Most people don’t want to set themselves up for a heartbreak, yet, as relationship coach Louanne Ward points out, ignoring this one statement could lead to a lot of pain later on.

In a TikTok video she shared last year, Ward explained that this single line is a major warning sign.

It’s something both men and women should be cautious about if they’re seeking a long-term partner.

Fortunately, the relationship coach provided a breakdown of what the person is actually conveying with this statement and shared a few suggestions on how to handle it.

During her social media video, she stated: “When somebody says, ‘I don’t want to hurt you’ what they’re really saying is that they believe that you have more feelings for them than what they have for you.”

 

The phrase is something both men and women need to look out forGetty Stock Image

Ward continued by explaining the reasoning behind why someone who doesn’t see a future with you might say this. She stressed the importance of evaluating your relationship and considering what kind of future you envision with them.

She further elaborated: “If someone doesn’t see you as potential for a long-term relationship and they don’t have strong enough feelings for you they can see that they are potentially going to hurt you.”

“If you hear that line, it is time for you to get serious and ask ‘what am I doing with this person?’.”

 

The relationship expert said after hearing the phrase it is important to reassessGetty Stock Image

She also pointed out that, no matter how they phrase it, if someone says this to you, it’s likely that they’re going to hurt you in the end, especially if you choose to stay where you are, as Ward advised.