Relationships are wonderful things, but they certainly aren’t easy!
For every relationship that goes the distance, there are several which fall by the wayside. Most of us go through our share of heartbreak in our lives, before we finally meet the one who isn’t interested in playing games, but what do you do in the meantime whilst all of the drama and games are being played?
You become better than the player, that’s what!
Understanding what is going on in your realtionship is vital if you want to side-step the drama and save your precious time. One tactic which is being used more and more these days is something called ‘breadcrumbing’.
What is Breadcrumbing?
No, it has nothing to do with bread and a lot to do with metaphorical crumbs! Breadcrumbing is basically ‘stringing someone along’ and giving them hints of what they need, just enough to keep them hanging on. The problem is, the person doing the breadcrumbing has no intention of a serious relationship, and they’re doing it for their own ego.
A good example of breadcrumbing is someone who you chat to on social media quite a lot, you flirt constantly and the conversation occasionally gets quite steamy, but you never actually get towards that first date. As you start to walk away, the person suddenly senses it and starts dropping more crumbs, keeping you hanging on.
That’s just one example, and breadcrumbing can happen in a wide range of situations, work included. So, how can you identify whether you’re being strung along, a victim of the breadcrumbing trend?
Signs You’re Being Breadcrumbed
If you want to avoid heartbreak, look for these signs.
Messages are hit and miss, and don’t really mean anything
If someone is sending you messages irregularly, i.e. not on a regular basis, and when you receive a message it doesn’t have much substance, that’s a certain sign of breadcrumbing. They’re keeping you hanging, making you hope for more, but it never really comes.
If you do meet, it’s simply a booty call and not much else
Someone who uses breadcrumbing is often terrified of commitment, so if you do meet up, it’s likely to be for “fun” and not much else. This situation is very unlikely to lead to a relationship, especially if the person has no intention of trying to get to know you on a deeper level.
They don’t commit to any plans
Moving on from the last point, any suggestion you make about meeting up or going somewhere is met with a “uh-huh” and a non-comimttal shrug. They are very hard to pin down and they’re highly unlikely to suggest anything spontaneous to do together. You’re always the one making suggestions and they rarely come to fruition, but they give you enough of a hint that it might, to keep you waiting.
You have a gut feeling that things aren’t right
You should always listen to your gut, and if it’s telling you that something isn’t quite right, it’s time to walk away. Being breadcrumbed doesn’t feel good, and it’s likely to make you feel like you did something wrong but you can’t quite figure out what. You’re also likely to feel upset and confused much of the time. It’s not worth it!
Texts are usually replied to at odd hours
If you find that you’re getting texts late at night, or you get replies many hours after you sent them, this isn’t a person who is waiting for your call. It’s tough to take, but in this case you should cut your losses and move on. Late night texts really only mean one thing – booty call hooks ups. You’re worth more than that!
These are very common signs of breadcrumbing. Put simply, if someone is always giving you hope but never really delivers, it’s time to lift your hand and wave goodbye. Breadcrumbs aren’t worth it, you want the whole loaf!
