Ending a relationship is never easy. It doesn’t matter if you’re the dumper or the dumpee (er, ok, maybe it does) there are probably going to be a lot of emotions whirling around when you’re in the midst of a break-up. Those wild emotions might explain why so many people backslide from a break-up into a reconciliation. As a matter of fact, 50% of break-ups do end up in a make up.
There can be good reasons to reconcile after a break-up. Maybe you realized you really love each other, or that the single life is not all it’s cracked up to be. If you’d like to make sure your break-up sticks, however, there a few things you can do to help make sure that you’ll never (ever) get back together.
Delete their contact from your phone
This can seem like a drastic step, but it’s sort of like throwing away the corn chips you keep stashed in the back of your cupboard before you go on a diet. You’re removing temptation. If you want to take a it a step further, you can unfriend him on all your social media accounts as well. The only guaranteed way to avoid drunk texting him is to delete his contact info.
Go somewhere
Sure, they say absence can make the heart grow fonder, but travel can really expand your horizons. So consider getting out of town and putting some geographical distance between you and your former love. Breathe fresh air, see fresh sights, check out fresh whole meals—you get the idea. Sometimes the best thing you can do to leave the past behind is remind yourself that there’s a whole new world out there you haven’t made out with yet.
Get busy
No, not that kind of busy. Actually, do go for that kind of busy if you feel like it. Beyond dating, though, consider finding a new activity to help you fill some of those hours you used to spend with your ex. Take a self-defense class, learn a new language, join a bowling league. Just do something new. It will give you something to focus on, something to spend some of your free time doing and thinking about. And you might actually just have a great time!
Cleanse
This can be very literal or very metaphorical, or both! Try to purge the remnants of your former love from your life. That might mean cleaning out her drawer in your dresser and mailing her stuff back, or throwing away her toothbrush. Get rid of the things that remind you of her presence in your life. Sometimes that can even mean trying to cleanse your thoughts from time-to-time. Try meditation or just little wellness breaks. Concentrate on the good things in your life, the things you want to hold onto, and just let your ex go—literally and metaphorically.
