Confused by “casual” situation; am I overthinking or is this inconsistent?
Hi everyone, I (25F, turning 26) recently started casually dating after leaving a relationship. I made it clear to myself that I didn’t want anything serious right now, just something light and enjoyable. I met a guy (23M) who was very intentional at first—consistent texting, planning dates, driving to see me, and we had a great first connection (we spent about 6 hours together talking and I really enjoyed him). After that, his energy shifted. He started texting less and being less consistent. When I brought up what we were doing, he said he wanted something “casual/companionship” and that I wasn’t a priority (he later rephrased it, but the message felt the same).
The confusing part is that when we see each other, it still feels intimate—we’ll cuddle, he’ll sleep over, etc.—but there isn’t always consistent affection or clarity outside of that.Now I feel anxious and overthink things when I see him. I like him, but I don’t feel relaxed in the dynamic anymore. I also don’t want to keep bringing up “what are we” conversations because I feel like I already did that.Am I overthinking this, or is this just inconsistent energy that doesn’t really align with casual dating? Should I step back or just match his energy and keep it light?