Winning someone’s heart isn’t always as easy as it seems, and these guys learned that the hard way. Here are 10 stories of rejection, awkward moments, and missteps, but each one walked away with self-acceptance.
- At 7, I tried to impress a girl on Valentine’s Day by using baby powder, but when I nervously vomited on her, I blurted out, “I love you!” She didn’t feel the same.
- I was led on by a girl who wanted a giant teddy bear. For Valentine’s Day, I wore a bear costume and handed out roses, which made a lot of people happy—even if the girl didn’t appreciate it.
- While trying to get a girl’s number in a nightclub, my iPhone 3G flew out of my hand and reset. I walked away in shame, unaware that the girl was laughing from afar.
- I once placed candy on a doorknob to impress a girl, but I walked away too quickly to see the result.
- I tried to impress a girl with a rhyme, but she pointed out, “Sydney and pretty don’t rhyme.” It was a huge failure.
- At 20, I made a giant heart-shaped cardboard sign to surprise my girlfriend on Valentine’s Day, wearing a red shirt and painting my face. Thankfully, she thought it was cute.
- After reconnecting with a girl from high school, I bought her a huge teddy bear she once mentioned wanting. She felt uncomfortable, so I had to return it after an awkward drive.
- I once sent money to a long-distance girlfriend who cheated on me. My boss, after seeing me cry at work, comforted me with, “We all do stupid things in the name of love.”
- I messaged a girl on Facebook at 14, saying, “You’re really cute.” She responded with, “You’re really not, bye.” It broke my heart.
- I gave up my own academic success to help my girlfriend with her thesis, but she dumped me after graduation for someone else. It cost me years of catching up.
While these moments were painful, each man learned the importance of self-respect and moving on.
