Seeking Advice About Love, Growth, and Letting Go (F22 break up with M26)

Hi everyone,

I’m a 22-year-old woman, and I recently went through a really emotional breakup with my boyfriend of a year and a half. He’s 26, and we had a healthy, loving relationship, but we both realized that we needed time to grow as individuals. We’ve decided to let go, at least for now, even though it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

I’ve been in therapy for a while now and continue to work on my self-esteem and personal growth, and he’s just starting to seek therapy himself. Letting him go feels impossible because I still love him so much, and we’ve even talked about the possibility of revisiting our relationship in the future. Still, I know we can’t grow together the way we need to right now.

It feels like we loved each other enough to let go, but that doesn’t make the pain any easier. I can’t stop wondering if I’m making a mistake or if this is the right thing for both of us.

I wanted to ask this community if anyone has been through something similar. Have you ever parted ways with someone you loved deeply, either to grow as individuals or because it wasn’t the right time? Did you come back together later, or did you find peace and move on? How did you navigate the uncertainty of what the future might hold?

TL;DR: I’m 22, my ex is 26, and we just ended our year-and-a-half-long relationship because we both need time to grow and heal. I’ve been in therapy and continue to work on myself, and he’s just starting to seek help. I still love him so much I can’t see ahead. We loved each other enough to let go, but I can’t stop wondering if I’m making a mistake. Have you ever been in a similar situation? Did you reunite, or did you find peace in moving forward?

Thank you so much for your advice and stories.