Breaking Up

The best way to break up with someone is to be honest. This is the only way to help yourself and your partner to get through this. However, once you are sure you must end your relationship with someone, do it immediately. Dragging out the process will only make things more difficult. Don't talk about it with your friends before you tell your partner. Your partner must be the first to know.

Although many people plan to be so, you are not likely to remain friends with someone after breaking up with them. Even if you both decide that you are ready to break up, being friends after is hard, especially if you have been intimate. Don't feel guilty about that either. It is best to move on with your life. You aren't responsible for their life after. You both will be lonely for a while.

The best time to break up is either on Friday so that you can have plans for the weekend set, or on Monday so that you both have a full work week. This will help to keep you busy and not have time to think about it or miss each other so much. It also will keep you from second-guessing your decision.

Don't break up in public; pick a neutral spot, like a park. Have something planned soon after so that you don't linger on the pain. The most important thing above all is to end the relationship in person. Don't do it through email, on the phone, on the answering machine, or through another person. Have the decency to do it face to face.