How can I start changing my mindset? I recently got out of a “relationship,” though calling it that makes me cringe since we were really just exclusively dating. It started off pretty strong. Before we met, she told me she had HSV-2 (Herpes 2), which is considered the “bad” one. She was just unlucky, but I didn’t let that define her. I genuinely cared about her.

In the end, she was the one who ended things. I know what I did wrong, I wasn’t confident enough with her. She was my first partner in a while, and I messed up. I didn’t take her out enough, and I wasn’t as “manly” or assertive as I should’ve been. I let my guard down because I caught feelings.

Looking back, I realize that if I had met her at another point in my life, things might not have ended so quickly. Now I want to start dating again, build consistency, and learn how to be confident. Should I start going out to bars, or focus on learning how to network better?