By Jennifer Angel

When you decide to part company, breaking up is hard to do, but if you have made the decision to end your relationship there are common courtesy’s you can apply to help ease the pain and maintain your reputation. When you approach your partner with genuine care, honesty and compassion, you have done your part by handling your breakup in a mature way. Here are a few etiquette tips to remember before having the dreaded “I’ve had enough talk”.

Make Proper Arrangements – You might have known the breakup talk was right around the corner; however your partner might be singing a different tune. Give your partner the head’s up by organizing a set time and place for you to meet up and discuss the relationship. Pick a location which offers privacy, emotions have a funny way of coming out no matter how hard we try to keep them at bay.

Breakup Conversation – Be prepared to explain your feelings and why you believe it’s best to go your separate ways. You don’t want to list every single fault you feel your soon to be ex might have, instead focus on being direct without being too harsh. If your partner has questions, answer them and try to be understanding; your response might bring them a sense of closure. If the conversation starts to become heated, then simply choose not to engage in that behavior. He or she might calm down after a few minutes once their behavior has sunk in. If arguing seems to be unavoidable, it may be wise to excuse yourself from the conversation and venue all together.

Tie Up Loose Ends – Every relationship is different, but sometimes you may have to tie up loose ends before you both can go your separate ways. If you have things to get straight and tie up, it may be best to avoid an emotional scene and schedule another time to get together to go through things. Make a list to ensure these important matters will be taken care of and you cover everything, avoiding the need to book another meeting. If you share a joint bank account or you live together and need to help your old flame move their personal belongings, this can give you both enough time to plan accordingly.

Avoid Temptation – Giving in to one last night of passion may seem pretty tempting, but it might leave your ex flame feeling very confused. Nobody wants to feel used or betrayed; engaging in any sexual activity after a breakup may give them false hope that one day you might be able to work things out and eventually be together again. Worst of all, your one night of breakup sex could turn into a weekly booty call, forcing old complicated feelings to resurface. When it’s over, do your best to keep it that way.

Breakup Guilt – You may experience some form of guilt by initiating the breakup. At one point you both made a commitment and opened your hearts to each other, and nowadays your heart no longer feels the same. Remind yourself that not everyone you date will be your happily ever after. Seek comfort in knowing you did the right thing, not only for yourself but for your ex too. Ending a relationship doesn’t make you a bad person, even if your ex is trying to make you feel that way. Relationships fail for a number of reasons, but learning from them can make you a stronger individual who refuses to settle for anything less than pure happiness.

When you are in a committed relationship with someone it’s a personal choice. Stand firm in your decision to end your relationship and remember you are the only one that can make the best choices for your own happiness and growth. Life has a unique way of working in your favor, don’t give up on love, your perfect soul mate could be just around the corner!

HAPPY LOVING!

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