few steps back, which can help him realize what he’ll end up with because he didn’t appreciate you enough.

3. Focus your attention on others

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If you want to ignore a guy who takes you for granted, you should shift your focus. Instead of making him your priority, you should focus on the other people around you.

Your friends or family members will have your undivided attention and he’ll be left wondering why you aren’t picking up the phone.

In the meantime, you’ll be having the time of your life. You’ll be enjoying the company of your loved ones and you won’t even think about him.

You may actually realize that you missed having fun on your own. Even though you love him dearly, we all need time and space for ourself.

So, this experience will be beneficial for both of you. He may realize that he’s been taking you for granted, disregarding you as a person, and treating you as if you’re obliged to be there for him all the time.

On the other hand, you will realize that you should have a life besides your relationship and that you’ve made a huge mistake by focusing all your time and energy just on him.

4. Turn the tables to your advantage

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When you want to ignore a guy who takes you for granted, you can use the situation you’re currently in and turn it to your advantage.

No, he hasn’t been treating you the way you want but maybe you could now show him what you mean by that by acting the same way he is.

He hasn’t been giving you the respect you deserve so maybe you could do the same to him.

Let him see how wrong it feels on so many levels, so while he’s trying to have a conversation with you, you could take out your phone and keep scrolling.

He doesn’t seem to care about your opinion so maybe you could stop asking him for his and even when he doesn’t agree with something, you can do as you want.

He hasn’t given you a chance to express your thoughts so let him see how it feels when he finds himself in the same boat.

Or maybe he stopped trying around you. Then you could show him how it feels when the one who loves you dearly doesn’t pay attention to you.

Let him see how much it hurts when you stop appreciating the person who’s always been there for you. Let him know how it feels when you’re taken for granted by the only person who means the world to you.

Once he feels the wrenching pain, he’ll know that he made a huge mistake. And if he’s the right one for you, he’ll try to fix it.

5. Don’t take initiative

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When you want to ignore a guy who takes you for granted, you should stop being the first one to initiate everything. From calls to dates, it’s his turn to make some effort.

All this time, you’ve probably been the one who puts more work into the relationship. Maybe you come up with all of your date ideas or you’re always there to remind him of your special events.

If it wasn’t for you, he would never even remember your anniversary or birthday.

But even though you put so much effort into your relationship, he still makes sure to show you how it feels when someone takes you for granted and that’s not a fun game to play.

So, it’s time for you to take a step back and let him be the one who takes initiative. It’s time for you to ignore him for a while and make him see that it hurts.

I know that you’re probably not a fan of playing games in a relationship but sometimes, you have to show him that he’ll now be the one who’ll have to fight harder, as you’ve had enough.

6. Learn how to value yourself

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You can easily ignore a guy who takes you for granted but it doesn’t guarantee you that you’ll get the results you expect. Nevertheless, learning how to value yourself first is one of the steps you must follow.

You have so much potential in you but you’re still unable to see all of the beauty your carry within yourself. And since you don’t see it yet, it also makes it hard for others to notice it.

That’s why you need to learn how to value yourself. You need to teach yourself that you’re an amazing, kind, and loving person who deserves only the best from the world.

And there are so many ways for you to finally be able to realize that. Through meditation, your hobbies, or words of self-love, you can easily transform yourself into your own best version.

Once that happens, you’ll be able to see your power. And once you can see it, others around you will follow your lead.

So, starting from right now, take a deep breath and repeat to yourself:

“I AM A CAPABLE, STRONG WOMAN WHO’S WORTHY OF LOVE.”

The moment you realize all the things you can do on your own, you’ll start to love yourself more and the time will come when you’ll finally figure out the strength that’s hiding under your skin.

7. Make him see your value

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Once you realize your value, it’s time to make him see it too. And trust me, as you start working on yourself, he’ll notice that right away.

You’ll become irresistible and it’ll feel as if you’re a completely different person. He’ll finally be able to see that you know what you want from life and you’re not willing to settle for any less than you deserve.

He’ll see the strength that will be radiating off of you and he’ll realize that he doesn’t want to lose you – not now, nor ever. He needs you in his life.

Just like that, he’ll spot all of the mistakes he’s been making and he’ll see that he can’t take a woman like you for granted. You’re a hidden pearl and whoever ends up with you is one lucky man.

8. Show him that this behavior can make him lose you

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Sometimes, a guy doesn’t even notice that he’s been taking you for granted. He doesn’t even know that his behavior can make him lose you.

But if you give him a reality check and show him that he can end up without this precious gem, you’ll shake him up and he’ll finally realize that he should’ve never taken for granted that one person who showed him how true love actually feels.

He’s your partner and he should act like one, no matter what he’s going through. You’ll always be by his side but you need him to show you that he’ll never forget to appreciate everything you do for him.

Should you really ignore a guy who takes you for granted or is there a better path to take?

He’s been taking you for granted and the only thing you want to do right now is ignore him but is that really the best option? Should you freeze him out or is there a better way to deal with the situation?

I know that you’re angry, as he hasn’t been treating you the way you deserve. He may have shown you signs of disrespect and he definitely hasn’t been appreciating you recently.

However, ignoring him and thinking it’ll solve all of the issues you’re dealing with is the wrong thing to do. With that attitude, your problems won’t disappear but if you opt for an honest conversation and share your feelings with him, then you’re off to a great start.

He needs to know what’s going on in your head and he can’t read your mind in order to find out, which is why you should let him know what’s bothering you. If he truly loves you, he’ll then act accordingly and he’ll make sure to show you how he appreciates everything you do for him.

He’ll prove to you that he doesn’t want to take you for granted since you’re the most important person in his life. And just like that, you’ll solve the matter in question.

Keep in mind that you have to tell him what’s bugging you and if he doesn’t do anything about it, then you should ignore a guy who takes you for granted, as he’s not worth your time or energy.

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