Woman Dumping Boyfriend After He Bought a Cruise for Her Birthday Backed

The internet has backed a woman who broke up with her boyfriend after he bought her expensive cruise tickets for her birthday.

In a post shared on Reddit in October, under the username u/Helpful-Minimum8496, she explained that she hates cruises because she always gets sick at sea, so when she found out about the tickets she politely declined. Her boyfriend, however, wouldn’t give up.

She wrote: “I asked him why did he get me tickets for a cruise when he knows that I get seasick and also when he knows that I have been preparing for a Renfaire Festival for a couple of months. He said that he always liked cruises when he went on them and he thought that I could push through it with patches or some other remedy because it was a really expensive cruise.”

“Seasickness is a result of a conflict in the inner ear, where the human balance mechanism resides, and is caused by a vessel’s erratic motion on the water,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration writes on its website.

Symptoms usually occur in the first 12 to 24 hours after setting sail, and dissipate once the body acclimates to the ship’s motion. They can be magnified by the strong odors of things like diesel fumes and fish. It’s rare to stay ill beyond the first couple of days at sea unless the waves are rough.

At this point, the poster realized that for the past six months, her boyfriend had been nothing but selfish, putting himself and his needs first, and so the day after their fight she gave him a list of all the times he put his needs and wants above hers, and then she broke up with him.

“He’s still not accepting the breakup,” she said, adding: “He wants to do couples therapy now or even go on a break because he realizes how much he has done but NOPE, I’m not doing it. I’m not trying to be mean or harsh to him but I don’t want to give him false hope. I also feel weirdly ok but also numb at the same time.

“What I have to deal with now is breaking the lease which he isn’t willing to do because he thinks we can move past this. So I’m going to talk to the leasing office and see my options. At least I have my birthday to look forward to as I deal with a relationship ending and having to find a new place to live.”

Marni Goldman, certified life coach and author of True to Myself: Peace, Love, Marni, told Newsweek that it takes an incredible amount of courage and self-respect to walk away from a relationship that no longer serves your best interests.

She said: “In this case, the woman’s decision to end the relationship was driven by the understanding that her boyfriend’s selfishness and disregard for her feelings were not conducive to a fulfilling and supportive partnership.

“Of course, he cannot accept the break-up, he loved the sense of control. He became accustomed to having a sense of power and/or dominance over her emotions and decisions. When she clearly expressed her dislike for going on a cruise due to motion sickness, he disregarded her wishes and purchased the tickets anyway.

“Moreover, he played the victim and completely invalidated her feelings. Typical narcissistic behavior, making it all about him. The woman has shown just such strength, ending the six months of toxic behavior.”

According to Goldman, the poster’s decision not only reflects her resilience but also her dedication to self-care and personal growth.

“Observing her journey, it’s impossible not to be inspired. Many of us see the ‘red flags,’ however, we tend to turn them pink, putting ourselves through unnecessary toxic behavior. It’s so motivating watching someone having their ‘aha moment’ and taking their power back,” she said.

“So, here’s to her, for taking control of her life and choosing to prioritize her well-being over a toxic relationship. You go, girl! Stay strong! You’ve set a powerful example for women to know their worth and add taxes!”

The post quickly went viral on the platform, receiving over 7,500 upvotes and 445 comments. One user, BlazingSunflowerland, commented: “When he told her he thought she could just push through with patches it said everything she needed to know. He knew it wouldn’t be good for her.

“She wouldn’t need to push through if it was even just neutral. His words summed up his selfishness. I’m glad that OP realized this was a huge dealbreaker.”

And Kalamishi said: “Not accepting the breakup YOU want is the ultimate thing he is doing despite your desires.”

Agirlisarya01 added: “So he’s still prioritizing his wishes over yours, and wondering why you’re not running back to him? What a narcissistic clown.

“Breakups don’t need to be unanimously agreed on, so it’s hilarious that he thinks he can just veto it. A+ job of knowing your worth by kicking that mediocre man to the curb, queen. If he’s this bad now, there is no point in going any further. You deserve so much better. I hope that you have an amazing birthday without him.”

Newsweek reached out to Helpful-Minimum8496 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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