He continues to be sweet, clearly open to happiness, high energy and delightful. I'm still trying to get my head around how much life change could be ahead if this continues.
I notice I'm retreating to the womb (bed, pooch, escapism) again but not panicking about it. So I overall am okay though T is wanting to dig into the things that may be contributing to my paralysis behavior. I need to be willing to do that.
uh.... Hops? Any chance you're just so close to those things that paralyze you, you're not seeing it? That the feelings are so refreshing intense and positive, that your normal thought processes are a bit discombobulated?
Re-read above... especially what I've bolded. Your words.
MOST people can be paralyzed when they're overwhelmed - either a seriously huge life change, or too many things that all seem equally important, all at one time, and no one to delegate decisions to. It sure happens to me, all the time!
(pick a day; I'll not do a blessed thing because I can't deal with so many things to prioritize! Then, I'll just see some LITTLE, I mean blessed tiny thing, wouldn't even make anyone else's list... that I "wanted" to do, to please or suit myself - sometimes just straightening a picture... and voila... the paralysis spell is broken.)
My advice for you (custom-designed):
For the time being - you only just met the guy - rank the priority of "future life changes" the very LAST thing on the importance list. You don't have to; it isn't a good idea; and I don't recommend... making a decision about something SO important, like that NOW. NOW, isn't the right time to get into the process of making that decision. The real important decisions CAN BE, SHOULD BE postponed until you are clear in your mind/feelings/understanding all the details involved.
NOW, you observe... you actually feel... and plan regular (like weekly) 10 min/20 min cocoon sessions to assess and take stock cognitively, and analyze what's going on with you. (So you don't short-change that side of yourself for attention and to properly observe any red flags she might be waving.) And let yourself get swept off your feet in the meantime...
because you can DO IT. Because you AREN'T going to let yourself fall... that's what those short, time-limited "check in with my feelings/better judgement" sessions are for, right? You still want what you want long term, but until you've experienced being IN a relationship - which this is not yet; you're just seeing each other, enjoying yourself and getting to know each other - you won't know enough about him, you and how you are together to decide if this is THE relationship you want to sign on to.
Maybe I'm way too careful (others would say paranoid) to the point that I'm not even able to get replies from anyone on any of those dating sites (oh sure, the young, young men... who don't know any better; I'm not the cougar type) SO... please add salt to taste regarding my advice and realize who it's coming from.
There is no obligation or expectation that the advice must be taken. LOL. Your money back! Exactly what you paid for MY "two cents worth" of opinion.
----------------- ETA-----
What I meant to say, before I got so carried away with being tickled silly pink for you...
is that only TIME and EXPERIENCE will tell, if you'll even be in a position to entertain the POSSIBILITY of wanting|needing|deciding about....... "life changes", with this guy.
