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How to Stay Friends with an Ex. You've heard it before: "Can we still be friends?" But
this time, you actually mean it. Here's how to make it work. You will need Time apart
Sensitivity and a willing ex. Step 1. Give it time. Right after the breakup, agree not
to see each other for a while. No matter how amicable your split was, breakups are always
painful. Allow time for wounds to heal before approaching the subject of friendship. Step
2. Resist the temptation to call them every time you're having a bad day or see something
that reminds you of them. To make a clean break, you need to learn to live without them.
Otherwise, neither of you will truly be able to move on, or transition into a real friendship.
Do not have sex with your ex; it violates boundaries and can ruin your chances of ever
becoming friends. Step 3. Ask yourself why you want to stay friends. Do you feel guilty
for dumping them? Are you lonely? Do you secretly want to get back together? If so, you're not
ready. Make sure you're in it for the right reasons before initiating contact. Starting
a new romance with someone else before you try to strike up a friendship with your ex
can help boost your confidence and avoid the temptation of getting back together. Step
4. Start by sending a friendly email. Suss out your ex's willingness by casually suggesting
coffee or lunch. Meet in a public place during daylight hours – there's less of a chance
for drama. Step 5. Keep the topics of discussion to safe, neutral topics. Forbidden topics
include: what went wrong with your relationship, any new romantic involvement of yours or theirs,
and their personal life. Step 6. Be patient. There's a reason things didn't work out between
the two of you; being friends instead of lovers doesn't necessarily make those issues disappear.
But there's also a reason you're drawn to each other, and if you both stick with it,
you can form a lasting friendship. Did you know One study found that men take breakup
much harder than women do.