It's pretty safe to say we've all been there.
You get into a new relationship and things are amazing.
You feel like the world around you has stopped and it's just you and that other person.
You meet families and talk about future plans together.
As far as you're concerned, this is it — the relationship you've been waiting for.
Right?
Wrong.
"Wow.
Haha."
"Wow."
"Wow!"
Whether or not you saw the relationship coming to a close, were taken completely off guard,
or made the decision to end it yourself, the truth is that things have ended.
Now what?
It always feels so difficult in the moment, but as the saying goes "Hindsight is 20/20."
If you're finding yourself stuck in that ex-rut, here are the signs it's time to face the truth
and move on.
The new girl
This is a pretty obvious sign, but when we're lost in that haze of missing someone, it can
be difficult to see what's right in front of your face.
When your ex brings a new lady into the picture, whether it's serious or semi-casual, he's
showing that he's ready to get back out there and date again.
It's not up to you to decide if she's "right for him" or not, but it is up to you to step
aside.
It might not be easy, but in the long run, it'll be best for you and him.
Cold shoulder
Staying in contact with ex-loves might be common enough, but it's important to recognize
that stifling salutations is an important step of the breakup process.
So, when he won't return your calls or texts, or even if he completely deletes you from
social media, it's a pretty clear sign it's time to move on.
Take his lead on this one and give yourself the same distance.
You'll no longer have to find yourself waiting by the phone for him to finally respond.
Harsh words
When it comes to friendships and the people we keep around us, we wouldn't tolerate someone
who is mean or angry, so why would you do that with your ex?
Whether he's angry because you decided to break things off or because he's just unhappy
with his own life, step away, move on and just let him deal with his own issues and
unhappiness.
"I'm taking the dog… dumbass!"
Also, don't forget that anger is part of the grieving process, so while he may just be
figuring out what his life looks like now that the relationship has ended, you still
don't need to have that kind of negativity around you.
Let it go!
Get back
Whether you've been trying to get him back with no luck, or you've been one of those
on again, off again roller coaster couples, at some point it's time to just call it quits.
There's clearly something that isn't working in the relationship, and if you can't fix
it, it's no longer worth your time, attention and energy.
If he's not interested in trying to make things work anymore, and especially if he's said
he just doesn't feel for you like he used to, it's time to throw in the towel and focus
that energy on making yourself happy.
You'll really know the time is right to move on when you start to not recognize yourself
for all the odd behaviors you're engaging in for the sake of this lost love.
"He's gotta pay!"
Rose-colored glasses
It's dangerous territory once you start romanticizing a broken romance, so if you find yourself
remembering the happy moments, the laughs, and his best traits — and forgetting the
bad times completely, then you must run away, fast.
This is the point when it's no longer about that relationship or even that person.
You're just missing being in a relationship, or being in love.
These are two very different things and it's time to recognize that, face the cold truth,
and move on.
Fear is here
No one is going to deny that breaking up is hard to do.
This pain often takes over and leaves us feeling afraid to dive into another relationship because
we don't want to feel that kind of hurt again.
Truth is, when we find ourselves in that place and holding on to an old relationship simply
out of fear of being let down again, it's a clear sign we need to move on and start
putting ourselves out there again to allow ourselves the chance to meet a new special
someone.
Onward and upward
Now that you've recognized it's time to break free from that past relationship, the next
question comes down to how do we do that?
As cheesy and cliche as this may sound the answer is simple: self love.
This is often the hardest part as it requires forgiveness, love and an understanding of
your own self-worth.
Whether or not you did something that brought your relationship to an end, learning to truly
love your own self as a person and recognize all of those wonderful traits that make you
you will attract future partners into our lives.
From there, it's an understanding of our self-worth and that we do deserve love.
During heartbreak, it's so easy to get caught up in all of those pesky negative thoughts,
but with a little positive self-talk, we can see how deserving of love we really are.
"I just --- I just really need to be with myself right now."
Thanks for watching!
Click The List icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Plus check out all this cool stuff we know you'll love, too!