Sometimes, people just don’t get the memo that you want absolutely nothing to do with them. You can hint at this truth in all sorts of delicate and respectful ways, while they obliviously go about their business pretending that you enjoy their company just as much as they are apparently lavishing in yours. And when delicate and respectful methods fail, you may find yourself escalating to more clear and direct means of communication, laying out your boundaries like it was an instruction manual for disassembling their ridiculous delusions, which of course it is. And yet — some people still won’t get it. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a person telling you that you’re “in denial” because you say you don’t want a relationship with them, then you will understand how frustrating, even frightening, their level of denial can truly be. It is at this point that you can and should say something that communicates the truth of how you really feel, no matter how rude or blunt it seems, and no matter how much it departs from your normally kind and empathic nature. Now that I’m thinking about it, get the heck away from me, please might be a touch too polite! So leave off the “please,” at your discretion. And if this crystal-clear phrasing still doesn’t work at keeping your delusional admirer at bay? Don’t hesitate to simply start ignoring them, leaving a trail of read receipts in your wake. That’s right: let them see that you see them, and you are actively choosing not to respond. In some ways, blocking is for cowards who are too afraid to confront the issue. But actively choosing to say no, in the form of your expressed indifference, sends a powerful message. You can’t be bothered, so neither should they. For both of your sakes, I hope they finally get the memo. ❤️‍🔥—Y.B.D.