Maybe you’ve gone on several dates that seemed to go well, only for the guys to start avoiding you afterward. Or maybe you’re used to men acting all interested in you without attempting to ask you out. It might seem like a man’s world, but many men are intimated by assertive, confident, successful women who have their lives together. They may be too proud to admit they find you intimidating, but these signs should tell you all you need to know.
- You catch them looking at you but they never make a move. If you feel like a guy is flirting with you a lot without taking that next step and asking you out, that might be a sign that into you but slightly intimidated. You’ll catch him stealing glances at you whenever he can and doing things to catch your attention, but he won’t admit how much he likes you because he thinks you’re out of his league.
- They turn every interaction into a competition. Sometimes, you meet a guy and it seems like everything you do has a score line and points attached to it. Rather than feeling like his girlfriend, he makes you feel like his opponent. If you talk about something cool you did, he’ll try to outdo by mentioning some cooler activity he engaged in. He wants you to think of him as an equal or get you to be intimated by him, but he’s really just insecure.
- They always bring an escape plan to your hangouts. Have ever been with a guy who always brings a friend whenever he comes to hang or talk to you? Or maybe he always makes some excuse about being busy and having other appointments during your dates so he can escape when becomes too uncomfortable? It’s not that he finds you boring, he just doesn’t think he’s interesting enough to hold your attention for a long time or all by himself.
- They carry out research on you. When a guy likes you but finds you intimidating, he’ll try to learn as much as he can about you so the thought of interacting with you is less terrifying. He’ll ask your friends questions about you and dig deep into your social media pages just so he can learn about your past experiences, likes, dislikes, and all that jazz. Take his efforts as a compliment and figure out if you like him too.
- They endlessly toot their own horns. Most guys tend to brag a lot to overcompensate for being intimidated by a girl that they like. They don’t feel like they’re good enough for you so they start exaggerating their accomplishments and singing praises for themselves. Some may even resort to outright lying just to get you to think they’re a suitable mate. It’s up to you to decide if you want that kind of energy around.
- They get nervous when you’re in the room. You know how you can’t stop playing with your fingers or hair and you keep stumbling on your words when you’re in the presence of your crush? Guys act that way when they’re intimated by you. It’s obvious that they like you, but they haven’t worked up the courage to approach you yet. You might have to make the first move if you like him too or just wait for him to grow a pair.
- They agree with almost everything you say. The only person who is more agreeable than a guy who’s trying to get you to go out with him is a guy who’s intimidated by you. Oh, you have a favorite TV show? He’s going to say he loves it too even though he’s never seen a single episode. This kind of behavior can be patronizing and annoying, but it usually passes. The more he gets to know you, the more confident he’ll become.
- They avoid eye contact with you. If you notice that guys tend to avoid looking you in the eyes, that might be because they feel intimidated. It’s not your fault. You’re not doing anything to make him afraid of you. He might just be naturally shy or scared of approaching you and getting rejected. You might have to wait for them to get to know you a little better before they stop being so tense around you.
- They throw your achievements in your face. I dated a guy who used to make fun of my successes and hold them against me whenever we had an argument. He tried to make me feel bad about what I had accomplished because he felt inadequate and he blamed me for that feeling. He just couldn’t find a healthy way to process the fact that I was farther along in life than he was. The right guy wouldn’t need you to tone down your success for him. Any guy who does is not worth your time and love.
