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Torn Between Two Loves: Should I Marry My Long-Term Boyfriend or the Man I Met Recently?

Ravi

Ravi Mittal  |713 Answers  |Ask -

Dating, Relationships Expert - Answered on Oct 08, 2024

Ravi Mittal is an expert on dating and relationships.
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Asked by Anonymous - Oct 07, 2024Hindi
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Relationship

This is an urgent situation and is really difficult to explain what I am going through and my words might not completely bring that out but a piece of advice/perception might be really helpful. I am 30 years old. I have a long term boyfriend(started dating in 2012). He was the world to me till almost 2020. He was my family, my everything. I too meant the world to him. We treated each other like "I am his and he is mine". Such was the commitment and care. We never thought we could even think of marrying some one else. We are in long distance since 2017. Used to meet once in every 2 months sort of. In 2021, I met some one else and started going out with him as we were in the same city just casually believing that nothing serious has to happen between us and that I "obviously" will marry my long term boyfriend undoubtedly. But things drastically changed. I developed strong feelings for this person and met more frequently. I went with the flow despite having immense guilt that things will eventually get very complicated and all the three of us will be hurt. But I never gathered the courage to break ties with this new person as the bonding was very maturely strong between us. Nor I could break ties with my long term boyfriend as he still was "my family" and he was the only one I resorted to whenever I needed someone. The new guy belongs to a caste my family will never agree and because of this I persuaded the marriage talks with my family for my long term boyfriend. My family agreed and my marriage date is scheduled in end of November 2024. But I everyday am in dilemma as to whether should I marry my long term boyfriend as scheduled or should I take a bold step of breaking it and going for the guy I met in 2021. I told my mother about the situation but she said my father will never agree for this new guy's caste and that its too late and I should marry as scheduled. I am not able to take a decision and going with the flow and probably will get married with this dual thought and uncertainty. I have thought a lot about this, about how my life will be with both of them, but its very difficult for me to break things with my long term boyfriend even though I have no romantic feelings for him from the past 3 years. There is 0 intimacy, neither emotional nor physical. But I do care for him. I do want him in my life, whether as a husband or otherwise. I feel the way he takes care of me and thinks about me, no one else will. But the thing is I don't actually "feel" for him anything, nor do I miss him as much, we don't talk the way we used to , there's a detachment. We are in long distance and are in such different fields that we never probably will live closer location wise. There's financial disparity. I earn almost thrice as him but we probably are okay with this. We both are aware of all these problems and are still ready to marry with the "hope" that things will eventually be okay. On the other hand, the guy I met in 2021- he has a good career and location wise, we are in long distance too but way better placed and in near future, his job location might be very flexible. He earns more but has huge family obligations as his family including his two brothers are not very well off. I have probably made peace with it when I thought about considering him for marriage. I love him and we have great emotional intimacy . I feel so calm and happy around him. It's like a festival when he is around me. He too loves me a lot and is ready to take efforts to make our marriage possible given the family and caste differences. I am really very disturbed and unable to decide whether I should break the marriage as if things don't improve after marriage, I will regret it always. Preparations have started slightly and it would be a big step now. Should I just forget about the 2021 guy and marry my long term boyfriend in November hoping that things will fall in place..or.. What should I do! My long term boyfriend has also lost feelings for me but he still cares for me and he says if we work for our relationship, things will be good post marriage

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
It sounds like a difficult decision to make. But one simple thing is that you should never commit for a lifetime to a person you do not feel for; that does not mean I am asking you to leave him right away and marry the other guy. That means, you can have an open talk with your long-term BF. Tell him how you feel and let him clarify his feelings too. You can postpone the wedding to sort things out first- and think hard whether both of you want to get married at all.
Leaving one does not equate to choosing another. Choose yourself first; your happiness. You can never be happy in a relationship when you are of two minds. Please don't rush to get married to either of them.

Best Wishes.
Asked on - Oct 08, 2024 | Answered on Oct 09, 2024
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Thank you for your response. But if I break things now with my long term BF, it would be forever. I am 30 and he is 31 and he won't wait for me forever. I don't expect him to. Because the current situation and dual mind I am in, this is from almost 2 years. My long term bf knows I have no clarity and is supportive enough to let me part ways if I don't want to go ahead with the marriage. He wants to marry me and he is hopeful that things will get better if we work for it. I have taken enough time for myself and still not able to make up my mind.
Ans: Dear Anonymous,
I understand it is difficult, but you cannot keep your partner hanging like this. He has been patient and supportive of your decisions, the least you can do is come to a clear conclusion. While it is tough, you need to make a choice and stick to it. He deserves the clarity and so do you.

And just a reminder, if you are still unsure about him after two years of thinking, there must be something fundamentally wrong in the relationship; don't you think? Marriage is just another commitment; it doesn't magically sort things out. Please consider everything thoroughly before making a decision

Best Wishes.

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Anu

Anu Krishna  |1778 Answers  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on May 15, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - May 10, 2024Hindi
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Relationship
Hello mam, glad to find you here. Mam, I'm a female, 27 yrs, I have been in a relationship with my partner since 9yrs, but he is from different caste. We both were immature when we started our relationship but our relationship grew stronger as time passed.We have gone through ups and downs of our relationship and are still intact. When I was into 3yrs of our relationship he was doing some odd job, at that time I told my mom about us and she said 'NO' because of caste issue irrespective of his job. Another reason is that my father is an impulsive person who thinks to harm himself whenever something happens, so mom said my father might harm himself if I go forward. At the same time there were some issues in boys family and my brother met them and he said no to it.But I couldn't get away from him, so I stayed. Later I talked to my partner about his family environment and I said that I couldn't stay with them because of the negative impact. He talked to his family and confirmed that after marriage we will lead our life under different roof but maintain the sufficient relationship with his family. We both are now settled in jobs but he earns a bit less than me but we earn a handsome salary combining our both salaries. Now, it's time for my marriage and I want to marry him and he have changed alot for me without leaving his family and he understands me very well. I feel safe with him. Now the problem is my parents wants to get me married and I also want to get married to the whom I loved but my mom and brother are not yet all giving me the chance to convince them. They are trying to convince me for marriage with others but I couldn't do that, that will kill me all my life. They are saying that if I go for intercaste then they have to suffer all their life and my father might do something to himself if he finds out. I love my family dearly and that's why I have been waiting all these years for their approval. I do not want anyone to lose their life because of me. My partner have left the decision to me because of my situation at home and he is supportive of me. My transfer is nearing where I have two options, one is to opt for my home town(not Village), where I can bring my parents to town with me to stay( now my posting is in another city). Second is to opt for different city( where I have to stay with my brother who doesn't approve of my love and blames me for his career). In order for me to convince them for my marriage should stay with my family or away from them and how can I convince them? Sorry' for the long story and I hope I hear from you.
Ans: Dear Anonymous,
Be clear about what you want and in this process/journey, there will be a lot of highs and lows...
Also, you may not be able to have the cake and eat it too which is why you are struggling at making a decision. You want to marry the man of your dreams that your parents and brother disapprove of BUT you don't want to disappoint them by going against them...You can't have one foot in two different paths...it will tear you apart; literally...
So, decide what you want, the pros and cons of going against the family...of course there are situations where over time, parents have accepted the boy/girl but there's a lot of patient waiting.
If you are in haste, they are not going to relent and you will be left feeling disappointed...
Decide and then do whatever it takes to make that decision right...

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

..Read more

Ravi

Ravi Mittal  |713 Answers  |Ask -

Dating, Relationships Expert - Answered on Oct 08, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Oct 05, 2024
Relationship
It is really difficult to explain what I am going through and my words might not completely bring that out but a piece of advice/perception might be really helpful. I am 30 years old. I have a long term boyfriend(started dating in 2012). He was the world to me till almost 2020. He was my family, my everything. I too meant the world to him. We treated each other like "I am his and he is mine". Such was the commitment and care. We never thought we could even think of marrying some one else. We are in long distance since 2017. Used to meet once in every 2 months sort of. In 2021, I met some one else and started going out with him as we were in the same city just casually believing that nothing serious has to happen between us and that I "obviously" will marry my long term boyfriend undoubtedly. But things drastically changed. I developed strong feelings for this person and met more frequently. I went with the flow despite having immense guilt that things will eventually get very complicated and all the three of us will be hurt. But I never gathered the courage to break ties with this new person as the bonding was very maturely strong between us. Nor I could break ties with my long term boyfriend as he still was "my family" and he was the only one I resorted to whenever I needed someone. The new guy belongs to a caste my family will never agree and because of this I persuaded the marriage talks with my family for my long term boyfriend. My family agreed and my marriage date is scheduled in end of November 2024. But I everyday am in dilemma as to whether should I marry my long term boyfriend as scheduled or should I take a bold step of breaking it and going for the guy I met in 2021. I told my mother about the situation but she said my father will never agree for this new guy's caste and that its too late and I should marry as scheduled. I am not able to take a decision and going with the flow and probably will get married with this dual thought and uncertainty. I have thought a lot about this, about how my life will be with both of them, but its very difficult for me to break things with my long term boyfriend even though I have no romantic feelings for him from the past 3 years. There is 0 intimacy, neither emotional nor physical. But I do care for him. I do want him in my life, whether as a husband or otherwise. I feel the way he takes care of me and thinks about me, no one else will. But the thing is I don't actually "feel" for him anything, nor do I miss him as much, we don't talk the way we used to , there's a detachment. We are in long distance and are in such different fields that we never probably will live closer location wise. There's financial disparity. I earn almost thrice as him but we probably are okay with this. We both are aware of all these problems and are still ready to marry with the "hope" that things will eventually be okay. On the other hand, the guy I met in 2021- he has a good career and location wise, we are in long distance too but way better placed and in near future, his job location might be very flexible. He earns more but has huge family obligations as his family including his two brothers are not very well off. I have probably made peace with it when I thought about considering him for marriage. I love him and we have great emotional intimacy . I feel so calm and happy around him. It's like a festival when he is around me. He too loves me a lot and is ready to take efforts to make our marriage possible given the family and caste differences. I am really very disturbed and unable to decide whether I should break the marriage as if things don't improve after marriage, I will regret it always. Preparations have started slightly and it would be a big step now. Should I just forget about the 2021 guy and marry my long term boyfriend in November hoping that things will fall in place..or.. What should I do! My long term boyfriend has also lost feelings for me but he still cares for me and he says if we work for our relationship, things will be good post marriage
Ans: Dear Anonymous,
It sounds like a difficult decision to make. But one simple thing is that you should never commit for a lifetime to a person you do not feel for; that does not mean I am asking you to leave him right away and marry the other guy. That means, you can have an open talk with your long-term BF. Tell him how you feel and let him clarify his feelings too. You can postpone the wedding to sort things out first- and think hard whether both of you want to get married at all.
Leaving one does not equate to choosing another. Choose yourself first; your happiness. You can never be happy in a relationship when you are of two minds. Please don't rush to get married to either of them.

Best Wishes.

..Read more

Shalini

Shalini Singh  |186 Answers  |Ask -

Dating Coach - Answered on May 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - May 11, 2025
Relationship
Hi Shalini ji I was in a serious relationship for 6 years with a boy whom I met on the 1st day of my college. He was from a different caste. Hence when my parents got to know they disapproved of it very strictly so I knew it wasnt going to work that easily. After sometime they started asking to get married. It was an ultimate pressure while we both were preparing for some government exams. I went through utter confusion and I got stuck between trying to study and at the same time thinking about my future with him. I was pressurised by my family including my brother and parents to leave him. Meanwhile I decided to not to carry it forward because I couldn't leave my parents for whole life to be with him because it was either him or my family. I lost all the focus towards my studies due to this decision and also started talking to some other boy (he was from my own caste accidently) whom I met accidentally at an exam centre for comfort. I got a brief moments of happiness with him. I confide my pain in him. Suddenly something happened in my family ,between my parents. And my mother started acting like you can choose your own partner for life because somehow she lost trust on my father. She even was comfortable with my brother's marriage with the one whom he loves. Now I feel completely betrayed because for them I left love of my life and got into another relationship with the boy I met at an exam center ( which now I feel was a hasty decision as I felt alone and depressed). Now no one talks about my real love and what i think about it for the future. I am in a complete state of repentance. I feel like I betrayed him. Now when i think of getting back to him I hesitate a lot because I think that I took a wrong decision due to the pressure and under stress. The person I am with now, I feel is not what I wanted as a partner and I feel that he is not mentally supportive. I wnat to leave him as well. What should I do now to be happy?
Ans: 1. Happiness is in your hand
2. You sound like an adult, over 21 and someone who knows what is right and what is not - so take action
3. If you are not happy in your current relationship, come out of it.
4. If you wish to reconnect with your earlier partner do so, but keep in mind he may not be single and if he is he will not be how you knew him, as in he will come with his own experience of life.

all the best.

..Read more

Latest Questions
Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |11091 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Mar 31, 2026

Money
I am Snehansu Ranjan Roy. I am holding one Motilal oswal midcap mutual fund for more than One year now. Initially it was going well in 2024-25. By by end of 2025 the fund was loosing steam and now has lost almost 15% from its peak. Now I understand that due to low return in IT stocks in their port folio the fund is underperforming. I would like your advice as to hold on for some more time now or switch gradually from this fund to some Multi asset fund which are giving better returns in todays market, since I was thing of starting SwP from the fund since it is more than one year now. Thanking you, Snehansu Ranjan Roy.
Ans: You have taken a very thoughtful step by reviewing your mutual fund performance after one year and also thinking about starting SWP. This shows good financial awareness and discipline. Many investors react emotionally during mid-cap corrections, but you are analysing calmly. That is a strong positive sign.

Now let us evaluate your situation properly before deciding whether to hold or switch.

» Understanding why your midcap fund is correcting

– Midcap funds normally move faster up and also faster down compared to large cap funds
– A 15% fall from peak is not unusual in midcap category
– Underperformance due to sector exposure like IT is usually temporary, not permanent
– Fund performance should be judged across one full market cycle (minimum 3–5 years)

So one year is too short a time to judge a midcap strategy.

Many midcap funds corrected during late 2025 because valuations became high earlier. This correction is part of the cycle.

» Whether starting SWP from a midcap fund is suitable now

This is a very important point.

SWP works best when:

– fund volatility is low
– returns are stable
– downside risk is limited

Midcap funds do not match these conditions.

If SWP starts from a volatile fund:

– units get redeemed during market fall
– long-term growth reduces
– capital erosion risk increases

So starting SWP from a midcap fund is generally not ideal.

» Whether shifting gradually to a multi asset fund makes sense

Your thinking here is practical and mature.

Multi asset funds invest across:

– equity
– debt
– gold and sometimes other assets

Because of this:

– volatility reduces
– downside risk becomes lower
– SWP sustainability improves
– emotional comfort increases

This category is suitable especially when investor wants income stability along with moderate growth.

So your idea of gradual switching is sensible.

» How to switch in a safer way

Instead of switching full amount immediately:

– shift gradually in 4 to 6 stages
– spread switching across few months
– continue holding some portion in midcap for growth
– move SWP portion into multi asset category

This keeps balance between growth and stability.

» Tax impact before switching

Since your holding period crossed one year:

– gains become long term capital gains
– tax applies only if gains exceed Rs 1.25 lakh in a financial year
– LTCG tax rate is 12.5% beyond exemption limit

So gradual switching helps manage tax efficiently.

» A balanced strategy suitable for your stage

Considering your approach and your earlier planning style shared in previous discussions:

– keep midcap allocation for long-term growth
– move SWP portion into multi asset category
– maintain some exposure to flexi-cap category for stability plus growth
– avoid withdrawing aggressively during market correction phase

This creates both income comfort and capital protection.

» When you should continue holding the midcap fund

Continue holding if:

– investment horizon is more than 3 years
– fund management quality remains consistent
– correction is sector-specific not structural
– portfolio still aligned with your risk level

Selling only because of short-term underperformance is usually not beneficial.

» Finally

Your thinking about risk reduction before starting SWP is correct and timely. Instead of exiting the midcap fund completely, a partial and gradual shift towards a multi asset category is a more balanced and practical solution. This helps you protect capital, support SWP stability, and still keep long-term growth opportunity alive.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramalingamcfp/

...Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |11091 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Mar 31, 2026

Money
I am 70 yrs old. No financial commitment right now. Retired from Bank 10 yrs ago. I am expecting around 1.00 cr from immovable property sale. Please suggest, where I can invest.
Ans: You are in a comfortable and strong position at age 70. Having no financial commitments and receiving about Rs 1 crore from property sale gives you a valuable opportunity to create stable income for life and protect capital for future medical needs and family support. This stage requires capital protection first, income second, growth third.

Below is a structured approach suitable for your age and situation.

» First Priority – Keep Emergency Medical Reserve Separate

Before investing the full amount:

– Keep about Rs 10–15 lakh in safe and liquid options
– This amount should be available immediately for health needs
– It should not be linked to market movement
– This gives peace of mind and avoids forced withdrawals later

At age 70, this step is very important.

» Second Priority – Monthly Income Planning

Your investment should generate regular income without risk to capital stability.

Suggested approach:

– Allocate around 40% into conservative mutual funds suitable for income withdrawal
– Start Systematic Withdrawal Plan (monthly income)
– Withdraw only moderate amount so capital lasts longer

This helps create pension-like income without locking money permanently.

» Third Priority – Stability Allocation

Another 30–35% can be placed in safe interest-oriented instruments like:

– senior citizen eligible deposit structures
– post office backed income options
– short-duration debt-oriented mutual funds

Purpose:

– predictable returns
– low volatility
– steady support income

» Fourth Priority – Growth Portion (Important Even at 70)

Even at age 70, some allocation to growth is necessary because:

– inflation reduces purchasing power
– medical costs rise every year
– life expectancy now extends beyond 85

So allocate about 20–25% into carefully selected diversified equity-oriented mutual funds through staggered investment.

This portion protects long-term wealth value.

» Avoid Investing Entire Amount in One Option

Many retirees make this mistake:

– putting full amount into deposits
– locking full amount into one scheme
– giving money for high-return private offers
– lending to relatives without structure

Diversification is the protection shield at this stage.

» Tax Efficiency Planning Is Important

Property sale creates capital gains implications.

So before investing:

– calculate capital gains tax properly
– explore legal reinvestment strategies available
– structure investments in phases instead of lump sum deployment

This preserves more of your wealth.

» Nomination and Estate Planning Must Be Updated

Since you have no commitments now:

– ensure nominee details are correct
– prepare a simple Will
– document investment structure clearly
– inform family members where records are stored

This prevents confusion later.

» Suggested Allocation Structure (Simple Model)

A balanced structure may look like:

– 10–15% emergency reserve
– 30–35% stable income options
– 40% income-support mutual funds
– 20–25% growth mutual funds

This creates:

– monthly income
– liquidity
– inflation protection
– capital safety balance

» Health Insurance Check

Even if you already have coverage:

– review whether coverage is sufficient today
– add top-up if required
– keep separate medical reserve anyway

Medical inflation is the biggest risk after retirement.

» Finally

At age 70, the goal is not maximum return. The goal is steady income, capital protection, and independence with dignity. With proper allocation of this Rs 1 crore, you can comfortably create reliable income support for the rest of your life while preserving wealth for future needs and family support.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramalingamcfp/

...Read more

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

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