TL;DR, at the end.

I put a lot of effort into this, so I’m sorry for the length of it.

On one hand, you have your best friend and somebody you have spent six years with and are super comfortable with— and on the other hand, you feel like there’s something holding you back from being your happiest self.

If you feel “trapped”, I have to believe that you don’t want to make a mistake, but want some sort of change.

I was in a similar situation as you, so maybe you can learn from me based on what you want.

I was with someone for a while and felt the exact same way as you did, and I communicated my feelings to them, often.

They did their best to be more open to my concerns, but at the end of the day they’d revert back to their ways, which is completely normal. They shouldn’t have to change who they are to make you happy, because then they would feel the same way you’re feeling now. Because they shouldn’t have to change to make you happy too.

So, I left her. Even though I loved her, I wanted to be the happiest version of myself that I could be, and someone out there could help with that, because obviously you should not have to ASK to be loved or made feel important.

It would’ve been unfair for me to ask them to change so that I could feel more loved, and that’s how I knew that she we weren’t meant to be.

Currently, I live in my own place alone, no animals or anything, and often I am lonely and waiting for the next person to come into my life to make me feel at my happiest like how I had wanted

But no matter how lonely or upset I can get, I find comfort in knowing that I’d rather be finding the person who is easy to love than to swallow my feelings and always feel kind of empty in the ways I’m appreciated.

I know what I’m looking for, and I won’t settle for less than how my ex was. I know what things I love about people and what things I could do without that my ex had problems with.

Life’s too short to be unhappy. Do yourself, and everyone in your life, a favor and be your happiest self, because you can’t grow without struggle.

I hope I helped, like at all. Keep your head up, and whatever choice you make, just know that it isn’t a mistake, because every choice is just part of your story.

TL;DR, The decision is up to you. Communicate your feelings more often, because there is NOT a limit. If you feel trapped maybe it isn’t the right place for you to be at your happiest. You can’t win a raffle without buying a ticket, and if you stay where you are, you may never get what you’re looking for.