Love + Sex

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Dating Diaries: Breaking Up Is Easy To Do: 5 Simple Rules

A friend of a friend has called his ex-girlfriend six times since she broke up with him. I told my friend to bestow my breaking up advice on him. Whether you want someone back or not, if you follow the rules below, you will maintain your dignity, maybe win the person back, or eventually get over them:

1. Ride Off Into The Sunset

In college I took a class called American Western Movies . Give me a break, ok? It was summer session. But this class did teach me something. I learned I wanted to be a cowboy. They are so cool, collect, never play their hand, never look rattled, and they are always confident.

One thing they all did was ride off as the sun set on the horizon after their business was done.

Riding off into the sunset keeps our dignity. When a girl breaks up with me, I will say:

"OK, it was great getting to know you over the past (insert length of time). You take care."

My business is done.

Then, I will figuratively ride off into the sunset. I won t tell her how much I miss her. I won t tell her she made a mistake. I won t call, email or text. I won t mention her to mutual friends. I ll be gone from her life.

Suddenly, it will dawn on the girl that she is not getting her money s worth for this breakup. It is true: people who do the breaking up have an air of power to them. They like being the decision maker, and having the control. But after I walk away like it s no problem, she ll start to think:

"Wow, why isn t he shaken up over this? Did he even care that I broke up with him?"

Or even better, the ever-popular and coveted:

"Did I do the right thing breaking up with him?"

That s when you know you re in business.

My Business Is Done Here

http://journals.aol.com/rescuesquad93/Lifeasaparamedic/entries/2007/07/12/so-you-wanna-be-an-emt/200

2. Apply the Wizard of Oz Effect

Of course, most likely, we are in total pain and anguish after a break up. But, we can t let that show. Remember:

"Pay no mind to that man behind the curtain?"

We can, behind the curtain, cry, complain, b---- , yell, be angry, and hurt. But, we must craft the appearance on the outside of being fine with everything. We need to look happy on the outside to the other person 100% of the time we see them post-breakujp.

This also gives the illusion that you might be seeing someone else, or that you ve got other things going on. Of course you re miserable and there s NOTHING going on in your life, but they don t have to know it!

Wizard

http://thedharmablog.blogspot.com/2007/05/prev-lets-get-biblical.html't Let 'Em See This


3. Enact the Verb in Breaking Up

Get rid of all evidence of them. Put it all in a closet, under your bed, or anywhere. I m a sucker for a strand of hair or her shampoo smell left on a pillow after a girl is over. If broken up with, this must go: wash the sheets! Remember in breaking up, think of it like a guillotine make it fast:

On a guillotine, you d rather have a sharp blade slice your head right off than a blunt blade repeatedly cut and cut until finally your head finally fell off.

If it s a break up they want, make it clean for them. It will look good, and it will be easier on you. Flush them right out of your life immediately, and completely.

Guillotine

Make It Quick?

4. Don t Look Back

It s hard to accomplish this. We know not to look back, just like we know not to look down when someone says don t look down...but we still look down. But, make it easy on yourself: looking back and saying stuff like:

" Gosh, just two weeks ago, we were out to dinner and she stayed over here and we were so close... "

...will just make it more painful. You can t look back until it s time to look back when you re truly over it.

5. Remember You ll Get Over It

The best thing about breaking up is those following mornings you wake up after you ve truly gotten over someone. You re renewed, alive, and ready to see what the world has to offer. Keep pushing through for this feeling, remember all those people you thought you d never get over (you know you ended up getting over them), and as Jim Morrison once crooned: " break on through to the other side! "

Well I don t know about you, but after going through all that, I m inspired to get dumped!

So, do you agree with these rules? Do you have any nightmare breakup stories? If a guy you dumped followed these rules, would you start reconsidering? Would you be annoyed if you dumped a guy and he didn t get upset?


Posted by Rich

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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 62
  • paulina's Avatar
    Posted by paulina Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:02am PDT

    They say indifference hurts more than any rude action you may take against an ex-. But they also say that it is harmful for your health to hide those bad emotions as envy, rage, jelousy,sadness, and so on. So that, if he/she called it quits you should not try look fine in front of them but try to avoid feeling bad by thinking or focusing on other many important matters that are part of human life. Practicing a sport for example. Soon they will know you are right without them.

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  • Cynthia's Avatar
    Posted by Cynthia Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:41pm PDT

    I think your rules are great!! but sometimes we need to show our emotions...i think someone is always gonna get hurt so you have to take it with your chin up and go back up on the horse...;)

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  • Erin's Avatar
    Posted by Erin Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:22pm PDT

    Perfect!

    Report Abuse
  • Sabrina's Avatar
    Posted by Sabrina Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:23pm PDT

    I think a couple of them sound too proud. I do feel that you should act fine for it to be fine. However if you really want this person you will try to talk to them rather than act like you don't care. If that still isn't what is right then let it go or "ride off." However, I completely agree with getting rid of everything ex. Even if you get back together sometimes if it hurts enough it's good to "start over."

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  • saraha's Avatar
    Posted by saraha Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:23pm PDT

    whateva! the article is absolutely right and i wished i would have been able to really hear this a year ago!

    she did it to me and i was a crying mess; even though it is not necessarily how i truely felt. i love this article

    Report Abuse
  • Robbie's Avatar
    Posted by Robbie Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:25pm PDT

    All this advice is just dandy, but when you have time and your heart invested, no amount of advice will suffice. Take it from me, grieve, cry, be angry, let your emotions go, for sanity sake. Yes, it will take time to get over him, but you need the outlet and we have the right to let these emotions go. And why would anyone want him back after putting you through all that- not me! If he'll do it once, he'll do it again.

    Report Abuse
  • BrokenHeartedGirl.com's Avatar
    Posted by BrokenHeartedGirl.com Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:25pm PDT

    I'm totally spamming here...but I own 2 websites...brokenheartedgirl.com and brokenheartedguy.com and they aim to help people that need to get over their ex's. I 100% agree with this guy's article...if you want to TALK about your breakup, post in our forum! It's free...and it's a yahoo! site anyway. : )

    Report Abuse
  • Arnold's Avatar
    Posted by Arnold Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:26pm PDT

    I always have sex with one of their friends too. Just sayin.

    Report Abuse
  • RICK N's Avatar
    Posted by RICK N Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:27pm PDT

    It hard I know, but I personally believe that she made the biggest mistake in her life breaking up with me. Now I get to share me with the rest of the world and the rest of the world gets to experience how great I really am. Don't get depressed, have fun and get on with your life.

    Report Abuse
  • David M's Avatar
    Posted by David M Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:31pm PDT

    great article! indeed it reminded me of a time fifteen years ago, when a younger woman broke my heart, by dating a high-school buddy of mine, only to break up with him! but, I did just what you suggested, & it worked! thanks!

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