You make a great point Dejavu. Think about Godzilla in the old movies walking through and destroying the cities. If he were to stop and think hmmmm maybe I shouldn’t have done that? How would he go about repairing those cities he destroyed. Odds are he would just walk back into the ocean and disappear underwater.
Eagle one of the DB mantras IMO that can get people stuck is believe nothing they say and half of what they do. Your Exh has been honest with you. Believe what he is telling you right now. Can how he feels change? Absolutely! IMO it isn’t going to be anytime soon.
Maybe start to think if you want to stand or move forward. DNJ is a great example of a stander who leads a fulfilling life. If you want to move forward heal and then start dating again Dejavu is a great example to follow. There are lots of different ways to go about your life but right now IMO you need strong boundaries with your exh. Remember the definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again expecting a different result.
Just remember that no matter what you are going to be fine.