14 Women Reveal How They Got Over Their Exes Once And For All
I didn’t stay friends with him. I don’t believe in being friends with my exes or staying on ‘good terms’ – if you’re out, you’re out. That’s it. The grey area is what keeps people hooked on their exes for so long because they think that staying in touch will make it easier to rekindle…
By 
Rania Naim
1. I looked at the bigger picture.
“When you’re in a relationship and in love, you don’t look at the bigger picture or how compatible you two truly are together, or if you can live together under one roof. When I looked at the bigger picture, I realized that we have a lot of core differences that would’ve made it so hard to live together or even have a family together.” — Sandra, 25
2. I gave him a lot of chances.
“I gave him so many chances to make things right and he didn’t. He took those chances for granted. If someone doesn’t make things work the fifth time around, then they probably never will.” — Kim, 24
3. I finally listened to my best friends.
“They all told me we are not right for each other – sometimes you think they don’t know but they do. If all the people who care about you are telling you the same thing, then there must be some truth to it. It was easier to move on when everyone told me I was making the right decision and I was.” — Yasmine, 28
4. I got closure.
“I realized getting over an ex is easier when you finally get your closure. I asked him to meet me so I could tell him everything I’ve been holding in for years. It really helped me move on because I had said everything I wanted to say to him. It helped me flip that page without looking back.” — Jessica, 27
5. I shifted my focus onto myself.
“I was so in love with him and I wasn’t ready to love anyone else. So I just tried to do the things I always wanted to do but I couldn’t because of him. I traveled more, went out with my girls, worked on my fitness and started a blog – which was something I always dreamed of. It slowly helped me shift my focus onto better things and I wasn’t thinking about him as much as I used to.” — Sarah, 23
6. I unfollowed him from all social media.
“It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Deleting everything that reminded me of him was really therapeutic. It forced me to stop snooping and seeing things I didn’t want to see. I even avoided hanging out in the places he goes to. Slowly but surely I was able to get him out of my mind too.” — Amy, 27
7. I started dating again right away.
“I started dating right away so I can distract myself, even though I didn’t get into another relationship right away, it helped me realize there are plenty of guys with potential out there and that I can find someone else to love just as much as I loved my ex. It’s just a matter of time.” — Jane, 24
8. I let it all out.
“I cried when I felt like it, I texted him everything I wanted to say, I leaned on my friends for support, I drank the pain away – I did it all to get it out of my system. It helped me move on faster because I didn’t bottle my feelings in.” — Emily, 25
9. I got rid of all reminders.
“Gifts, books, notes, souvenirs, clothes….I got rid of everything that reminded me of him and our times together, I even deleted our pictures. I threw away everything that could trigger memories of him. It might be too much but it worked for me.” — Rosie, 24
10. I remembered the bad times.
“I adopted this mantra whenever I missed him. I would remember our ugly fights and the things he used to do that hurt me. I would remember the times he forgot things and neglected me. I took him off that pedestal I put him on, I kept telling myself he wasn’t that great anyway until I believed it. — Dina, 29
11. I forgave him.
“I decided to forgive him and wish him well regardless of what happened between us. It helped me get rid of the resentment I had and the grudges I held. Sometimes holding onto anger makes you remember that person even more. I just tried to release him and send out good vibes. It’s idealistic I know but it was truly what I needed to forget him.” — Erika, 25
12. I tried to master a new skill.
“I decided to put my energy into something more useful. He always made fun of my cooking skills, so I made it a point to be the best cook out there. I took cooking classes and started experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes. I would invite my friends over and cook for them. I started it just to prove him wrong and then it turned into a wonderful passion and made me get over him.” — Marie, 27
13. I laughed it off.
“I tried to find humor in my pain. It helps that I am naturally funny but I just laughed at how everything ended and how silly I was to believe that we will end up together. Laughing really heals me when I am in trouble, it works every single time.” — Suzie, 29
14. I didn’t stay friends with him.
“I don’t believe in being friends with my exes or staying on ‘good terms’ – if you’re out, you’re out. That’s it. The grey area is what keeps people hooked on their exes for so long because they think that staying in touch will make it easier to rekindle the romance. If you want to make room for someone else in your life, you have to get rid of any space your ex may be taking – even if it means losing him as a friend, you two were never really friends anyway.” — Lara, 26.
