Staying Friends With an Ex

Many singles wonder if it is possible to stay friends with an ex. The short answer is a qualified “yes.” It’s not always possible (or advisable.) If you’d like to stay pals with your ex, here are some tips to guide you.

Don’t Offer Friendship as a Way to Soften the Blow
Let’s face it, sometimes break ups don’t go very well. The person may get extremely upset, and being the good-natured people we are, we may want to soften the blow. An easy way to do this is to tell the person that you’d like to remain friends. But don’t say this if you really don’t mean it. A better option to say is, “Perhaps in time, we can go back to being friends.” This slight change in wording will allow you to be totally honest.

Don’t Expect Friendship to be Immediate
One reason staying friends with an ex doesn’t work is because singles try and rush it. They break up and instantly think they can pal around with their ex. They can’t. Any break up needs a period of time to heal and allow yourself to grieve. Without this, emotions can get tied up in friendship, which only prolongs the hurt of the breakup.

Allow Friendship to Form Naturally
The best way to truly remain friends with an ex is to give both you and your ex-partner some time. Don’t call, text, or contact them for a bit. If the two of you started out as friends, there is a good chance that you’ll be able to rekindle that friendship at some point. But allow it to happen naturally. It’s okay to let your ex go for a while. When you both have moved on emotionally, you’ll be able to share each other’s happiness’s again as true friends should.

Image: sxc.hu.