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Have a Great Thanksgiving

What if we could make this Thanksgiving less stressful, more fun, and actually be able to enjoy ourselves, appreciate our family and friends (even the ones who drive us nuts), and...

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Our Breaking Up Experts

MJ Acharya

MJ Acharya

Author, blogger and healer of broken hearts

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Mike Riley

Mike Riley

Co-author of How To Heal A Broken Heart In 30 Days

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Melissa Kantor

Melissa Kantor

Author of the young adult novel The Breakup Bible

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Tips

Resist the Urge to Call

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The healing process cannot begin until you acknowledge that the break up is real. For many, the only way that can happen is if you cut the cord. That means no more contact, not an email, snail mail, phone call, IM or text message. Don’t run into him or her accidentally outside the health club or use lame excuses to make contact like, “Oh I just wondered if I’d left my Julio Iglesias CD at your place.” Buy another one. Take your ex off the speed dial and change the screensaver of the two of you kissing last Valentine’s Day. Don’t call when you know he or she isn’t home just to hear that beloved voice on the outgoing message. Breaking up is all about eliminating your mental dependence on familiarity. That's impossible without a sincere effort.

For the times when the urge to call the ex seems unbearable, have a “cheat sheet” ready listing all the reasons you’re better off being broken up. For instance, “She hated all my friends" or "he was judgmental and critical of me.”

Still concerned your willpower will win out over your resolve? Raise the stakes. Make a deal with a few close buddies. If you give in and dial those seven digits, swear to your friends that you will clean their houses for a month! High risk? Sure, but high reward in the end when you don't cave.

Posted: 11/21/09
ma2727

My ex wants us to remain friends (after a 10 year relationship) and so called every day for three months after we broke up...until I told him I needed him to stop calling for awhile. He admitted part of the time he was calling because he thought it made me feel better and he would try to only call when he really wanted to talk to me. I hate losing touch with him, but I imagine not talking to him at all would be a better solution. The problem is that we have so many mutual friends and are very likely to see each other fairly often.

  • By ma2727
  • on 6/24/09 12:11 PM EST
STONEBULLDOG

THESE ARTICLES ARE SO ON TARGET AND ARE MAKING THIS BREAK UP PASS. I HAD CALLED ABOUT A WEEK AFTER HE LEFT AND HIS SISTER SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO ME. THAT'S ENOUGH FOR ME. I DON'T NEED TO BE TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT REJECT ME. I'D RATHER CALL MY MOM OR MY KIDS. THEY ALWAYS LOVE ME AND ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE.