Dear Eric: I began dating a very nice man a few months ago. He is pleasant, cheerful, respectful and good-looking. Any woman would fall head over heels in love with him. But not me. I need to break up with a very nice man, and I don’t want to hurt him.

I need to break up with a very nice man, and I don’t want to hurt him. All our conversations revolve around him. I’m an audience for him, not a partner. He seems to have zero physical attraction to me.

You can, if you want, go into the ways that you’re incompatible with each other. But you really don’t have to. Part of having adult relationships is knowing that dating doesn’t always work out. You can be kind and respectful while still being clear about what you need.