I could really use some assistance, please! [23M] and [21F]
I (M23) met my girlfriend (F21) in August of last year, and we just celebrated five months together last weekend. She is completely in love with me, but after a conversation with my parents last week, I can’t shake the feeling that I need to end things. She is a truly wonderful person—caring, kind, and thoughtful. However, I fear that’s where it ends. She lacks ambition and doesn’t challenge me intellectually. I crave a relationship where I can grow together with my partner. Currently, she's stuck in a dead-end job and expresses a desire to find something new, yet she hasn’t taken any steps toward that goal. Meanwhile, I’ve recently relocated across the country to begin my career as an aircraft engineer, and my life is about to take off (no pun intended). While I’m 200 miles away pursuing my dreams, she remains at home with her parents, working a job without aspirations beyond wanting to start a family someday. Right now, she's feeling quite low due to her job situation, has only one friend, struggles with anxiety, and deals with severe eczema. She adores me, and the last thing I want to do is break her heart. I genuinely like her as a person—she's amazing—but sadly, I don't think she can fulfill my needs. I don’t want to spend my life feeling like I’m her caretaker. My parents, along with my sisters and friends, are suggesting I end the relationship for those reasons, which makes me feel even worse. To complicate matters, I live away for work and won’t see her in person for another 10 days. Should I consider breaking up with her? If I do, how should I handle our messages and FaceTime calls during this time? I’m heartbroken over how I feel. Every time we FaceTime and she’s excited to see me, the guilt washes over me, making it feel as though I’m spending time with a pet that doesn’t realize it’s about to be let go. It’s an awful feeling. I really need unbiased advice. Thanks for listening—any guidance would be greatly appreciated. x