How do you leave a long-term partner who loves you?

I recently got a divorce. Six months into the marriage I knew, he and I were just not fit for each other. My ex-husband is a gentle kind person and apart from being madly in love with me, I was his first love. I waited another year to see if my feelings change. Maybe I wasn't happy myself and sabotage the relationship. After a year, I found myself in happiness state but I still didn't want a relationship with him. I felt guilty but I knew I won't be that person for him, I just didn't feel it, I never did, I married because we had the same values and it was comfortable with him. I told him what I felt, he was very devastated, we cried and felt so miserable why can't we make this work.

Fast forward a year and a half later since I told him, we now become ex, we are happy with our new partner, and though he didn't believe it when I told him, you will find a woman that suits you better than I do, he is now with that person and much more happy than he was with me :) We remain very good friends (more like family now) and I am very glad I stood my ground to end this relationship even though it was full of doubt, tears and misery.

/r/AskWomenOver30 Thread