6. “I want to understand how valuable you are to me, so I need some space.”
This is something you can say when your relationship has cooled down. The ostensible goal of this method is that you will realize how important your boyfriend is to you, which is what he hopes will happen. However, since you run the risk of giving him hope for the relationship, it is possible that he won’t be emotionally ready when you tell him you want to break up, and your breakup plans might hit a snag.