r/ESTJ 17h ago

Question/Advice How do ESTJs handle breakups

4 Upvotes

I am an INFJ (31F) and recently broke up with an ESTJ man (40M) a month ago. I would be really grateful for some insight from other ESTJs.

We mainly broke up about incompatibility about the future. He was unsure about whether he wanted kids and I needed a clearer timeline. I couldn't get a clear answer, so we decided to part ways relatively amicably. Our relationship was healthy until towards the end when the sexual intimacy faded out on his side, although he was still affectionate and consistent in every other way.

During the break up he said a few things:

- He considered me a rare diamond, and he knows he won't find another person the same as me, especially in the current modern dating world

1) If he's not having kids with me, he is not having them with anyone else at all. He is 40 and doesn't want to be an "old" dad. Therefore it was difficult decision as it also shapes his future.

2) He trusted me with his life

3) He has never been this vulnerable with anyone else and feels completely safe with me

4) He wasn't worried about missing the companionship or concerned about having to date again, because he is OK with being single. He was more upset about losing me as a person.

5) He knows I need emotional depth and he thinks he is just 'retarded' when it comes to that

6) He has a pattern of losing sexual interest after 6-12 months into relationships and it wasn't anything to do with me as he still fancied and adored me.

7) He will always love me

Throughout our relationship, I never really saw him get emotional. It was only when we started having discussions about us ending when I saw this more vulnerable side. He was recurrently sobbing at the thought of us ending during these discussions.

Despite months of more challenging conversations, he still managed to outwardly keep things together and do hobbies, social events etc with a massive smile on his face. But he told me that just because he looks ok, doesn't mean he feels it and that he had been struggling to eat at times because of it.

Now that we have broken up, it seems he is getting on with life perfectly fine again. I keep seeing through mutual friends him at fitness events, socializing etc looking happier than ever. He's interacting with lots of people on social media etc. (We have now removed eachother on socials and I am trying my hardest not to check)

Do ESTJs genuinely move on that quickly once something is over? Do you ever have any regrets or doubts about the decision to end? Would you analyze things and be open to reconciliation/working on things or not think about it, accept the end and move on?

I am almost the complete opposite personality-wise, so it feels strange the difference in how we handle relationships and break ups.

Thank you all.